Tension

This picture doesn't evoke any feeling of tension for me; not creating any feeling at all really.

Try pairing the rope with a subject. Ropes are used to hold things; secure things in place. So choose a subject that plays to this and it will help you create a feeling of tension. Try reshooting at a boat dock for example. Wrap the rope around a buoy hook or piling. Most people will instantly associate tension with these objects that are used to secure a boat.

Thanks CJ, appreciate your comment and feedback, i see the tension not in the coils of rope, but in the individual strands that make up the rope. And wanted to take something that many would pass by without a second glance. Always good to see things from another perspective though.

Brian, I actually love your idea that you stated you were trying to convey, I just don't think that's what the casual observer gets from this image. I believe the problem is that the picture is taken at too great a distance from the "subject" and with too much of it in focus. By looking at your gear list, you don't appear to have a macro lens or a 50 mm, but I think you could achieve your goal with an inexpensive 50mm (appx. $130-which is what? about 150 pounds where you are? Sorry, I don't know how to make a "pound" money sign on my American keyboards. ). In order to draw the viewer in and for them to be able to view your image the way that you want them to, you have to be able to isolate the strands separately from the rope as a whole, yet allow them to see that the strands MAKE UP a rope. I don't have a macro lens either but I've been able to achieve the same type of affect and along the lines that you were going for with my 50mm. By getting close to my subjects, and using a large aperture, I can draw the viewers focus where I want it, which allows me to tell a story with my picture. Here's some examples of what I'm trying to say, to hopefully show what I mean.

http://fineartamerica.​com …at-bind-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …arewell-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …usician-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …remains-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …red-hat-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …ts-soul-amber-kresge.html
(Actually, this one I took with the same 70-200 that you have)

http://fineartamerica.​com …attered-amber-kresge.html

Fitness Freak wrote in post #16633899
Brian, I actually love your idea that you stated you were trying to convey, I just don't think that's what the casual observer gets from this image. I believe the problem is that the picture is taken at too great a distance from the "subject" and with too much of it in focus. By looking at your gear list, you don't appear to have a macro lens or a 50 mm, but I think you could achieve your goal with an inexpensive 50mm (appx. $130-which is what? about 150 pounds where you are? Sorry, I don't know how to make a "pound" money sign on my American keyboards. ). In order to draw the viewer in and for them to be able to view your image the way that you want them to, you have to be able to isolate the strands separately from the rope as a whole, yet allow them to see that the strands MAKE UP a rope. I don't have a macro lens either but I've been able to achieve the same type of affect and along the lines that you were going for with my 50mm. By getting close to my subjects, and using a large aperture, I can draw the viewers focus where I want it, which allows me to tell a story with my picture. Here's some examples of what I'm trying to say, to hopefully show what I mean.

http://fineartamerica.​com …at-bind-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …arewell-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …usician-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …remains-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …red-hat-amber-kresge.html

http://fineartamerica.​com …ts-soul-amber-kresge.html
(Actually, this one I took with the same 70-200 that you have)

http://fineartamerica.​com …attered-amber-kresge.html

Can I borrow your eye?

LOL!!! I'm trying really hard to share what I've learned with others, which is why I include some of my photos when trying to express what I mean in these critiques. I'm glad that you appreciate my work and I'd happily loan out my eye for composition if it would help others and I was physically able to.

Fitness Freak wrote in post #16633994
LOL!!! I'm trying really hard to share what I've learned with others, which is why I include some of my photos when trying to express what I mean in these critiques. I'm glad that you appreciate my work and I'd happily loan out my eye for composition if it would help others and I was physically able to.

Thanks for the feedback, i do have a dedicated macro lens, but i was on a bird photography mission that day. I did think it might have been better to focus more closely on only a small part, i like the horse image but im not fond of the others, but its not a crit of them just my taste.

To be honest this has been a part of an experiment to see what something ordinary inspires in the name of feed back, critique and comment. Part of a pair of images ive posted on 4 sites. Ive taken on board all the different views, and its been interesting to have other eyes looking at my photos.

Your not the only one to see no tension, i do and the title was chosen deliberately, and on one forum inspired a load of light hearted banter, which i enjoyed reading. Cheers for responding.

regards brian.