Composition C&C

I'm following an online tutorial/class on composition. One instruction was to view images in black & white to focus more on tones/shapes/lines. I headed out yesterday morning and have 3 images from my composition practice. Please provide constructive critique on composition.

1.

The yellow in the sign on #1 could be brightened a bit and then the composition would make more sense. It's not bad, but I'd like to see the full frame image: the crop makes me wonder if you cropped as a post-composing crutch: not unlike cheating.

#2 has no focal point really. Don't think it works as an image.

#3 is not very interesting (subject matter kinda boring), but it's not bad composition-wise. Neat idea of lining the edge of the cultivated field with the contrail, and nice work of having the more interesting half of the landscape (the sky) occupy two thirds of the frame.

I agree with Alveric's critique. I would add that #3 might make a better composition if cropped to a horizontal with the sky being 1/3 of the image. I don't find the sky to be particularly interesting. If you wanted to add interest to it, you could pump the contrast. If you had moved camera right a few steps #3 might have been a better composition as the front row of corn would not be running straight down the middle of the frame.

Alveric wrote in post #18111035
The yellow in the sign on #1 could be brightened a bit and then the composition would make more sense. It's not bad, but I'd like to see the full frame image: the crop makes me wonder if you cropped as a post-composing crutch: not unlike cheating.

#2 has no focal point really. Don't think it works as an image.

#3 is not very interesting (subject matter kinda boring), but it's not bad composition-wise. Neat idea of lining the edge of the cultivated field with the contrail, and nice work of having the more interesting half of the landscape (the sky) occupy two thirds of the frame.

Qbx wrote in post #18111056
I agree with Alveric's critique. I would add that #3 might make a better composition if cropped to a horizontal with the sky being 1/3 of the image. I don't find the sky to be particularly interesting. If you wanted to add interest to it, you could pump the contrast. If you had moved camera right a few steps #3 might have been a better composition as the front row of corn would not be running straight down the middle of the frame.

Thank you for the comments.

#1. I'll see what I can do on brightening the yellow. I adjusted the available sliders/curves in DPP 4, pulled the saturation to zero, and nothing else. I admittedly don't know the proper way to convert to black and white. As far as the cropping, I did crop out some on the top and bottom as it wasn't adding to the image. I can repost the uncropped version later.

#2. Aren't the corn tassels the focal point? There's nothing else in there but the sky. Maybe the color version is more interesting.

#3. I cropped a bit on the right side as I thought this looked more balanced with the darker trees versus the corn. I also cropped my shadow out of the bottom. I'm sure I have one taken horizontally that I can post later as well.

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sued5320 wrote in post #18110916
1.

I really like the compound curve, or "S" curve, created by the top of the treeline. This keeps the horizon from being a straight line, which is always so boring.

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Desaturation is the simplest way to convert to monochrome, but it's also the one that gives you the least amount of control.

Best thing to do is to use the RAW processor's Black & White option (if it has one) so that you can manipulate the colour channels independently, brightening and darkening colours at will.

http://www.cambridgein​colour.com …als/color-black-white.htm

RE: the tassels: Yes, I can see that they are the subject you were focusing on, but there's way too much clutter everywhere that they don't really stand out –even being in focus where everything else isn't doesn't help them.

Alveric wrote in post #18111539
Desaturation is the simplest way to convert to monochrome, but it's also the one that gives you the least amount of control.

Best thing to do is to use the RAW processor's Black & White option (if it has one) so that you can manipulate the colour channels independently, brightening and darkening colours at will.

http://www.cambridgein​colour.com …als/color-black-white.htm

yup. the first image desperately needs that kind of work to change the tone of the grass and road ... one of them needs to be darker or lighter than the other. Would like to see some detail in the sky too. If there's none there, you should get your hands on a polarizing filter (CPL).

edit: i didn't notice the truck in there ... meh, kinda needs to go.

Kind of agree. i think this image is close, but I don't like the 4:3 aspect ratio, or whatever it is something wider might be more interesting. Plus the contrail is kinda distracting. There is some psycologial stuff with angles where people often perceive the left/higher to right/lower angle in this image to be descending. Fine if that is your intent, but ascending, left/lower to right/higher, might give a little more umph.


third image is the best of the set. I can't really decide if i like the vertical contrail that continues to split the frame with the edge of the corn. I might give it a little photoshop work to make it less pronounced.

Tweaked #1 - also removed all the cropping. I used the Monochrome conversion and the filters in DPP which gives a little more flexibility with the tones. I have a PS Elements class next week and hope to learn how to do more there. I think the cropped version is better.

I'm sorry, I'm just not a huge fan of the set. I agree mostly with what's been stated.

#1 - for me I see the curved road, but it all gets lost with the surrounding grass, its all gray. Then guardrail is like a neon sign bright. The road S curve is the subject, and its totally lost with everything else. I could care less of the sign, honestly I think it detracts. What I've heard is anything that doesn't ADD to the composition detracts. Simple is better, try cropping it out to say a 4x5.

#2 - sorry, don't see much here.

#3 - I might say you went the wrong way, I'd try cropping most of the ground and leave most of the sky. Again, the corn and the grass all kinda blends, and its right in the middle of the shot, its just muddy. The sky and clouds have clear lines, but are close in brightness. I'd try cropping the ground, and dark the blues and up the white point to push the clouds brighter.

Good works in progress.

sued5320 wrote in post #18112026
Tweaked #1 - also removed all the cropping. I used the Monochrome conversion and the filters in DPP which gives a little more flexibility with the tones. I have a PS Elements class next week and hope to learn how to do more there. I think the cropped version is better.

the road is probably already grey so it will be hard to change the tone of it during the conversion. You might however get a little movement from the blue and cyan slider since the sky is probably reflected in it a bit.

if you move the cyan and blue to the left for the road, move the green and yellow to the right for the grass. Or vice versa.

best advice i ever received with color correction work was to take it too far and work your way back to where you want it. Slide those sliders all the way out and then work back, it will make the transition easier to see.