Critics, critique, opinions ... How can I improve this picture in terms of composition.

There's nothing really interesting on the left side. The people are interesting in the back. Move in and catch them working. Too far too crop. You'll have to go back and shoot again.

 

Here's another take if you like the fruit. I'd go back and try different positions. Also, they're not in focus now because they weren't your original subject that you focused on.

 

I guess my point is, move closer. Pictures tend to get better the closer you get. Covering everything in one wide photo can be uninteresting because nothing catches the viewer's eye. Better to pick out something that is important and highlight that. Good luck.

I sense you may have wanted to show something about the dimension of the space, which is why you approached it as a long shot. Is that the case? In any event, that’s how it comes across to me. So, I tend to see the people in the far background as a distraction because they attract my attention at the end of the long road but there’s no payoff because they’re so undefined. The figures on the right are lost in shadow. As shot, I think the empty market would have been more effective unless you could have caught activity that would draw my eye to more of a reward. Had you wanted people and activity, getting closer to it or making it visually intelligible from a distance would be advised. I think without activity, there’s a mood and atmosphere to be expressed which your perspective approaches and which could be further supported by further adjustments.

 

What were YOU after? What makes YOU like the shot and what hesitation do YOU have?

First of all, my thanks (and compliments) to you for posting this photo and asking for feedback! Too few members do it (including myself). I sincerely hope that that the feedback you get is helpful to you! Reviewing photos also helps other members (like me).

 

I fully agree with @samstevens's comment below. The composition (framing, perspective, etc.) you choose - when taking the shot and later in PP - depends mainly on what you want to express. Whether this is a topic, an experience, a feeling, etc. doesn't really matter. Granted, this is not always crystal clear at the time you take the photo. Sometimes you don't quite realize at the time what it is was that caught your eye. But hopefully you still have a sense of what it was in this scene that caught your attention. And made you think "hey, this is (or might be) a worthwhile photo!". Reflecting on this question first, often helps you (and us as reviewers) better understand what's more and less important to you in the photo. Good composition is IMHO as much about excluding less important (irrelevant, competing) areas of interest as it is in presenting the relevant areas of interest in the best way.

 

My personal feedback is that:

- there is a sense of emptiness (customers) in the photo

- the diagonal (top left to bottom right) streaks on they're way back in the background; the fishmonger has his face cropped

 

So my questions to you are:

- what caught your eye, why did you choose this position/perspective to take the photo? I suspect it might have been the diagonal streaks in the foreground set against the relative emptiness in the background (early morning, late evening?)

- how much 'roof' (and how many people) do you need to get across the 'market setting'?

 

If the 'diagonal streaks' are indeed a focal point of your photo (I could well be wrong), one thing to consider is muting the colors top, left and right. Either through making a B/W version or just my muting the colors and boosting B/W. In this photo the vivid colors,top, left right and right naturally draw viewer's attention. Maybe not to the area where you want it to be.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Mike

 

What were YOU after? What makes YOU like the shot and what hesitation do YOU have?

Try looking at it upside down

 

I can’t. I’m on my iPad and when I turn it upside down the photo rights itself. Very nerve racking!

It worked well on my 21" desktop monitor.

It worked well on my 21" desktop monitor.

I just got the solution and am standing on my head. My emoji gave me the idea!

In any case, when I did look at the photo upside-down, the striped awning became fairly prominent and alive and I started liking it much more as an element in the photo. So that might lead me to working with that awning and featuring it more in the photo, especially against the long leading lines of the market pathway.

The idea of looking at it upside down and then Sam's take sure reminded me of art classroom days.

I would ask "what is the intended subject and what were you trying to say about it"? From there you/we can identify ways to improve that statement.

HI and I'll second Mike in saying thanks for being brave enough to post your shot for critique!

 

There are a lot of interesting elements in this shot.

I like the way the lines in the awnings and table dressing juxtapose against one another,

and the fruit in the R foreground seems to match the orange striping on the table skirt just beyond.

I like the concept of leading lines, but the ones in this shot seem to lead to nowhere.

And the first tent/awning pole sort of dominates the foreground, in kind of an annoying way.

 

The way I'm seeing this, you could have dialed your vision down to capture any of these elements in tighter shots; each of them have enough to make for interesting compositions on their own. As it is, we can see all these disparate elements adding up to... well, to not much, frankly.

 

I like that you brought your camera to the market when it wasn't jammed with people, tho. Trying to photograph places like this- small or tight spaces, with crowds of people bustling and bumping about is really difficult. If it is at all possible to revisit this place, maybe you can take another view of this shot, and pick it apart to photograph all these interesting part of it individually, and/or perhaps ask the vendors if they mind your taking their photo, as people shots or shot of folks working add interest for many.

 

I suggest also that with a digital camera, although sometimes the viewing screen can be tough to see on the fly, it is possible to take a look at your shots to see how you like them. If you are on holiday in a place and may never see it again, take a few moments to sit down where you can review your images before walking away forever, and maybe you can improve your shots right there and then. I know I often find myself shooting on the run as I walk around with others who are not photographers. I

have gotten to the point where I tell people not to wait, I'll catch up. Then I can take more time to put more thought into whatever it is I want to shoot. Sometimes I might "test" a composition by shooting it with my phone. I may tweak the phone shot a little by cropping or whatever, then shoot it for real only camera.

 

One thing is certain tho, and that is that you have a camera and are actually getting out with it! Keep shooting, because you'll only get better, and become more sure of yourself as you shoot more. Good luck and happy photo-ing!

I'd leave the right border where it is and crop it 5:2 instead of 2:1, cutting out the person on the left. I might cut out a little of the roof covering, emphasizing the upward sloping feel of the image.

 

About the OOF fruit, in the best light. I would have shot that in focus, using smaller aperture. You may be trying to say something with that, but I don't get it. To me, it seems like lack of attention to detail. If it's part of the "story", I'd be interested to hear what you're thinking.