Going for my first non-snapshot

[Living Daylight]

Here are a couple pics I took recently. I am not 100% satisfied with the outcome, I am hoping a little critique will give me new ideas on how to photograph these subjects.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2547/3931598786_c124bb7d47_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3930811499_ee59a45715_b.jpg

[Living Daylight]

In the second one, do you think I should have made the background blurry?

[Flo]

First one I might be tempted to crop out all of the above clutter and focus on the boats in the foreground?

Second doesn't do it for me, sorry.

[Living Daylight]

As suggested:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2458/3932573756_ffe4f6b3a4_b.jpg

[Bobinpeterboro]

I prefer the first edit of No 1 except that the boats are in the centre of the picture. Have a read up about composition, especially the "Rule of Thirds". Take it again, later in the day so the light is better "the golden hour" and possibly exclude the sky, unless it contributes to the final image. No 2 is an interesting shot but if you had a more oblique angle on the door you would have more of the seascape, again earlier or later in the day. When you get your 50mm if you use the wider apertures (smaller numbers) you will get the blurred background you were talking about which would make the subject stand out from the background. It seems to me that the door/deck would make a superb location for a portrait. Hope this helps a bit.

[Living Daylight]

I prefer the first edit of No 1 except that the boats are in the centre of the picture. Have a read up about composition, especially the "Rule of Thirds". Take it again, later in the day so the light is better "the golden hour" and possibly exclude the sky, unless it contributes to the final image. No 2 is an interesting shot but if you had a more oblique angle on the door you would have more of the seascape, again earlier or later in the day. When you get your 50mm if you use the wider apertures (smaller numbers) you will get the blurred background you were talking about which would make the subject stand out from the background. It seems to me that the door/deck would make a superb location for a portrait. Hope this helps a bit.

Thanks! I never thought of that as a portrait location, but i agree that it would be nice.

Thanks for the tips everyone! Any more?

[thebeatnut]

Regarding picture one, I think you need to get down there with the rocks and wood and really lower your profile. There is nothing in the foreground to anchor the shot. Get down and use the wooden planks as lead in to the shot, they will blur out if you focus on the boats or you can use a small aperture and keep it all in. Use the golden hour, use a tripod and a nice long exposure to get some nice water movement and hey presto, arty stuff ;) hehe. Hope this helps!

[Living Daylight]

Regarding picture one, I think you need to get down there with the rocks and wood and really lower your profile. There is nothing in the foreground to anchor the shot. Get down and use the wooden planks as lead in to the shot, they will blur out if you focus on the boats or you can use a small aperture and keep it all in. Use the golden hour, use a tripod and a nice long exposure to get some nice water movement and hey presto, arty stuff ;) hehe. Hope this helps!


I will do this! Would the AM or PM be better? AM sun would be over left shoulder, pm would be over right shoulder, a little to the front.

[thebeatnut]

I'd say pm because then the sun will cast over the cliffs in the middle distance, could look nice. Let me know when you've redone it, I'll be interested to see!

[gking]

The original #1 had too much unattractive background, the crop improved it but I agree that following the Rule of Thirds would improve it for sure.
The original #2 door did nothing for me.