How did I do?

[Gary Zerbst]

 

My goal for this photo was an exercise in using composition to define a center of interest in an otherwise jumbled scene. I know the photo is not an aesthetic triumph but it could be a learning opportunity. What might I have done differently or additionally to more clearly define the hero of the Photo?

[Erik Fransman]

Hi Gary, I don’t think you really succeeded in your execise. IMHO, because there is no center of interest. Not in color, not in form or shape. It’s all cluttered and jumbled.

I suppose you want the two tree trunk to become the center of interest.
With this image I would take out the light green “branche” in front and use a vignette. Now the outside of the image is the lightest (White vignette?) and that does not do it for me.
I think kt works a tad better with a dark vignette, but it still does not really work for me.

[Frank]

Hi Gary, I assume that the center of interest is the green fern right of center.  You are trying to get leading lines of the tree and the pointing line of the green stalk in the foreground pointing at or towards the fern. However, if the fern is your subject, why have you added all the clutter?  I do not see any environmental objects in your way preventing you from stepping closer to the fern, giving us a much better view of it with much fewer distracting elements.  But, with your image as is, why not crop it?  If you want the large tree to be part of a frame, do not leave anything above it.  Also the foreground dirt does not add much of interest, so crop that out, too.  There will be less to look at other than the fern.  I do like what  Erik has done with the color.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

I like this crop by Frank and the edits as well. Would have been good to have the plant in focus 🙂

[Graham Hart]

Hi Gary, I agree with the others that there is not a real lot to grab the attention in this shot as is. Out of focus doesn’t help the cause either. It feels like a background ready for the model to enter the scene.

If I was standing in that spot, I might ask myself “What is of the most interest here”? The only thing which really grabs my eye instantly are the two furry looking tree trunks. So I would perhaps have changed lenses and shot a real close-up of those mossy lichen-covered surfaces looking for some fine detail in the structure within. In the absence of a strong focal point in the bigger picture, go in deep I reckon.

[JasenkaG]

Hi Gary, I think you should have shot this scene with different settings, maybe with shallow depth of field. It feels as if the photo doesn’t have a center of interest like this. I also think it’s slightly over-processed.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I think you would get along with Mitchell Kanashkavich – he once told me that if you cannot compose an image without resorting to shallow depth of field, then you cannot compose an image. 😉

[Author]

Posts