Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: michswiss on August 12, 2010, 12:02:31 pm

Title: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: michswiss on August 12, 2010, 12:02:31 pm
I would appreciate thoughts and critique on this image.

(http://michswiss.smugmug.com/Work-in-progress/Work-in-Progress-2010/DSC4974/934536928_59vx8-XL.jpg)
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: Dick Roadnight on August 12, 2010, 02:55:41 pm
I would appreciate thoughts and critique on this image.
The figure is looking out of the picture...perhaps this is intentional, but it not harmonious, and traditionally you would have used the figure to lead the eye in to somewhere.

The building is very square on, and I think it contributes little to the image (but most landscapes would benefit from some foreground interest)... if a building has perspective which leads the eye into the picture, it helps composition.

The picture seems to have a grey cast, and I think a bit of WB would help.

If you do not have a high res camera (or a pano-stitcher) then this type of misty, moody picture might work well for you.

It seems that in the conditions at the time it would not have been possible to take a much sharper picture with any camera.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: shutterpup on August 12, 2010, 03:45:52 pm
As far as the figure goes, judging from the angle of her feet, she is looking out to the sea that we can see, not out of the photo to something we cannot see. I like the figure.

Although I'd like to see better separation of the highest hills in mist against the clouds directly above, I like the overall mood that the fog/mist creates.

No opinions about the building. For me, this is a pleasant photo.

Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: michswiss on August 13, 2010, 12:09:50 pm
I hadn't thought of checking the WB in this sort of shot.  Thanks for the suggestion.   I think it's a pleasant shot too, but my gut reaction is that it's an "almost".  I'll play with it a little more. I have another from the same spot, only looking much more to the right.  Street shots are my normal thing.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: Haraldo on August 14, 2010, 01:09:08 pm
Have you tried converting to monochrome? The color doesn't do much for me. Just a suggestion.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: michswiss on August 15, 2010, 10:11:38 am
My normal style is close in nighttime, B&W street work.  But I'd like to improve seeing and composing images on a larger scale.

As to this image, I tried a monochrome version and didn't like it.  I did go back and adjust the WB and make a few additional changes.  I think it's better, but it's probably only an "almost."  Here is the updated version.

(http://michswiss.smugmug.com/Work-in-progress/Work-in-Progress-2010/DSC49741/970273044_ss5EU-XL.jpg)
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: shutterpup on August 15, 2010, 12:07:12 pm
I took the liberty of downloading this image and making it B&W. I actually like that better than the color version. To each his own.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: michswiss on August 15, 2010, 12:35:29 pm
I took the liberty of downloading this image and making it B&W. I actually like that better than the color version. To each his own.

Which version did you use?   My initial results left it too grey and I couldn't find a good white point that worked in the composition while keeping nice tonality.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: shutterpup on August 15, 2010, 03:02:15 pm
I used your first version.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: John R on August 15, 2010, 05:32:16 pm
It's a lovely scene with beautiful light. The way I see it, the person is the most interesting element in the overall scene and gives your image its motif, but it is competing with the large building, and it in turn overly dominates. So I suggest cropping the building to a size that better flows with the overall scene. By cropping the building, you will immediately see that eye flows back and forth from the person to the building but also through the scene.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: Justinr on August 29, 2010, 05:19:51 pm
The left hand side of the picture is less interesting than the right. There is a nice picture there but I'd be tempted to crop out some of the left and side and lower edge, this will place more emphasis on the mountains and figure which is where the interest lies.

Having the figure looking out of the frame is not a problem nor is the lack of clarity. They both work well in this case.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: Vuurtoren on August 29, 2010, 05:42:57 pm
Amazingly it is the tiny figure that attracts all the attention. 
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: degrub on August 29, 2010, 08:46:53 pm
i like the light in the scene. A tighter crop (first drainpipe on the building from the right ~1/3) really brings the moodiness in for me.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: DarkPenguin on August 29, 2010, 09:49:33 pm
Clone out the primate.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: michswiss on August 30, 2010, 11:00:21 am
Clone out the primate.

I'm rather fond of taking pictures of primates in the wild.

Thanks for the extra comments folks.  I take the point about cropping more from the left side, but I'm reticent to do it as it'll lose too much resolution for a decent print.  Maybe it's simply a miss.  What I do have is a second shot from the same location that's panned much more to the right without the building and including some trees and brush that make up the shore line.  Still includes the primate though.
Title: Re: Port Douglas harbour entrance
Post by: DarkPenguin on August 30, 2010, 11:21:17 am
Can we see it?