Beginner Am i going in the right direction with composition and perspettive?

C

chris4

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Name
chris johnson
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Yes
Yeah, they're all nice shots. There's nothing ugly about them.

1) I'd try looking at it right down the middle between the two tracks. So you have a pair on either side which draws you in from both sides equally as possible.
2) There's no real subject, just a scene. With that I'd try getting the camera low, or/and moving to the front of the shingle to show only water.
3,4) Tricky to get a good composition. With a river scene I like to get, or see, a good sweep with some interesting foreground as well. 4, looks a bit cut short as the light fades under the trees to the left. Ducks, dog, or human works well for foreground interest.
5) Coming together. The bend in the river and it going off into the distance draws you into the picture. But I'd quite like to see what it was that goes over the river, it's a little bit dark up there.
 
•

Hi Chris,


There is no such thing as a "right direction"! There is
or not good taste.

These takes all have something in common: leading
lines… and you used that feature very well!

Now, your next step is to apply it to appealing subjects,
in appealing light, so to appeal to viewers through story
telling.

Keep rocking! :cool:
 
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BethAtTheHug said:
Yeah, they're all nice shots. There's nothing ugly about them.

1) I'd try looking at it right down the middle between the two tracks. So you have a pair on either side which draws you in from both sides equally as possible.
2) There's no real subject, just a scene. With that I'd try getting the camera low, or/and moving to the front of the shingle to show only water.
3,4) Tricky to get a good composition. With a river scene I like to get, or see, a good sweep with some interesting foreground as well. 4, looks a bit cut short as the light fades under the trees to the left. Ducks, dog, or human works well for foreground interest.
5) Coming together. The bend in the river and it going off into the distance draws you into the picture. But I'd quite like to see what it was that goes over the river, it's a little bit dark up there.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much i will work on that.
 
Kodiak Qc said:
•

Hi Chriss,


There is no such thing as a "right direction"! There is
or not good taste.

These takes all have something in common: leading
lines… and you used that feature very well!

Now, your next step is to apply it to appealing subjects,
in appealing light, so to appeal to viewers through story
telling.

Keep rocking! :cool:
Click to expand...

Wow you are good, leading lines seens to be the main thing on my mind. Thanks for the help.
 
This is far too subjective to say "yes, your perspective and composition are fine" as there are far too many variables! It depends on what you want to achieve, what options are there to you at the scene and your own personal tastes. There are no rules, despite what a stiff A level tutor might try and tell you!
 
DO NOT TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS ON OPERATIONAL RAILWAY LINES.

It's incredibly stupid and dangerous. If you like, I can tell you about the time I had to remove the remains of a cow from the front of a locomotive. Make sure you don't have anything to eat first.
 
StewartR said:
DO NOT TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS ON OPERATIONAL RAILWAY LINES.

It's incredibly stupid and dangerous. If you like, I can tell you about the time I had to remove the remains of a cow from the front of a locomotive. Make sure you don't have anything to eat first.
Click to expand...

I was on a manned crossing with them watcing over me, but thanks for trying to keep me safe.
 
Chris, a couple of suggestions:
  • Think about what you're taking a photo of. What's your subject? Several of your photos are using composition tools (leading lines, converging lines, sinuous curves, etc.) and they make great backdrops - they're maybe lacking a subject.
  • As an exercise, take six different shots with different compositions of each subject - use different composition elements and find different perspectives. From this you'll find your own style.
 
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Alastair said:
Chris, a couple of suggestions:
  • Think about what you're taking a photo of. What's your subject? Several of your photos are using composition tools (leading lines, converging lines, sinuous curves, etc.) and they make great backdrops - they're maybe lacking a subject.
  • As an exercise, take six different shots with different compositions of each subject - use different composition elements and find different perspectives. From this you'll find your own style.
Click to expand...

Thank you, you are right i need to work on subjects.
 
chris4 said:
shot this today, your thoughs please. composition and perspettive only.

DSC_0499 by chris johnson, on Flickr
Click to expand...

What are you trying to achieve?

Are you happy with it?

Perspective is part of the composition, so really just concentrate on that. But in this shot, there's too much dead ugly grey on the right not doing anything, so maybe shoot to the left a bit more, but then I don't know what's on the left, might be uglier than the gravel and mud? Hard to say without being there!
 
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I see what you mean about the "gravel and mud" i was more focused on lines and the colours in the clouds. Thanks Jim.
 
I can not believe how focused i was on leading lines, i looked at a lot of my photos and bam lines leading to nowhere. Pic 1 lines pic 2 is cropped and what i should of been looking at though the lens i think? A big Thank you to everyone that has helped me.

DSC_0422 by chris johnson, on Flickr

DSC_0422 by chris johnson, on Flickr
 
I had just bought a polarising filter and wanted to play, so it was more about the clouds over pendle hill = subject and not leading lines. I need to get the lines out of my head lol.

DSC00541 by chris johnson, on Flickr
 
Forget about leading lines, and any so called photographic rules. Just take photos of things you think would look nice and have a play!

It's easy to take photos you think tick rules, but you might find the photos don't do much else.

I've never considered any of these rules, leading lines, rules of thirds etc, and I think I've done pretty well [emoji3].
 
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chris4 said:
I had just bought a polarising filter and wanted to play, so it was more about the clouds over pendle hill = subject and not leading lines. I need to get the lines out of my head lol.

DSC00541 by chris johnson, on Flickr
Click to expand...

This is much better! (Though could do with a little tweaking in PP to bring the clouds out etc!)
 
It becomes an issue when you 'try too hard' to follow a rule.

As others have said, your picture needs to be about something. That's the 'hook', you can enhance the way the image works by taking account of composition and light.

A great image has
A story
Composition
Great light

Most newbie photographers just see the subject, and don't understand why they haven't 'captured it', you've been concentrating on one aspect of composition, and thinking you could substitute great light by using PP, most of your images don't have a subject.

BTW I'm one of those cheats who start with an 'easy' subject.
 
Your perspective and composition are good as per my knowledge and the shots are good where there is nothing ugly. You just need to be clear with backlits and subject such that your image can be compelling
 
Roshni Patel said:
Your perspective and composition are good as per my knowledge and the shots are good where there is nothing ugly. You just need to be clear with backlits and subject such that your image can be compelling
Click to expand...

Backlighting a landscape? Not sure that's possible :) Unless you mean shooting with the sun behind you?
 
Check through the photo books in a library and visit a few photographic exhibitions. Note which photographs you look at for the longest time. Take notes about why you looked at each one for so long. Then try and work out what the photographer managed to do that caught your interest.
 
odd jim said:
Backlighting a landscape? Not sure that's possible :) Unless you mean shooting with the sun behind you?
Click to expand...

Of
course it is possible, it means that the sun is in front of you and behind the subject.

If the sun is behind you the subject if frontal lit.

Usually the greatest shape, modeling and texture is produced when the sun is low and either side front or side back.

As to leading lines, they are most effective when they lead to a pont of interest, or as often used by the old masters to take you on a journey aroud the picture.

Leading lines that lead nowhere, are the equivalent of a pretty cake with no taste. A complete let down.
 
As others have said, you need a point of intrest. For example, if there had been a couple holding hands, walking their dog in photo dcs-0422, then there would have been something for the viewer to focus on. It just adds a bit of intrest.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Of
course it is possible, it means that the sun is in front of you and behind the subject.

If the sun is behind you the subject if frontal lit.

Usually the greatest shape, modeling and texture is produced when the sun is low and either side front or side back.

As to leading lines, they are most effective when they lead to a pont of interest, or as often used by the old masters to take you on a journey aroud the picture.

Leading lines that lead nowhere, are the equivalent of a pretty cake with no taste. A complete let down.
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood, I meant it's not possible to backlight it yourself :)

But that said, the shot simply might not be possible to have the sun behind it depending what you want in your landscape shots, the time of day and orbit around the sun...

Most of the time in landscapes, you don't want to shoot into the sun anyway, though personally done correctly I quite like the effect, especially on summers evenings.
 
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