Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: MR.FEESH on March 22, 2009, 12:42:17 am
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Are there standard rules of composition which apply to sunrises or sunsets? I know it's not always the most creative to have the subject in the exact middle of the picture, but there are times when one must break the rules. Below is a picture I took today, unedited, uncropped and I was wondering if some one might comment on composition.
It is obvious that the sun is smack in the middle, and I'm not sure if this is a faux pas when it comes to sunrise/set shots.
Thanks for helping out a beginner!!!
7:01 PM, Nikon L18 (p&s)
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt18/MR-FEESH/Fav/DSCN0264-2.jpg)
Elby
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Are there standard rules of composition which apply to sunrises or sunsets? I know it's not always the most creative to have the subject in the exact middle of the picture, but there are times when one must break the rules. Below is a picture I took today, unedited, uncropped and I was wondering if some one might comment on composition.
It is obvious that the sun is smack in the middle, and I'm not sure if this is a faux pas when it comes to sunrise/set shots.
Thanks for helping out a beginner!!!
7:01 PM, Nikon L18 (p&s)
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt18/MR-FEESH/Fav/DSCN0264-2.jpg)
Elby
I think it looks pretty good, although I did get the impression of an eye staring back at me. If it were me, I would either suppress the sun or spread it out wider somehow. Sunsets sans the sun itself usually have very different and random distributions of background detail (clouds, trees, red glow, etc.), so the central ball of light tends to work against that enchantment of randomness and mystery.
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If it were me, I would either suppress the sun or spread it out wider somehow. Sunsets sans the sun itself usually have very different and random distributions of background detail (clouds, trees, red glow, etc.), so the central ball of light tends to work against that enchantment of randomness and mystery.
Could you elaborate a little more on what you mean by "spread it out wider somehow"?
And, in general, do you mean to say that the intensity of the sun is too harsh, or such that it does not work with the feeling of the rest of the picture (the clouds)?
Elby
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Could you elaborate a little more on what you mean by "spread it out wider somehow"?
And, in general, do you mean to say that the intensity of the sun is too harsh, or such that it does not work with the feeling of the rest of the picture (the clouds)?
Elby
The sun is not too harsh - it's just that from arm's length the image is staring at me. By "spread it out" I meant to widen the brightest area so it doesn't look like the sun (a ball), but more like sunshine glowing through a cloud.
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The sun is not too harsh - it's just that from arm's length the image is staring at me. By "spread it out" I meant to widen the brightest area so it doesn't look like the sun (a ball), but more like sunshine glowing through a cloud.
Ohhh, okay now I see what you're saying. Hmm, that is a very valid point, I'll play around with it and surf the web for some more sunset shots to get an even better idea.
Elby
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Ohhh, okay now I see what you're saying. Hmm, that is a very valid point, I'll play around with it and surf the web for some more sunset shots to get an even better idea.
Elby
If you look at these two, you'll see that at least one violates the "rule" of thirds, etc. The point is not that the rule is very important, strictly speaking, the important thing is to try to look at your own photos as though you didn't take them - look objectively like they are someone else's, and if something looks not quite right, for any of a thousand reasons, well, then you know what other people will see.
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If you look at these two, you'll see that at least one violates the "rule" of thirds, etc. The point is not that the rule is very important, strictly speaking, the important thing is to try to look at your own photos as though you didn't take them - look objectively like they are someone else's, and if something looks not quite right, for any of a thousand reasons, well, then you know what other people will see.
Okay, what about this:
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt18/MR-FEESH/Fav/DSCN0252.jpg)
It's a completely different picture from a different time during the sunset.
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Okay, what about this:
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt18/MR-FEESH/Fav/DSCN0252.jpg)
It's a completely different picture from a different time during the sunset.
A very good sunset photo. For me, nature and Earth photos have both symmetries and randomness that work together, to make the image look real, and interesting as well. It's very tempting to have a more-or-less centered object to establish a sense of symmetry or balance, so when the object(s) are not centered, it's a challenge to get the kind of balance that makes the image pleasing to the eye, or when not especially pleasing, worthy of attention.
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A very good sunset photo. For me, nature and Earth photos have both symmetries and randomness that work together, to make the image look real, and interesting as well. It's very tempting to have a more-or-less centered object to establish a sense of symmetry or balance, so when the object(s) are not centered, it's a challenge to get the kind of balance that makes the image pleasing to the eye, or when not especially pleasing, worthy of attention.
I had a feeling this one was more along the lines of what you were talking about.
Thanks again for helping out a n00b!
Elby