Observation Hill - Amboseli

[Ed Blagden]

I would appreciate criticism of this one (24mm, 1/50th, f14, ISO800).

The idea here was to get a shot capturing the vastness of the lake pan, and the gathering storm, but to anchor the whole scene with something small and human scale (in this case my 11 year old son, David).  I ended up rendering in high contrast B&W because the nearby light was a bit dull and I couldn't jazz up the colours and contrast in Lightroom without the whole thing looking un-natural.

Comments?

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[AndrewKulin]

I would appreciate criticism of this one (24mm, 1/50th, f14, ISO800).

The idea here was to get a shot capturing the vastness of the lake pan, and the gathering storm, but to anchor the whole scene with something small and human scale (in this case my 11 year old son, David).

I have a suggestion given what you said you were trying to accomplish in the photo.  I think it would have been more effective to have had your son gazing towards the oncoming storm rather than back at the camera.  You would not get as much of his face, though if you were able to shift your position to the left or move him to the right, and had set the left edge of your frame with the tree near the edge, I think you would have accomplished what you set out to do.  Though your wife would probably prefer the shot as-is if she is anything like mine!

Since they say a picture is worth a thousand words I took the liberty of downloading your shot and modified it to show what I mean - sorry for the botch job - I am still a PS neophyte.

Andrew
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[RSL]

Ed, It was a nice try. I especially like the bonsai-like tree left center. But I agree with Andrew. I understand what you were trying to do by adding your boy, and you were right on the money with that idea. A landscape with a person in it almost always is more interesting than a landscape without (though I can hear the rising rumbles of discontent with that statement). But by having him look back toward you you turned the picture into a tourist shot. As Andrew said, it would have been better to let the figure be anonymous. I also wonder what the shot would have been like if you'd had the boy stand part way down the hill -- maybe even fairly close to the road -- and look away toward the oncoming storm. Unfortunately I can't do that in Photoshop.

[jasonrandolph]

I agree with everything Russell said.  One more suggestion would be to frame your son's head with the bend in the road on the right.  I like the B&W treatment.  Unfortunately, this is one of those situations where you'll never get the chance to reshoot this one, but it can certainly be used as a learning experience.

[Ed Blagden]

Ed, It was a nice try. I especially like the bonsai-like tree left center. But I agree with Andrew. I understand what you were trying to do by adding your boy, and you were right on the money with that idea. A landscape with a person in it almost always is more interesting than a landscape without (though I can hear the rising rumbles of discontent with that statement). But by having him look back toward you you turned the picture into a tourist shot. As Andrew said, it would have been better to let the figure be anonymous. I also wonder what the shot would have been like if you'd had the boy stand part way down the hill -- maybe even fairly close to the road -- and look away toward the oncoming storm. Unfortunately I can't do that in Photoshop.

Russ,

Interesting you say that... I actually have another one taken seconds before with pretty much the composition you suggest.  I had forgotten about it.  I attach it, with the same develop settings and crop applied.  I think I still prefer the first one, because it is more intimate... it is about David and the landscape, rather than just the landscape with David added as a prop.  When I took the photo we were having a conversation, and the photo is a capture of a moment and an atmosphere which I remember well.  I completely buy your point about composition, I suppose for me though the photo has another purpose, which is as a record rather than a work of art.  If it has some artistic merit, then that is a bonus.

Incidentally, the bonsai tree you mention is about 40' high!  The landscapes here are big.  Putting him near the road would have rendered him a small and distracting speck.

Jason - I guess I might be back there... the location is about 3 hours drive from my home.  Will try again one day.


Ed

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[RSL]

Russ,

Interesting you say that... I actually have another one taken seconds before with pretty much the composition you suggest.  I had forgotten about it.  I attach it, with the same develop settings and crop applied.  I think I still prefer the first one, because it is more intimate... it is about David and the landscape, rather than just the landscape with David added as a prop.  When I took the photo we were having a conversation, and the photo is a capture of a moment and an atmosphere which I remember well.  I completely buy your point about composition, I suppose for me though the photo has another purpose, which is as a record rather than a work of art.  If it has some artistic merit, then that is a bonus.

Incidentally, the bonsai tree you mention is about 40' high!  The landscapes here are big.  Putting him near the road would have rendered him a small and distracting speck.

Jason - I guess I might be back there... the location is about 3 hours drive from my home.  Will try again one day.

Ed

Ed, there's nothing wrong with family record shots. I have four sons, four daughters-in-law, 9 grandsons and 8 granddaughters, and I have a whole web that I set up with family pictures -- record shots. I keep adding to the site, and I always hope I can get a little "art" into the record shots, but I usually fail. That doesn't make the pictures any less precious to me.

Yeah, I suspected the tree was pretty far away, but it looks like bonsai from where you shot the picture.

I really like the first shot, but, as usual, I can't keep myself from playing with a picture like that. I'd be willing to bet that when you shot the picture the sky seemed darker:

[attachment=14512:IMG_2770_copy.jpg]

[Ed Blagden]

I really like the first shot, but, as usual, I can't keep myself from playing with a picture like that. I'd be willing to bet that when you shot the picture the sky seemed darker:

[attachment=14512:IMG_2770_copy.jpg]

Well no, it didn't seem darker, but having seen your PS-ing I realise now it should have seemed darker.  I really ought to get myself a copy of Photoshop (I only use Lightroom) and maybe some recreational drugs.

[JeffKohn]

What struck me about this image was the misleading perspective, which I guess is because of the fairly flat lighting causing the hill your son is on to blend with the ground below. The road implies scale for the tree, so to me it looks like your son is a giant rather than the tree being small. I definitely did a double-take and looked more closely, so in that sense the image was successful.

I like Russ's edit with the darker sky, the original looks a bit flat/washed-out in the distance.

[wolfnowl]

I can see the point people were making here, but to me the original image makes a great statement for the younger generation and the environment.  It's like the boy is staring back, silently asking "Well?  You created this for me?"

It reminded me of the story of the old Native man who took a youth up on top of a high mountain, spread his arms wide and said, "Son, some day, none of this will be yours."

Mike.

[Jack Varney]

Well no, it didn't seem darker, but having seen your PS-ing I realise now it should have seemed darker.  I really ought to get myself a copy of Photoshop (I only use Lightroom) and maybe some recreational drugs.

You can easily darken and boost contrast in the sky in Lightroom with a gradient. Some clarity on the lake and lower forground would add interest, too.