Downtown Ruins

[ianh]

First post in this subforum. Be as harsh as you'd like, I haven't gotten good criticism in a while.

http://icanhasupload.com/uploads/2010/02/ruin.jpg

[joedlh]

This picture doesn't tell a story to me. The subject is unclear. Is it the ruins, the barbed wire fence, the building in the back, the juxtaposition of the ruined and the new?

When I come upon a situation that shows promise, my first shot is usually nothing to write home about. It's only after I study the setting and make a conscious decision to select a subject that I start getting images that have more impact. This includes camera position, framing, and consideration of light, among other things. To be honest, this image looks like a first shot.

There's quite a lot of glare in the image, due it would seem to the sun's position. Minimize this by using a lens hood, changing point of view, or shooting at a different time of day.

The horizontal rail and fence post chop the image in pieces. I would try to get them out of the shot. I don't think you need as much sky.

[ianh]

Thanks for the feedback. It's definitely one I've been wanting to reshoot but the weather has been horrible recently. And you're right, it was a first shot, or one of many "first shots" in the area, rather. I did a bit of searching through the viewfinder for an angle I liked but never really studied the scene.

I'll see what I can do. I want to squeeze more background into the shot for sure, since a contrast between the nicer buildings and this slummy area is what I was going for.

I suppose this is putting lipstick on a pig, but would you say that this crop is better? (though I just noticed the barbed wire sticking out at the bottom which is a horrible distraction and would be cropped)

http://icanhasupload.com/uploads/2010/02/ruin2.jpg

[joedlh]

Actually this does look better. However, I'd like to see the base of the building anchored to the ground. Also, I just noticed that the fence is in focus but everything else is out of focus. If you want it all to be sharp, close down the aperture. This might require the use of a tripod if your shutter speed is too slow. If you're going for a contrast in age, try coming back when the newer building is in sunlight, not shaded as in this shot.