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_DSC1061 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr
Critique Falkirk Wheel
- Thread starter SFTPhotography
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_DSC1061 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr
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I like the way you have caught the lines and the perspective. If I had to offer cc, I would say use a grad filter to bring out a little detail in the shadow area, go for a closer crop to really isolate those rings and shoot in the blue hour to avoid the orange/pollution look.
OP
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Thanks for the feedback, its very helpful as there is a plank that you can just see. I am very wary of shadow removal due to noise, so left it, but a grad as you say would have been just the thing. I've only one lens, sigma 10-20 and 20 is as wide as I can go. A 24-70F2.8 is coming for me soon though.
Fully agree re blue hour too, I'll be back
Fully agree re blue hour too, I'll be back
MWHCVT
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Shooting in blue hour will also increase the abiemt light, for me there is just too much darkness I'm the scene, it's a classic composition for the location but for me due to the darkness cropping some from the bottom an quite a bit from the left would dramatically improve to image, it's so dark there that your not really loosing anything by cropping it out of frame
Matt
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Potential of a great shot, love the composition but as above a lighter scene would have benefited this a lot.
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Ill talk nicely to my mate. See if he will run me here for blue hour
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I actually like it, a wee bit different.
OP
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I think Blue hour is the answer to this, train to Falkirk beckons
Isaac Cochrane
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I really like it, not sure what grabs me but I really like it 
OP
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I get the crop but it loses some symmetry. Maybe a 5x4 or square maybe. Got me thinking.
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thats better...would like to see the wheel though and the ingenious machineryI like it Steve but I'd alter the crop as there's a lot of dead space on the left
I'd crop in on the left and slightly crop top and bottom to retain a rectangular frame and I think the eye would be drawn more into the wheel
is that camelon or falkirk in the distance?
like the colours of those hoops
cheers
geoff
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Steve, whats causing the reflection? A small pool of water, reflection pool sort of thing?
If so get your wellies on
If not try some waders
A canal. Bit deep. I'll use a longer lens. I'm ordering a 24/70 F2.8 for my crop body. Used a sigma 10/20.
Will try a crop but wish to keep the arks in the middle or close too
Edit, I'm looking at Nicks and am torn between that and square 5x4 preserving more symmetry. Tightness does give it impact...
Decisions...
Last edited:
StephenM
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As it stands, there's an obvious symmetry created by semi circular lights and their reflections. This symmetry falls down due to the bright lights on the right and the relative (relative, not absolute) darkness on the left. Which leads me to the thought that something may need changing to make a stronger image.
Now consider the rings. To me, they appear to invite entry from the left hand side (or, alternatively, are pointing towards/looking towards the left.
On that basis, I'd cut the right hand side out, placing the edge of the outer ring near to the edge of the frame, leaving four of the railing posts in. Cropping there leaves the purple bar and what looks like a wooden beam in the frame to act as "stops" on the bottom right corner. This tightens up the composition, and removes a major competing element.
I don't go along with cropping out areas because they are too dark to show detail. Art should look at the balance of tonal masses just as much (in most cases, far more) than simply concentrate on detail. Photographs are by their nature detailed, and this can make it difficult to see the wood for the trees. An overall structure aids in directing attention.
One tentative suggestion (if you make the crop as suggested) is to crop a small amount from the left to create a square image, which means that the symmetry of the subject is echoed in the symmetry of the image shape. A square image usually suggests strength and stability, as do the circles in the image.
The second version fails for me because there is still the same competition between the left and right hand sides - is it a photo of the wheel with distracting city lights, or a city nightscape with a whopping great wheel getting in the way? I certainly don't like the angle as I still feel the obvious right to left pull of the wheel which "looks out" that way, and which competes terribly with the lights on right.
Now consider the rings. To me, they appear to invite entry from the left hand side (or, alternatively, are pointing towards/looking towards the left.
On that basis, I'd cut the right hand side out, placing the edge of the outer ring near to the edge of the frame, leaving four of the railing posts in. Cropping there leaves the purple bar and what looks like a wooden beam in the frame to act as "stops" on the bottom right corner. This tightens up the composition, and removes a major competing element.
I don't go along with cropping out areas because they are too dark to show detail. Art should look at the balance of tonal masses just as much (in most cases, far more) than simply concentrate on detail. Photographs are by their nature detailed, and this can make it difficult to see the wood for the trees. An overall structure aids in directing attention.
One tentative suggestion (if you make the crop as suggested) is to crop a small amount from the left to create a square image, which means that the symmetry of the subject is echoed in the symmetry of the image shape. A square image usually suggests strength and stability, as do the circles in the image.
The second version fails for me because there is still the same competition between the left and right hand sides - is it a photo of the wheel with distracting city lights, or a city nightscape with a whopping great wheel getting in the way? I certainly don't like the angle as I still feel the obvious right to left pull of the wheel which "looks out" that way, and which competes terribly with the lights on right.
Last edited:
OP
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Stephen, many thanks for your thoughtful insight. I feel the entry from the left and line through the left to the right is a strong part of my image, and indeed its what I aimed for was an off centre lead through...
However, I was wary of cutting quite so much down. I feel also its a bit too much top and bottom. I've probably used the wrong lens, and probably best to return with something longer than a 10-20mm on a APS-C sensor
_DSC1061 - Version 2 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr
However, I was wary of cutting quite so much down. I feel also its a bit too much top and bottom. I've probably used the wrong lens, and probably best to return with something longer than a 10-20mm on a APS-C sensor
_DSC1061 - Version 2 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr
Last edited:
StephenM
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If you do return with a longer lens, remember that if you stand further away you will alter the perspective and reduce the separation between the rings. Perspective is affected only by lens to subject distance, and not the focal length.
I still prefer a slightly greater crop on the right (take off another post) but leave the left hand side alone, as this definitely increases the "entry from the left" feeling. The larger area of dark tone is better able to balance the more obvious small area of the lights. It also puts the two "eyes" (about the midline) further into the image, where they can act as a balance, rather than being (in the case of the left hand one) a distraction at an edge.
Apologies for a second post - I know it's frowned on in many circles (no pun intended)
I still prefer a slightly greater crop on the right (take off another post) but leave the left hand side alone, as this definitely increases the "entry from the left" feeling. The larger area of dark tone is better able to balance the more obvious small area of the lights. It also puts the two "eyes" (about the midline) further into the image, where they can act as a balance, rather than being (in the case of the left hand one) a distraction at an edge.
Apologies for a second post - I know it's frowned on in many circles (no pun intended)
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I'd probably stand as is, the original is already cropped down. I carry a 50FF1.8 (too long) and a 10-20 (to wide). I broke my other lens and never replaced it, had planned selling the 50mm and ploughing big dough into a 24/70F2.8 thing.
I'm glad of your advice. The image never quite popped out, and this thread has given me some ideas to tinker with and make me think what I want and don't want from the images
I'm glad of your advice. The image never quite popped out, and this thread has given me some ideas to tinker with and make me think what I want and don't want from the images