what do you think

jedimaster

jedimaster

Messages
26
Name
matt
Edit My Images
No
this was my first ever attempt at street

ostend_player.jpg
 
Not a bad shot but, perhaps it's my eyes, but the bin seems to be the only thing in focus.
 
Whats to say, if a photo is out of focus then you bin it. It's a shame that you missed the shot but there's always next time.
 
as im new to this i think i'm after a little more explanation
i have noticed people talking about adding blurs and making/taking photos out of focus as it adds artistic quality so to a newbie like me who doesn't understand all these techniques yet it's not enough to say 'its crap cos its out of focus bin it'
that unfortunately doesn't help me to improve does it?
 
If you're going to add those after effects, which, for the record is something I'm not into so can't help with then you need to start off with a decent, IN FOCUS photograph to accentuate what you're trying to achieve. However, if you try to apply those effects to the photo that you've posted above then it's only ever going to look as though you've attempted to rescue an out of focus photo.

Honestly, you're new and I don't want to look as though I'm bullying you but surely you can see that it's horribly out of focus can't you? That is unless you were taking a photo of the bin.
 
jedimaster said:
as im new to this i think i'm after a little more explanation
i have noticed people talking about adding blurs and making/taking photos out of focus as it adds artistic quality so to a newbie like me who doesn't understand all these techniques yet it's not enough to say 'its crap cos its out of focus bin it'
that unfortunately doesn't help me to improve does it?
Click to expand...

The starting point is I think to take photos that you like - don't think techniques that will make them 'arty' at this stage.

To me this photo doesn't work, not because it's out of focus and soft, but because the composition seems forced - I think you've hurried with your camera out and not taken a moment or two to frame it as well as you might. That's no biggy - everyone misses more photos than they capture.

In terms of developing I'd keep coming back to the threads on here that interest you - and seeing which are the images that you think, "That's what I want to do..." and try and replicate those -- rather than worrying about adding blur, motion etc because you think you have to.
 
I agree with the above. You've got the right idea though - you've found an interesting subject (Accordian player) and gone for a candid street photograph. Its not easy trying street photography for the first time - I remember being terrified of getting punched the whole of my first trip!

So good on you for taking the plunge.

reference the photo, as others have said as the bin is in focus and the rest is not, the bin has become the centre point of the image. If you could retake it (Which is the only PIA with street photography - you can't!) I would suggest coming to an angle more to the front of the chap if you could. This would give you a better look at the subject and hopefully get rid of some of the dustbin!. I'd have focused on his eyes (Same principles as portrait photography - I like to think. Your still making a portrait - albeit a candid one) and used a low f stop to throw the background out of focus.

So in short- you have the right idea and keep going - its worth the effort in the long run. I'm no expert on street photography but I tend to find I have a low 'keeper' ratio as getting focus / composition and avoiding dustbins is difficult when you are trying to take a photo quickly and / or without being noticed.

And on top of that I can honestly say i still have to spend hours in CS3 removing dustbins / lamposts / wandering elderly ladies out of my snaps!

Good luck,


JJ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top