[Gandhi]

I was thinking of using this for my competition entry but I think I've found a better one.

Thought I'd post this here as I don't normally post in the critique forum.

I would like to know what you all think think about

a) composition

b) content

c) How could I have improved the shot, processing or physically at time of capture?

Cheers in advance, and don't worry, I have a very thick skin! You wont upset me!

[stepheno]

IMO it's a super shot and I'm hard pushed to think of any changes. However... if pressed I would say that the pier and the sky are fighting for my attention. Both are worthy of being the focal point but as it stands each is taking a little away from the other. But that is nitpicking really.

regards

[SammyC]

Personally I would have liked to see it in landscape as the width of the pier seems constrained by the borders.

Very nice colours though.

[Dave]

Positives :
-Firstly exposure is spot on.
-Subject is great & detail spot on.

Possible changes :
-I think a cropping out the lighter top of sky actually improves shot, as I keep finding my eye drawn to top of shot, where real detail is in the bottom 2/3.
-Slightly uneasy with silhoutte as you can't fully see the perspective effect as bottom of supports are in darkness, but yet you can see effect on top of pier. It also leads your eye out of the picture. A more severe angle would help (although would mess up rear comp) , or landscape mode as mentioned above.

One last point, for some of us with lesser monitors, I couldn't see you whole image on screen....had to save image & preview to see whole effect. Maybe we should have a poll to see what most popular screen resolution is

[SammyC]

I've just realised that it's not 2x3. Not a problem unless you want to print it.

[noah]

thats a great image gandhi. the sky is very well exposed, but i do agree that the lighter top portion is pulling my eyes away from where i would like to look. a friend of mine shoots in medium format and swears by using square images, i know they're not to everyones taste, but it would crop out the lighter portion and may balance the image better? (2p)

Originally Posted by DJW

Maybe we should have a poll to see what most popular screen resolution is

as far as i know its 1024x768 by quite a long way, seems odd as i thought it would be 1280x1024 but i guess its the sheer number of laptops and 15 inch tfts in the consumer market.

[Dave]

1024x768 here, which meant I couldn't see of Ghandis shot on screen. One for others to note when posting portrait composed shots, allowing for menu bars etc..

[KenCo1964]

Fantastic silhoutte of the pier and because of this, I would have loved to have seen a landscape orientation of the same. Excellent shot though .

[Gandhi]

so lanscape would appear to be the way to go then, thanks for all the comments guys. I'll have a fiddle when I get home tonight and see what I can come up with!

[Rich]

I think its a fantastic shot...and that sky!! Its what we all look for imho.

I agree that the pier feels boxed in by the shot tho, but as the others have said, that would be nitpicking.

[Gandhi]

The full angle version.

Unsaveable, even from RAW

And I think the composition is 'uncomfortable' too

should've been on a wider angle setting and a bit further back. maybe

[Steve]

I missed the first bit of this thread so I will jump in if I may...

The processing on the first shot has much more contrast and appears to have more saturation. Overall due to that it has more impact, the second shot is far better in composition…or at least it could be. You need to remove much of the beach in the foreground as it is very plain, has little or no detail and adds nothing to the shot. Leave a small amount and crop accordingly, then try to increase the saturation and impact of the whole shot to match that of the first.

It is a shame that you missed the very end of the pier off though, I think that ultimately that will let the shot down and stop it from being superb, maybe a small amount of Photoshop bodging could fool the casual viewer though?