Crew Takes Morning Row In Front Of Pike's Peak

Any and all critique welcome:

 

Rowing Crew Works Out With Pike's Peak In Background by David Stephens, on Flickr

Nice capture of a beautiful location, but the subjects are somewhat "lost" and IMO a crop both on the left side to where the high mountains start and on the right side where they finish would add balance and interest. Is the wide aspect ratio due to a previous crop ? If cropped as my suggestion that would also remove the building on the extreme right which is a little distracting and help make the rowing crew more prominent. Good colours and light, especially that beautiful sky.

Nice capture of a beautiful location, but the subjects are somewhat "lost" and IMO a crop both on the left side to where the high mountains start and on the right side where they finish would add balance and interest. Is the wide aspect ratio due to a previous crop ? If cropped as my suggestion that would also remove the building on the extreme right which is a little distracting and help make the rowing crew more prominent. Good colours and light, especially that beautiful sky.

 

Thanks Ken. I like those strong ideas. My only crop is to take it to 2:1 aspect ratio. I don't remember if I had to straighten the horizon, but if it needed it, I did that. With your suggested crop, that second building from the right will be even more prominent, so I may "heal" that out. I did use a gradient to darken the sky. I wish there had been some nice clouds, but this is how it looks many days in Colorado.

Technically very good, very attractive, but for some reason, it just doesn't engage me. Thinking about it, can't tell you why at the moment.

Technically very good, very attractive, but for some reason, it just doesn't engage me. Thinking about it, can't tell you why at the moment.

 

I'd be curious to know, if it comes to you. I think Ken's suggestions will add power. Maybe I'll reprocess tonight and show an alternative.

Maybe it turns out the subject is the landscape, mountains, and water. And the people and boats are just part of the scene. Then the scale works well and so does the emphasis. The primary colors and good lighting on the crew make them just important enough to function noticeably and secondarily as they probably did in the overall scene, despite the title. I find the homes and structures that we can sort of see but not really make out detract and the shrubbery in the foreground is not much to look at.

The image feels off-balance to me - I wish the row boat was on the right 1/3 line instead of its current location on the left.

Here's an alternative crop, as suggested here. I also healed out the bright building, to the right.

 

Alternative Crop by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

I think it's stronger and certainly supports the caption better; however, I'm not wed to the caption.

Here's an alternative crop, as suggested here. I also healed out the bright building, to the right.

 

Alternative Crop by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

I think it's stronger and certainly supports the caption better; however, I'm not wed to the caption.

IMO this certainly gives the presentation more interest and balance, BR Ken.