Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: John R on April 06, 2009, 06:38:09 pm

Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: John R on April 06, 2009, 06:38:09 pm
It was cold and damp by the lake and the swan lay huddled with his neck tucked in and never once looked up as he floated on the water. It certainly makes me wonder how he could survive. I know the horizon looks a bit off but I checked it against the frame.

JMR
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: wolfnowl on April 07, 2009, 01:36:13 am
Hi John:

I like your Mute Swan, but looking at the image I found the dock rather distracting.  I hope you don't mind me messing with your image, but I'd suggest something like this... more minimalist.  In addition to the cropping, I also subdued the water's colours.

Feel free to like it, or to hate it, as you see fit!

Mike.

[attachment=12801:April_5_..._ptxcopy.jpg]
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: John R on April 07, 2009, 04:49:05 am
Quote from: wolfnowl
Hi John:

I like your Mute Swan, but looking at the image I found the dock rather distracting.  I hope you don't mind me messing with your image, but I'd suggest something like this... more minimalist.  In addition to the cropping, I also subdued the water's colours.

Feel free to like it, or to hate it, as you see fit!

Mike.
Sorry about my last diatribe, Mike. Feel free to critique my images.

As to the new crop, I rather like the horizon and breakwater as it gives the swan context. Though I described the shot as minimalist, I don't think I meant for it to be isolated. I think your crop might work better if the swan were larger and the focus more on the gracefulness of his sleep. I have included a second BW image of the same day, slightly softened. Though I like the ambiance better,  I think it falls short because I cannot see the swan's beak or neck and we lose a sense of graceful beauty.

JMR
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: walter.sk on April 07, 2009, 09:57:49 am
Quote from: John R
I have included a second BW image of the same day, slighly softened. Though I like the ambiance better,  I think it falls short because the I cannot see the swan's beak or neck and we lose a sense of graceful beauty.
JMR

I like this image much, much more.  I wouldn't worry about the swan's beak or neck here.  What comes across to me is something more about the ultimate smallness of the swan in the vastness of its environment, and yes, its isolation.  It is less a picture of a swan than an image of a mood and a setting and works much better than the other image.
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: RSL on April 07, 2009, 10:59:52 am
Quote from: walter.sk
I like this image much, much more.  I wouldn't worry about the swan's beak or neck here.  What comes across to me is something more about the ultimate smallness of the swan in the vastness of its environment, and yes, its isolation.  It is less a picture of a swan than an image of a mood and a setting and works much better than the other image.

What Walter said. Yes!
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: Andres Bonilla on April 07, 2009, 02:18:53 pm
I like both photos but the second one is gorgeous, I really like the soft black and white version.
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: John R on April 08, 2009, 11:53:20 am
Quote from: walter.sk
I like this image much, much more.  I wouldn't worry about the swan's beak or neck here.  What comes across to me is something more about the ultimate smallness of the swan in the vastness of its environment, and yes, its isolation.  It is less a picture of a swan than an image of a mood and a setting and works much better than the other image.
Thanks, it is good a observation, Walter. Most of the swans travel in pairs and this one was alone. And thanks to Andres and Russ for your comments also.

JMR
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: button on April 08, 2009, 04:34:45 pm
Quote from: John R
Thanks, it is good a observation, Walter. Most of the swans travel in pairs and this one was alone. And thanks to Andres and Russ for your comments also.

JMR

I'll vote for #2 as well, for the reasons listed above, as well as for its lines- the horizontal line of the swan works with the rocks, as they are parallel.  Also, the vertical lines of the sun and reflection create structure, especially as they are about perpendicular to the swan/rock lines.  Furthermore, the cloud lines in the sky are at near 45 degree angles to the sun line.  There's even a vague 30 degree or so line implied by the texture in the sky, starting on the left and moving upward toward the right.  Nice.

John
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: dwdallam on April 09, 2009, 12:16:29 am
Quote from: John R
It was cold and damp by the lake and the swan lay huddled with his neck tucked in and never once looked up as he floated on the water. It certainly makes me wonder how he could survive. I know the horizon looks a bit off but I checked it against the frame.

JMR


Making the horizon line level (the doc) may make it better and some creative post processing..
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: John R on April 09, 2009, 06:55:18 am
Quote from: dwdallam
Making the horizon line level (the doc) may make it better and some creative post processing..
Thanks for the comments. If you check the horizon line against  the frame of your window, you will see it is level. It is the breakwall which appears unlevel and this comes from pointing the camera downward a bit. I have never been a watcher of horizons, they are not as important as getting the shot and the aesthetics and mood. I suppose the exception would be where architecture and seascapes horizons were dominant and important to the photo.

JMR
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: dwdallam on April 10, 2009, 02:25:00 am
Quote from: John R
Thanks for the comments. If you check the horizon line against  the frame of your window, you will see it is level. It is the breakwall which appears unlevel and this comes from pointing the camera downward a bit. I have never been a watcher of horizons, they are not as important as getting the shot and the aesthetics and mood. I suppose the exception would be where architecture and seascapes horizons were dominant and important to the photo.

JMR

That right. If the horizon "looks" like the horizon, then use that as the leveling structure. That's what I do when I get a subject such as where water meets mountain, meets fog. If I level the horizon, the "horizon" looks crooked. I wonder what it would look like using the breakwater as the horizon? I think that is what I was seeing anyway.
Title: Sleeping Swan
Post by: RSL on April 10, 2009, 11:21:13 am
Here's a similar kind of shot. This one is called "Cormorant On Duck."

[attachment=12906:Cormorant.jpg]