Your photos 97

Your photos (97)

Take Better Photos

Hints and tips
by Philip Grosset

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with comments from Philip Grosset

"Hi, here is a photo I took earlier in the year. It was shot on a Fuji Finepix digital camera although I also use a Canon EOS 500 as well. Itwas just one of many I took of the squirrels in Bournemouth park. I did have to zoom a little but they are very tame. What do you think?" (Ian Gamlin)

I like your photo on the left, but, as usual, would be inclined to move in closer, as on the right. If you prefer to keep in more of the setting, you could try just cropping off the extreme right of the picture, as I did, but leave in more space than I did on the left. Either way, it's a pleasing shot.

"I have enclosed 4 photos and I'd like to have your comments on them. I'm a student in engineering and many photos, including the first three attached, were taken at my backyard when I had spare time. As a beginner, I realize knowing my subject and focus on it is very important and I always try to visualize the scene before taking the picture. Following are some brief description for each attached picture of why the scene caught my eye, which of course was what I wanted to deliver in the photo, and my questions. I appreciate your answers and suggestions/critiques on any aspect.
1) rain leaf: I wanted to catch the delicacy of the leave and rain drop with my new bought 100mm Macro lens in its first test roll. I used (hoped) the veins and the difference in color to add some interest in the picture. Later on when I look at the picture, I think the contrast is too high: the highlights are too bright. What do you think about it? Would rotate the image (I seldom do) so that the veins go from left to right help the viewer's eye?
2) white rose: The softness of the rose in the rain caught my eye. I tried a shallow depth of field to convey it, which was also practical (although challenging) in a windy day. I handheld the camera and struggled the focus and framing at that time, but later on, I wished I had someone helped me to reflect a little bit light into the upper right part of the picture. Does the shadow bother you, or it's OK? Did the highlights on the flower destroy the overall feeling? Would a cropping help?
3) I guessed the plain, simple, and desaturated wood structure (part of the fence at the backyard) would be interesting -- personally I like a lot to find something picture-worth in an ordinary environment. However, it seems most of my friends (not in photography) prefer colorful and bright pictures. What do you think about it? How could I improve the composition, lighting and so on?
4) A picture of the old Fort Niagara -- and the old, a bit bleak feeling is what I wanted to catch. I adopted a "far-away" (in distance, hopefully in time also) approach for the buliding, and used the broken rode, and the wall to lead the viewer's eye into the picture. Is this an effective approach? How could I compose a better one?
Thanks a lot for your time and comments. Best regards." (Nandou Lu, Buffalo, New York)

You've got a very effective picture on the left. I've tried reversing it, as you suggest, on the right, but this is less effective because there is then less emphasis on the droplets. I like the high contrast as it produces a really pin-sharp picture.

I like your photo on the left too, and I think the mixture of dark and shadow adds to its appeal. But yes, I would move in closer still, as on the right. I think this looks quite stunning.

Your photo on the left looks just a bit ordinary. There is no end to the modifications you could try, but on the right I've tried making the light more directional, coming in closer, and blacking out the patchy background so that all attention is focused on the grain of the wood. Take your pick!

Your photo on the left gives the remote bleak feeling you say you wanted, but it isn't really all that exciting. On the right, I've tried a vertical composition that better reflects the shape of the path - but I'm left wondering if perhaps the old fort itself might have made a more interesting picture than the path leading up to it.
However, together, these make a really impressive set of pictures, and I particularly admire your close-up work.

Reply from Nandou Lu: "Thanks a lot! Actually I was a little surprised by your quick response. After comparing the original and revised versions, I think your suggestions are great. It can't be emphasized the importance of "move in closer" or focus on the subject. Next time, when I take picture and find the composition is not that exciting, I certainly will reminder myself to "move in closer" -- with my camera (instead of computer:). Thanks again. All my best wishes."

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