Monastery Path

[James Behrens]

I am new at picture taking and posting - I would appreciate any comments. Thanks

[Kiki]

This is very beautiful. It instills peace and makes me wish I was there. I'm looking forward to more! :)

[IanBMW]

what is a Trappist monk? I like the picture but since how it seems the focus is on the walkway I think the cutoff house is distracting. I think maybe a portrait shot of this would look better.

[James Behrens]

Thanks - I appreiate your comment. Just key in "Trappist" on any search engine and a few clicks will get you to one of our sites - we are monks and have monasteries all over the world. James

[James Behrens]

This is very beautiful. It instills peace and makes me wish I was there. I'm looking forward to more! :)

Thanks - will post a few more over the next few days...:o

[Andy_T]

James,

welcome to the forum!
Your participation surely will enrich the forum.

As to the photo ... it is nice, but I think a bit along Ian's lines.
There seems to be a direction of the light coming from the monastery ... you can see it on the floor. However, the right column blocks this 'path of light' a bit.

If you would take the photo standing a bit to the left and in portrait mode, maybe from a slightly less elevated position, it might work better for me. (Maybe you would also just get lens flare :rolleyes: )

I think I have just proven the proverb 'A picture says more than 1000 words' :lol:

Best regards,
Andy

[James Behrens]

Beautiful lighting, nice setting and I don't find the house the least bit distracting.

But the picture needs a point of interest, and it should be on the steps. If you were a discalced monk, I'd suggest a pair of shoes and socks!

But almost anything would work there, depending upon what you want to say.
Thanks - I will try a different angle re some cropping of the background. The building in the upper right is the main monastery building. We have a lot of sandals here.....and plenty of sneakers, too.
I appreciate your taking the time to write - James

[James Behrens]

Try photographing the scene cropped as suggester-- with a point of interest-- and then shoot it as it is without cropping.

With the monastery in the background the image is a photograph of a path. Without the monastery, it's just a step. I think that taking the step out of context deprives the image of its story, especially if you place something on the steps which connects it to the life within the monastery.
Will try it - thanks - appreciate your feedback - James

[JX]

I did some quick cropping on the Monastery Path.

[James Behrens]

[QUOTE=JX]I did some quick cropping on the Monastery Path.[/QUOTE

I like that - I see what the others who wrote meant. Thanks - I will post some more soon - James

[lomond]

James, firstly welcome to the forum.

I love allegory and religious iconography,therefore I do like the idea of the path leading from the dark into the light and the steps invoke other religious connotations.

Two things intrigue me, however;

1. Why did you state that you are a "Trappist monk". ( Reaction to the image will be swayed by this)
2. If you are new to "picture taking" then perhaps a bit of divine intervention might be at play here. :)

Seriously, it's a great shot, but question 1 does intrique me.

[James Behrens]

James, firstly welcome to the forum.

I love allegory and religious iconography,therefore I do like the idea of the path leading from the dark into the light and the steps invoke other religious connotations.

Two things intrigue me, however;

1. Why did you state that you are a "Trappist monk". ( Reaction to the image will be swayed by this)
2. If you are new to "picture taking" then perhaps a bit of divine intervention might be at play here. :)

Seriously, it's a great shot, but question 1 does intrique me.
when the profile asked what I did, I put that in, since I am a monk and I suppose I did not think about the reaction people might have to that....mebbe I should change it? I saw your pictures - they are beautiful, especially the one of the church. Thanks for your writing to me. James

[lomond]

Sorry James, I didn't make myself clear.

I wasn't referring to your profile, rather to your message above the image.
I just found it intriguing that you would mention it at all with the image.

What I mean is for the image to be critiqued as a stand alone image then perhaps some camera settings or special techniques that were used to create the image could be mentioned.
Once you mention the fact that you are a member of a religious organisation then people (myself included) start to see religious connotation in the image.
Nothing wrong in that, it just depends on what type of critique you are after.

Please forgive my inane ramblings, it was a small point that intrigued me.
BTW keep posting more shots, this one is very beautiful, the lighting is striking.

PS Thanks for the mail (all 3 of them) :) :) :)

[Larry_NB]

I like them both. Please post others when you can.