Beginner Ypres

you a beginner you need to put info up on what you have taken pictures of.
some people DO NOT like drifting to other sites
If you cannot be bothered to explain what the pictures about WHY should people comment just my view not others
It friendly community so take time explain shots
 
Ok fair point.

Photos taken during a trip to and around Ypres last September.

I am not entirely happy with the pictures of the cemeteries.
Any suggestion to take this type of places are welcome.
 
Your pictures need to tell a story. It's difficult (if not impossible) to convey the scenes of battle there in the past, so you need to concentrate on details that tell us something.

If we forget the silhouette and fountain (bin 'em), you have two subjects, the trenches and cemetery. Just one of the trench shots would probably do, as the light wasn't ideal maybe get in closer, excluding the sky and concentrate on an interesting detail perhaps.

The arrangement of gravestones looks interesting. Get in closer and show something that says 'Ypres' rather than looking like a scene from a park or garden.

It's not easy but try and make your photos say something about the impression you get from the place. Carry out a search on Flickr (say) and see how others have done it is often a good idea.
 
Fabien
Try showing some shots not a link to eleven shots

Try this one for a start

Ypres (7) by fabphoto1, on Flickr
 
Yes, these a good record shots, I suspect the slightly open light prevents them from being more. The B&W suits the subject, but the skies are too washed out to make the scenes feel complete. This kind of subject would suit more inclement weather, dark foreboding skies, mist would be ideal to bring atmosphere.

To take the potential of these locations that step further I think is a matter of choice of time of day and light, or at least chancing to be there at the best moment.
 
Thanks Toby.

I was not paying attention to the sky and the light when I took these pictures but I now see what you mean.
Unfortunately I didn't have much choice with the time of day to be there as I was on a bus tour.

When the weather/light is not good like this, should I just not include the sky in the composition?
 
Fabien if you shoot in RAW you should be able to recover the sky. Try to expose to the right on the histogram, but take care that you don't go over the edge and get blown skies.

The slightly ethereal light on the cemetery shot is actually OK, and the idea is good, the problem with that shot is that you should have focused on the gravestone and let the background drop out of focus, it doesn't quite work here because the focus isn't true on the stone.

There is certainly a strong case for photographing details, as Tim suggested, when the light is difficult, but photographing into the light in landscapes can work really well, as long as you control the exposure properly. Shooting in RAW is essential, as your dynamic range will be far wider than in JPEG.

Years ago I went on a bus tour to the Somme without a suitable camera and in awkward light, and suffered just the same difficulties. I took plenty of record shots, but nothing with atmosphere.
 
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