Kyle
Well, if you were standing on a bridge, then that pinned down your viewpoint and certainly would not help. The best advice would have been to get off that bridge and get in amongst it (a bit like Patricia has been busy doing) but I do understand that such a course of action might not have been practical or very safe. One of the best bits of counsel I haver ever come across (and I can't now remember which famous photographer said it) is to "walk the shot". In other words, see your subject, assess the light, and then move around the subject from all possible viewpoints to assess the best framing options. Never, ever, be content with just pointing the camera at a scene and firing off a shot. That is one of the reasons I don't like tripods very much, because they tend to inhibit what should be a natural flow of movement around the subject. Often only two or three feet makes all the difference. What you are looking for is a
picture in your viewfinder, rather than simply an image. And as to what makes a picture rather than just a snap, the best thought I can give is to study the work of the masters of this craft. There is an awful lot of good stuff out there, on the internet for free now as well as in books - absorb it through your pores.
Unlike a painter, who starts with a blank canvas and adds things to the composition, photography is a process of subtraction. One of the problems with your picture is that it has too
much in it. Too many motifs and elements, all fighting each other for the viewer's attention, rather than blending into a harmonious whole. Another Smith's Rule - Every element in the picture (especially in landscape work) should be contributing to the image, not distracting from it. The process of framing - before we even think about releasing the shutter - should be measured, deliberate, and contemplative, as we seek to remove the distractions, balance the subject elements against one another, and realise our vision.
Or something like that
John
