Down on the Beach

[ndl0071]

So far on my time at this forum I have not been brave enough to post in this section, still, time to stand up and be counted, I would be interested in any opinions either way about this shot taken today at Brighton beach.

[Photocracy]

Re: Down on the Beach

Ok, I'll give it a go. But I'm just a lowly amateur photographer, so don't take me too seriously.

I think there are two pictures here and you have ended up in between the two. One would have been a full blown silhouette and I think this would have worked well with the kite. At the other extreme, the exposure could have been set to light up all the detail in the pier, on the beach and with the kite and people. This would probably have needed two exposures combined; one for the sky and one for the rest. With the half-way exposure you have, it feels like we are struggling to see detail, whereas with full-blown silhouette, we would forget about detail and enjoy the shapes and sunset. Please don't take any offence by my comments; I think there are the elements of a really great picture here and I like the composition. But I'm just not entirely convinced all the pieces have been put to best effect.

Right, now forget everything I have just said because I've just turned the brightness down on my monitor and your picture has now become the picture I was imagining. It's impossible to know where all our monitors are set on brightness and mine was set a little high. So if you intended a silhoutte, I do apologise and wholly take back the above. In the new light I now see it, I think this picture really works. The position of the kite over the pier creates a kind of pyramid path for the eye to follow through. Starting left, with the person; up to the kite; then back down to the pier at right. The central part of the pier then falls in the middle of this pyramid path and it makes for a very strong and enjoyable composition. The sky is a lovely colour and the reflections on the water at left create wonderful atmosphere. I like it very much.

[ndl0071]

Re: Down on the Beach

Thanks for the feedback Photocray, it was indeed intended as a silhoutte, the finished photo is much as I imagined when taken although I have had to tweak the curves to complete the effect. I am glad that you think the image works. Thanks for taking the time to have a look, I really would not have been offended if you had stood by your original observations as this section is all about improvement.

Cheers
Neil

[photonutter]

Re: Down on the Beach

An obvious improvement that comes to my mind would be to try a different view point. By walking a little to the left up the beach to realign the boys under the end of the pier, you could have possibly tied in the shots points of interest. You could also consider the crop of this shot to a more square format, to balance where boys and kite sit in frame.
Graham.

[ndl0071]

Re: Down on the Beach

Thanks photonutter, I am intrigued about the squarer crop idea so I am going to take a look at this, unfortunatley I can't alter the view point retrospectively but it certianly is thought provoking and serves as a reminder to really think hard about alternatives whilst looking through the viewfinder, maybe even taking shots from different angles and deciding later which is best

Cheers
Neil

[Jim Ford]

Re: Down on the Beach

I think that as Photocracy initially stated, there are two pictures.

There's a bloke flying a kite - and a pier. They tend to compete with one another and the nearness of the kite to the pier is a bit 'disturbing' - as if it has some sort of connection to the pier.

In the light you had, either would have been a good subject - especially if you took a low level shot of the 'bloke with the kite' to show his and the kite's silhouette against the evening sky.

Mind you, it's easy for me to say this - I couldn't necessarily have done better at the time, and only have come to the above conclusion later!

Jim

[ndl0071]

Re: Down on the Beach

Hi Jim, hindsight is a wonderful thing, I when I looked at this shot at the 'development' stage I wished that I had taken a lower angle to show the flyers in a true silhouette rather than merge them into the beach, still I guess it's all part of the learning process

Thanks for the feedback.
Neil