A Question of Composition

[dje]

These two images were taken around Banff about six months ago. I've been going through some of the images from that trip re-processing with ACR 7. For some reason, I didn't process these two images originally but having done so now I'm interested to hear what people think. In particular, I'd like your views on the composition.

Dave

PS : Please click on image for best viewing

[Jack R Mann]

Dave i like #1 the best, but personally i would go to a 3to2 crop and i think for me the dock is distracting. ; #2 is framed well with trees i think a good a comp as you could get from where you are. I would get rid of the roof top above the bridge is a little distracting to me.. Over all a very nice set thinks for sharing.

[dje]

Dave i like #1 the best, but personally i would go to a 3to2 crop and i think for me the dock is distracting. ; #2 is framed well with trees i think a good a comp as you could get from where you are. I would get rid of the roof top above the bridge is a little distracting to me.. Over all a very nice set thinks for sharing.

Thanks for your comments Jack. It's the dock I was wondering about in #1. Here is the original 3:2 version.

Dave

[Plumcrak]

Do you need all the dock? What about cropping, from the left, about half the dock, just at the point the distant mountain range appears from beyond the green.
Just a thought. I do like the shot, just not as much dock.

[Clint007]

Both scenes are superb, but, the human trace (dock and bridge) should be out to get more concentration on nature.
About the dock, it is hard to remove it because the small beautiful aquatic plants will be out!

[dje]

Thanks Jon and Claude

I've tried a crop as suggested and this certainly reduces the prominence of the dock.

Dave

[ucci]

Hi Dave
Not an expert on these things, more an example of unskilled labour. But, hoping you don't mind, I had a play with your shots. Had to remove the dock from the Lake. Orders from our beloved Leader Joolia. Something to do with boat people using it to moor their craft when they arrived, so it had to go. And she had me plant a few more reeds to replace it just to balance the scene.
With the bridge shot how about, as a suggestion, if some of the water expanse on the bottom LHS were cropped out?
Anyway, here are a couple of roughies to show you what I am on about. And see? My pp sure degrades your original posts and spoils what are great captures and really didn't require someone like me tinkering with them!!!!.

Thanks for sharing

[dje]

Thanks for making the effort to spend some time on this Ken. I'm glad you do what "Joolia" says. I wonder what she told "the first bloke" to do after his gaffe about prostate cancer the other day. I think he might be spending some time in the proverbial dog-house.

Given the comments I've recieved so far, I think I should have a go at cloning out the dock as you suggest. The water plants do add something I think.

Dave

[Didace]

I like the dock.

On the bridge, I keep getting drawn to the sun-lit trees and the river; my eyes just skip over the bridge. Since it seems to be the subject, something needs to be done to bring it out more -- I'm not sure what. I'd also clone out those pipes or wires or whatever they are on the right-hand side.

[rawill]

I like the dock too!

My only comment on the dock is that it is a little bit large, however I would not crop it out from the bottom as that would remove the plants/sticks on the right. And I would not crop from the left as I want the horizon the way you shot the photo.

So in the end, I think I would leave the photo the way it is.

[zen]

I like the dock, too, but it's a bit too much in the original image. I don't care for the left edge crop, but cropping about half of the existing dock off the bottom edge decreases the amt you see, but doesn't remove all the grasses in the right corner. Nice shots, though!

Zen

[Mike Buckley]

For me, the dock should serve as a leading element. Unfortunately, the planks of wood create lines that lead the eye to the left when it would be better if they led to the right. It's for that reason that I don't see the dock working at all.

The other image is so well composed that any tweaks to it are just a matter of personal taste. However, I do like the idea of removing the roof that appears just above the tree line.

[dje]

Thanks for your comments Didace, Robin and Zen. It's interesting to get divergent views on this but it is still helpful. I've gone back to my original lake and dock image, got the chainsaw out and trimmed off some of the dock (courtesy of the Clone tool). I've also brightened the bridge in the second image. I'm quite pleased with these outcomes I think.

Dave

[jeeperman]

I agree with Mike's post and also like your latest adjustements.

[ucci]

And so you should be. Very nicely done. Especially the great piece of work with the chain saw. Next time I have a tree down on a fence I will be certainly giving you a call!

[dje]

Thanks Mike - you must have slipped in with your post whilst I was preparing my latest response. I think you make a valid point about the direction of the planks. I've sawn the end of the dock off but rotating the planks might be a bit harder ! but ..

Thanks Paul and Ken for your comments. Ken you wouldn't want me within a barge pole of you with a chain saw in my hands.

Dave

[Mike Buckley]

I've sawn the end of the dock off but rotating the planks might be a bit harder !

It would actually be relatively simple if your software allows you to rotate a selected area of the image. (Photoshop Elements does, so I'm sure Creative Suite also does. I don't know about other programs.)

1) Open the photo that displays the largest dock.
2) Select the dock and rotate it. You also may need to move it laterally.
3) Crop the image to eliminate the problems in the foreground caused by the newly rotated dock.

EDIT: Instead of cropping the image, you might be able to solve some if not all of the foreground problems by copying part of the dock and moving the copied part to create a larger dock.

[Wavelength]

Both images are excellent; anyhow i like #2's composition is a bit ahead of #1. The wooden platform makes me a bit uncomfortable in the first as if a ill mannered intrusion

But the bridge very much fuses into the background in the second as if nature has made it

Regards

[dje]

It would actually be relatively simple if your software allows you to rotate a selected area of the image. (Photoshop Elements does, so I'm sure Creative Suite also does. I don't know about other programs.)

1) Open the photo that displays the largest dock.
2) Select the dock and rotate it. You also may need to move it laterally.
3) Crop the image to eliminate the problems in the foreground caused by the newly rotated dock.

EDIT: Instead of cropping the image, you might be able to solve some if not all of the foreground problems by copying part of the dock and moving the copied part to create a larger dock.

I didn't know you could do that Mike. I'll have a play. I'm using CS6. Thanks

Dave

[dje]

Both images are excellent; anyhow i like #2's composition is a bit ahead of #1. The wooden platform makes me a bit uncomfortable in the first as if a ill mannered intrusion

But the bridge very much fuses into the background in the second as if nature has made it

Regards

Thanks Nandakumar for your comments.

Dave