[skipper954]

Another from a trip to Vietnam. This is just outside a local market at the dock in Hoi An. These ladies are either locals doing their shopping or people working and taking a little break.

I took this surrepticiously, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, and so, the framing wasn't the best.

It was shot with my d70, 1/800 @ f/4.5 and focal length 52mm (digital).

Southeast Asia was a photographic heaven, particularly the people and street scenes.

And dangit, it lost a lot of detail and sharpness when I edited it for the web.

[fionaB]

this is really nice Skip, i bet its a lot better in the full res version howevr. Just a shame u have lost the rest of the lady on the right but as uy were doing on the sly i guess its one of those times when u just got to take what u can get

Fiona

[skipper954]

Thanks, Fi

I am still battling size, I guess. How does one size the image for the web without losing resolution or making it so small that everyone comments about the smallness?

[Steve]

You need to follow the instructions in post 6 of your own thread here

Note that your image size is fine for the above shot but the file size is tiny (49kb) so its only a quarter of your allowed limit and as such has lost all its detail.

Personally I always reduce the image dimentions first, then sharpen then use the save as command as shown in the thread above, that way I can adjust the apparent sharpness of the shot at it size that it is to be shown on the web and virtually no detail is lost.

[skipper954]

Thanks Steve. I think that I was confusing 2 posts, and lowering the dpi to 72 before following the instructions in #6.

I would really like more critiques on this corrected image.

[fionaB]

much much better quality here skip! lovely depth of field as well. I dont know ... but i would be tempted to get rid of the clutter at the top of the image

Fiona

[skipper954]

I thought about that, but I feel that the boat and shoreline add a feeling of place. What does everyone else think?

[lolyton]

It's a good snapshot of the culture and way of life in a foreign country. As Fiona says, framing is sometimes difficult if you are trying to go un-noticed, but judging by the interest they are showing one another you may have gone unoticed anyway. And i feel that it is the framing that lets this shot down (though as is the shot is fine, i am talking in terms of improvement). If you could re-do the whole thing again (impossible i know)then maybe take 2 shots, one portrait, not quite as tight on the sides and with more background than foreground (judging by the image displayed, the foreground looks to be dull and uninteresting, whereas the background seems to be full of detail and interesting life ie. the river boat and the happenings on the other bank. We get a slight insight into these goings on in your image, however it woud be nice to have a little more. The second shot i would take as a landscape, just to catch all the goings on around the ladies, this you can then always crop to suit provided file sizes were appropriate.

[lolyton]

Sorry i took about 3 hours to write that as it was an ongoing piece of text on my desktop and started it before Fiona posted and i hadn't seen it until after.

[skipper954]

Good points, Lolyton....I have to take a bit more time to compose the images, but it is difficult is a photojournalistic setting like this. It if funny how aware people are of photographers with their cameras, particularly when the shutter opens and slams shut

[danpen]

Originally Posted by skipper954

Good points, Lolyton....I have to take a bit more time to compose the images, but it is difficult is a photojournalistic setting like this. It if funny how aware people are of photographers with their cameras, particularly when the shutter opens and slams shut

I'm very self concious when taking candid photographs that include people I don't know, I'm always nervous that they'll either see me and modify their behaviour or worse, take offence. I try to visualise the image in my mind in detail before putting the camera to my eye. Once you can do that properly the act of taking the shot is much shorter and there's less chance of an unwanted outcome.

I like the shot, it's a good illustration of a part of someone's life, leaves you wondering what they're talking about. I agree about the crop, if there had been more background (as per Lolyton's suggestion) it would have worked to give context but having the boat right in the corner is just distracting.