Stanley Park in October

[LeuceDeuce]

Here is a trio of images I made in October with my wife's p&s.

Suggestions for improving composition?

#1.
http://www.novuscom.net/~chrisjdoucette/images/stanleypark1.jpg

#2.
http://www.novuscom.net/~chrisjdoucette/images/stanleypark2.jpg

#3.
http://www.novuscom.net/~chrisjdoucette/images/stanleypark3.jpg

[ADAPTE]

IMHO (i´m new at this too) you don´t have a clear subjetc on any of the pictures. Without a clear subject is difficult to create a good composition.

[snapmando]

Use the rule of thirds, to show case what you'd like to highlight, in the picture.

The first one is my favorite, but using the rule of thirds in this same situations would add a more dramatic effect. Experiment with Cropping too, that helps retain focus on the details, you are trying to highlight.

Here's a link to help you out. http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_rul e_of_thirds.html

Hope this helps...
Happy Holidays

[LeuceDeuce]

Thank you both for the input.

This was the last sunny day we had here with the autumn foliage (which in #2 and #3 was supposed to be the subject.)

snapmando: I personally like #1 the best myself as well.

Image #1: I was trying to highlight the lines in the shot (even the rocks form a nice diagonal). After looking at it more I think all of the lines lead the eye to the right hand side of the image. It would have been nice if one of the cruise ships had been leaving at that time to become the focal point at the end of the lines.

Image #2: I had recently read about having something in the foreground while framing your landscape as a point of interest. After looking at it more I think the dragon head just kinda hangs out there with no anchor, and by using the rule of thirds on the dragon head I cut off too much of the landscape that I was trying to capture.

Image #3: I would move the curving pathway to the left third, and show more of the right side of the scene. I liked the silhouette of the near trees in contrast with the brightly lit colours of the foliage in the background. I see that there is too much on the left, but I was trying to keep as much of the oranges and reds as I could. The right hand side of the scene had a park, and other distracting elements that I cut off as close to the water edge as I could. A tighter crop overall would have helped here I think.

Something like this:
http://www.novuscom.net/~chrisjdoucette/images/stanleypark5.jpg

I'll see what I can get next year :)