Hohenzollern Castle in the Fog

[magmotif]

This is my first post on CiC; been browsing for a while and finally worked up the courage to post

I've never had much success with fog, but this was a great opportunity to experiment on the paths leading to the Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart.

The following is one of my better fog shots, and I'm hoping for suggestions to improve in the future.

I'm not entirely pleased with the composition. The branches at the top of the image are distracting -- I attempted other crops, but none seemed great. Any thoughts?

[dubaiphil]

Welcome to the forum, magmotif.

Firstly I'm sure you will receive a message and assistance from one of the moderators in posting your image larger on the forum.

Secondly, I'm jealous of your fog! I need some here in Dubai for a few photo concepts that I have.

Thirdly, it is difficult to see on the small file you have posted, but I agree that the branches in the foreground are distracting. A simple thing to do at the time of shooting could have been to get lower. This would have removed those branches from the frame and created a different perspective. Try taking images while not in your normal standing pose - it might make the image more interesting.

Fourthly, with leading lines like this (the rail and the path) they can be strengthened more by having them lead directly out of the image in the corners. That is not quite the case here, but nearly.

Having said all that, I like the image and the exposure looks spot on.

[jeeperman]

I think you have handled the fog well here. The leading lines are nice and the branches....at least for me...help frame in the destination and do not distract me at all. Although I would lighten the few in the corner that are so much darker than the rest as those do draw my eye. I think had there been a person disapearing into this fog it would have been a little more dramatic. I like it.

[just me]

Hi,

I like your fog photo very much, and like Phil I would like here in the part of Australia were I live, sometimes to have fog too for taking these photo's.......

For myself I like the branches at the top of your photo as they frame the photo quite nicely.......
Well done.

Just me........

[Geoff F]

Firstly Magmotif (any first name?) you may find this thread useful for photo uploading advice HELP THREAD: How can I post images here?

And with regard to your photo. I often say that foggy scenes need a good reference point, often in the foreground, to distinguish them from shots which are simply out of focus or poorly exposed.

This shot is how foggy scenes should look.

[Bryan Conner]

As others have said, it is a bit unfair to judge your image at such a small size. At this size though, it looks nice to me. Did you get any shots of the castle in the fog? I have photographed the castle 3 different times in the past year and have yet to get the shot I am looking for. I live 1.5 hours away, and the weather always changes before I get there.

[Rhoads238]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to CIC. I like the leading lines in the image. It draws my eye into the wall of fog at the top of the frame. I don't find the sticks at the top of the frame to be distracting though. I think i wouldnt have even looked at them if you hadn't mentioned them. If you want its easy enough to clone them out in pp. I have to say I agree with Paul here and having a person walking into or out of the fog would have added a bit of mystery.

Good work and welcome to cic.

Jason

[Designer]

Yes, what jeeperman said. The branches are not the issue that you assume them to be. What this photo needs is a more defined subject, such as a person walking on the path.