Landscaped Driveway

I passed this (very long) driveway on the way home. I liked how it looked and very much wanted to drive in to find the house that goes with it.

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Hhmmm.....well, considering your explanation of the shot and how you came about it, I think it does a good job as a composition in that the road does indeed tend to lead the eye down it and leaves one wondering "what's back there"?

There is something about this shot that does seem a little off to me though. The gate and the trees don't look as sharp as I think they should. I'm really tired at the moment so it could just be my eyes, but I think that maybe your focus isn't quite as sharp as it could be...or possibly it could be just something with the DOF field. Maybe someone with some fresher eyes will see what I'm trying to say here...

Other than that, it is an interesting shot. I think that -if- the road had of led to the house that maybe it would have been a little better than letting the eye wander as it does, but again it does go well with your story, so good job!

Peace,
Jim

Walczak Photo wrote in post #6061750
Hhmmm.....well, considering your explanation of the shot and how you came about it, I think it does a good job as a composition in that the road does indeed tend to lead the eye down it and leaves one wondering "what's back there"?

There is something about this shot that does seem a little off to me though.

Hey, thanks for the comments Jim - much appreciated.
Yes there is a bit lacking in the DOF department. It was a true "drive-by shooting" - hand held from the car window with my emergency point-and-shoot. That's why I was mainly looking for compositional input as I am still developing my eye for what is photo worthy and what is not as well as getting the framing right. Thanks again.

Mark

Hmm, Hmm, Hmm...

Not bad, not bad...Good, in fact. Better than most, but not as good as some.

If I were you, I would log that location as one to go back to and reshoot. There is a lot of natural potentional there.

When you do go back, I recommend that you walk down the driveway a dozen feet or so. The gate is doing you no favors whatsoever. These "pastoral" landscape shots work best if there is nothing in the shot that specifies a time, which is what the steel bar gate does. It is the major "clunk" in an otherwise timeless shot. (Imagine how different the feel would be if it were a split-rail gate.)

Also, if it were mine, I would step a couple feet to the right. You are coming very close to looking straight down the road.

Finally, that little snip of diagonal road on the other side of the dell is perfect. It is a great antagonist to the main road - everything in the foreground is funneling your vision straight down the road away from you, then, when you get to the end, WHACK!, you are turned left and up the hill. Perfect.

Overall, I like it, because of the little road at the end, but I think it would be a much stronger shot if you move forward down the road so the gate it out of your field of view. Also, perhaps try different focal lengths.

And finally, if there are any clouds (any texture at all) in the sky that could be brought out of the RAW file, I would do that too.

Rad

I find two aspects of the composition that are bothersome.
1) The road goes straight along the camera axis - would be better to wind or take a deviation from camera axis either right or left.
2) The left margin goes right down the center of the hinge post - would be better to avoid such coincidences.

From the looks of the foreground gravel, I would take a guess that this image is somewhat over-sharpened.

Lastly, I feel that this overall image cries out for some indication of human presence - if not a person, then at least a dwelling.

Bob, I feel the same about having something in the distance.even cows would have been cool but you have to work with what you are given.....

I love the unknown at the end of the road, but the road leads into the frame too fast. It may be a more visually pleasing image if you could frame so the road was on more of a diagonal leading the viewer across the frame rather than straight into it.

LeuceDeuce wrote in post #6065701
I love the unknown at the end of the road, but the road leads into the frame too fast. It may be a more visually pleasing image if you could frame so the road was on more of a diagonal leading the viewer across the frame rather than straight into it.

Funny you should mention that, when I tried a play, that is exactly what I did.

LeuceDeuce wrote in post #6065701
I love the unknown at the end of the road, but the road leads into the frame too fast. It may be a more visually pleasing image if you could frame so the road was on more of a diagonal leading the viewer across the frame rather than straight into it.

If I read you right, that would have been the result of my recommendation to move to the right to shoot a repeat. The right hand edge of the road would be roughly parallel to the frame, and the left hand edge of the road would then be coming in on more of a diagonal. This way, the little road across the way would be even more of a zag to the long zig.

Rad

Radtech1 wrote in post #6063937
... I would log that location as one to go back to and reshoot. There is a lot of natural potentional there. ... The gate is doing you no favors whatsoever ... I would step a couple feet to the right. You are coming very close to looking straight down the road ... Overall, I like it ... if there are any clouds (any texture at all) in the sky that could be brought out of the RAW file, I would do that too ... .Rad

Wow, Rad. Thanks for putting so much thought into your comments. I think a reshoot would be a worthy project as well. At the time, I felt the swung-open gate helped to "invite" you down the drive ... (others with thoughts on the gate thing? - what do you think?). Yes, a cloud transplant would be sweet for this shot. It was a drab grey-sky kind of day. BTW, my emergency p&s unfortunately doesn't shoot in RAW - bummer.

Robert_Lay wrote in post #6065330
I find two aspects of the composition that are bothersome.
1) The road goes straight along the camera axis - would be better to wind or take a deviation from camera axis either right or left.
2) The left margin goes right down the center of the hinge post - would be better to avoid such coincidences.

From the looks of the foreground gravel, I would take a guess that this image is somewhat over-sharpened.

Lastly, I feel that this overall image cries out for some indication of human presence - if not a person, then at least a dwelling.

Great observations. Thank you. Another vote for nixing the down-the -throat perspective, eh? I'll play with that on the reshoot. Perhaps include a bit of the fence post on the left do you think?

Flo wrote in post #6065671
Bob, I feel the same about having something in the distance.even cows would have been cool but you have to work with what you are given.....

There were cows ... lots of cows ... on the other side of the road behind me! Thanks Flo.

LeuceDeuce wrote in post #6065701
I love the unknown at the end of the road, but the road leads into the frame too fast. It may be a more visually pleasing image if you could frame so the road was on more of a diagonal leading the viewer across the frame rather than straight into it.

Appreciate the comments Leuce. Mark up another for moving further off-axis - and the more I think about it, I think that would really help add interest.

I am now a better photographer for posting this one image. I love it when that happens.

Regards

Mark

Lol@ the cow remark Mooooove them next time!