Quiet Moment For Two

[fWord]

This photo was posted at a local forum some weeks ago but I had difficulty eliciting a response from viewers. So I thought to post it here for comments instead.

The image was taken indoors under dim lighting, using ISO 800 film at an exposure of 1/2 second at f/4, in a handheld supported position. The photo turned out blurred as a result of handshake but for the most part due to intentionally putting the subjects out of focus to give it a bit of mystery and anonymity, hopefully without losing sight of the underlying idea.

It'd be great to hear your thoughts on this image...whether you believe it's plain bad, abstract, or what elements are actually discernable to you. In other words, what things can you personally see in this photo in the foreground and background? Are the main subjects/ elements portrayed with enough clarity? Do you feel that this is a successful photo, or is it something to shove in a shoebox for use as bits-and-pieces for collage? ;) Mostly, I'm just interested to see if this photo can successfully tell a story without me saying too much about it.

Thanks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v51/s1ckpuppy/Blogger/FullertonHotelCouple.jpg

[Carzee]

Its a late night shot under a bridge showing a river and a couple sitting outside a cafe on the far side perhaps. Its a little mysterious because the foreground... I'm clueless about it.

[fWord]

Its a late night shot under a bridge showing a river and a couple sitting outside a cafe on the far side perhaps. Its a little mysterious because the foreground... I'm clueless about it.

Thanks for the comment...close guess, and it's great you could see those parts. But does it make a successful photo?

[Kevin]

For me I find that the composition is so blurred that I lose the story in the shot. I understand what you were attempting to achieve but because there is no distinguishable FG in focus plus being too dark the POI is not there. Not wanting to beat you up, JMO

[fWord]

For me I find that the composition is so blurred that I lose the story in the shot. I understand what you were attempting to achieve but because there is no distinguishable FG in focus plus being too dark the POI is not there. Not wanting to beat you up, JMO

Thank you. It's good to know the photo wasn't successful and the technique didn't work for this composition. Better to know than to kid myself into believing that it's acceptable right? :D

[condyk]

Doesn't work for me ... impossible to know what's going in and, even when I read the description, I don't feel the composition works.

[fWord]

Doesn't work for me ... impossible to know what's going in and, even when I read the description, I don't feel the composition works.

Thanks. :) Precisely what I'm looking for...personally, I just wanted to know if it worked or not.

[Sekabin]

Yeah, the problem is that the composition you've chosen (and the use of depth of field) suggests that it isn't an abstract (the figures in the back are discernable), but as mentioned nothing really draws the eye as a point of focus. The fish in the foreground could be effective abstracts if you shoot them again with a different composition.

[fWord]

Yeah, the problem is that the composition you've chosen (and the use of depth of field) suggests that it isn't an abstract (the figures in the back are discernable), but as mentioned nothing really draws the eye as a point of focus. The fish in the foreground could be effective abstracts if you shoot them again with a different composition.

Thanks. It's great that the little patches in the foreground were discernable as fish. There were multiple issues in the attempt to create this image, and it was a struggle between choosing an appropriate aperture and focal distance to get a balance in DOF to ensure that both foreground and background elements were somewhat recognizable, without having to use too slow a shutter speed. Then there was the issue with the shutter speed. Even at ISO 800 the exposure had to be around 1/2 second at f/4 @ approx. 50mm focal length. At that speed, the movement of the Japanese Koi in the foreground started to create blur as well.

It was a strange and challenging photo. Though it didn't work out the experience of tackling so many issues at once was a good one to have.

[rickydiver]

Sorry but it doesnt work for me as I cannot work out whats going on:( That said if you do not experiment you dont know what is going to work;)
Cheers Ricky

[Streetshooter]

This photo was posted at a local forum some weeks ago but I had difficulty eliciting a response from viewers. So I thought to post it here for comments instead.

The image was taken indoors under dim lighting, using ISO 800 film at an exposure of 1/2 second at f/4, in a handheld supported position. The photo turned out blurred as a result of handshake but for the most part due to intentionally putting the subjects out of focus to give it a bit of mystery and anonymity, hopefully without losing sight of the underlying idea.

It'd be great to hear your thoughts on this image...whether you believe it's plain bad, abstract, or what elements are actually discernable to you. In other words, what things can you personally see in this photo in the foreground and background? Are the main subjects/ elements portrayed with enough clarity? Do you feel that this is a successful photo, or is it something to shove in a shoebox for use as bits-and-pieces for collage? ;) Mostly, I'm just interested to see if this photo can successfully tell a story without me saying too much about it.

Thanks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v51/s1ckpuppy/Blogger/FullertonHotelCouple.jpg

the image is so busy that it becomes a contradiction of terms.....
aside from the focus issues...I understand what your after but this isn't it...maybe if you moved closer....cut out all the other objects....

try again....

[fWord]

Sorry but it doesnt work for me as I cannot work out whats going on:( That said if you do not experiment you dont know what is going to work;)
Cheers Ricky

Heheh...absolutely. Experimenting is one of the ways to find out what will work and what won't. It's good to get some comments so I can decide where to go from here.

[fWord]

the image is so busy that it becomes a contradiction of terms.....
aside from the focus issues...I understand what your after but this isn't it...maybe if you moved closer....cut out all the other objects....

try again....

Thanks for the comment and the suggestion. :) Such a scene is not likely to be repeated again very soon, unless I'm lucky to catch it again, but it's something I would try if I got a second chance. I'll try zooming in or using a longer lens to see what I can come up with!

[Sekabin]

I think it's great that you learned so much from taking the photo. Sometimes we're keen to try to capture everything in one picture, when it's best to just pick a detail (much as the eye does).

Having said that, when I just saw the image again I think it may work as a sort of pseudo-montage. Crop off the very top bit, leaving the two subjects there and you have a useable shot I'd say.

[fWord]

I think it's great that you learned so much from taking the photo. Sometimes we're keen to try to capture everything in one picture, when it's best to just pick a detail (much as the eye does).

Having said that, when I just saw the image again I think it may work as a sort of pseudo-montage. Crop off the very top bit, leaving the two subjects there and you have a useable shot I'd say.

Thanks. It was quite challenging indeed to fit everything together and make it work. With static subjects, it might have managed to get away. But in this case, even the fish were too fast for the shutter speed to freeze. :) Might try this again with a fast 50mm prime if I ever get the chance to go there, and if I chance upon such a scene once again.