Fishermen on the Lak lake

It looks the quality of the picture of the week is coming down. This week's picture has nothing interesting in it. I wonder if it makes a good composition? I have a tendency to appreciate even if a picture is OK sort. But this one ....Nope! I believe, it sends a wrong signal to budding, amateur photogrpahers about "good composition". In case of a slow week, I guess, it would be better not to choose any picture for that week.

The sunset, or sunrise looks nice, Im partial to them. Compositionally, the picture would have been better with the fishermen on the left. The fishermen are fishing to the right so them being on the left of the frame would have had a more pleasing aspect. On the whole, the picture doesn't make me go WOW I WISH I COULD DO THAT (yeah capitals and all) like some of the pictures I have seen here like that wine glass falling in the water one.

Xuan Binh Nguyen captured nice light which made for a nice silhouette of the fisherman.

 

If you don't like the quality of the picture for POW, then submit some of your best stuff.

I like this. Not love, just like. But if I'd taken it, I'd definately feel good. Or perhaps lucky. Right place, right time? When it comes down to it, it's usually a matter of not screwing up the opportunity. And this is not screwed.

Enjoy it for what it is folks - a nice shot!

I agree with Darron. I like the shot and think it is nicely done. For the rest of the critequers on the above comments when did this turn in to a critisizm forum? If you want to let everyone know that your taste is different than someone elses then keep it to yourself, nobody cares. Grow some balls to show your shots or keep your critisizm to yourself. How hard is it to sit behind your PC and critisize shots without letting others see yours. Lets see some of your pics!!!!!!!!

Excellent photo! Nice composition. Had the fishermen been on the left, the eye would have been led to what? Black! The focus is not on their lines in the water but the fishermen in the sunlight. THey are placed nicely in the frame and compliment one another. I'm jealous. I'm glad the (obvious)professionals who left the first couple of compliments were't my teachers!

I happen to like this myself. It works a little better for me cropped from the bottom to just below the circular area in the middle, but a good shot none the less. Good lighting and subject that captures Viet Nam (IMO anyway). Those tilting horizons can be a pain, but it's not that bad in this shot. I like it! Nice job.

I would have to DISAGREE with Parimi's comment. The picture is awesome, theres no misleading lines, it's colorful, and the composition is beautiful. Sometimes the more timid and insecure photographer would rather criticize someones work due to jealousy, this being the case of Parimi's comment earlier.

I like this picture alot as well...it has a surreality that has engaged me every time I have flipped past the photo.net home page. Tilted horizons are the reason mats were invented :)

"I would have to DISAGREE with Parimi's comment."

 

 

 

Me too!!

 

 

 

"The picture is awesome, there are no misleading lines, it's colorful, and the composition is beautiful."

 

 

 

Agreed!! It could have been done better, but I like it as it is nevertheless. I could sit here and say "move the person on the right two milimeters 110 degrees south-east.", but I won't bother. It should remain unique to the photographer who created it. I believe it remains a strong expample of excelence for aspiring photographers. It is a good example of effective use of line, silhouettes, reflection, and color. In adition, take a look at the latest issue of outdoor photo for a similar picture published in the mag. taken in malaysia. In it, a fisherman drags a large fish along the beach.

Saying "WOW Great shot" to every picture isn't going to help anyone, particularly us amatures. If you have ever had any of your pictures critiqued by a pro who doesn't pull their punches you know what I mean, and you know how helpfull such a process can be. This picture is not amazing, its nice yes, its relaxing even, as I said I love sunset and sunrise type pictures. BUT! the left half might as well not be there, the focus is on the fishermen and thats it, your eye is stuck there. You've got a standard centered horizon, and nice clouds and color all very static.

 

BTW if you look at his other pictures there are very good ones. I love the Chess players, and the Incense of a Soul, the Chess players is dynamic, its as if you are walking by the place these gentelmen play every night and you just glance at their game. The incense of the soul is very very very contemplative, very religious, I could stare at it for a long time. One of these two should have been the Photo of the Week.

 

As for the people criticizing the people who aren't just falling over in complete awe and addoration :-) and demanding proof of their works, get over it. We can assume that most of us on this site have seriously taken a picture or two so we know at least 2 cents worth about what we are saying. I hope the photographer of the picture doesn't get upset by any of the criticizm because its not meant to hurt anyone, we are not picking on you. As soon as I get off of my big behind and put some pictures up here I would hope that people tell me exactly what they think is bad, how they can be improved, or exactly why they liked it if they did. If you feel like ripping me a new one, look at some of my pictures and go to town. Here are the urls of what I have online.

 

http://members.bellatlantic.net/~kotchian/cali.html and http://members.bellatlantic.net/~kotchian/bethany.html

 

just click on the thumbnail for a larger version. You can mail comments to me at akotchian@spotfire.com if you feel strongly engough :-) all I ask is you be totally honest, explain yourself, and not use profanity. All the pics at the above URLs are Fuji Velvia, Equipment is a Nikon F3 and a few Nikon lenses that I have.

Just have a look at the other pictures in Mr Nguyen's portfolio before critizising : they show a great sens of light and colour. Very good composition too, I liked "incense of a soul" a lot !

I agree with many of your comments. I believe that the photo shows why photography was invented. The sunset was correctly exposed and silhouetted the fisherman. I would have loved to have taken this photo.

Firstly, apologies for using this space to address some disparaging remarks by L. Lee and Banks White . I don't want to turn this great photography site in to a forum for personal bickering. But Lee and White have already made this site so and I am left with no option but to respond to their less than eloquent, bellicose and highly misplaced remarks.

 

Before I go any further I want to ask a simple question: Can't I criticize? If this place is only for appreciation, then there is no point in coming back here. Personally, I don't think the judges or any sane person thinks so.

 

Lee's and White's comments on my criticism are highly misplaced. Lee cahllenges "Grow some balls to show your shots or keep your criticism to yourself. How hard is it to sit behind your PC and criticize shots without letting others see yours. Lets see some of your pics!!!!!!!! " And White comments " Sometimes the more timid and insecure photographer would rather criticize someone's work due to jealousy, this being the case of Parimi's comment earlier."

 

I think by passing such comments, Lee seems to threaten me not to criticize at all and White seems to show that he is a psycho-analyst par excellence. But the fact of the matter is both of them are blind to what is going on this site. I have already put some of my pictures on this site a few weeks ago. Lee anf White should 'search user uploaded pictures' for them. If Lee and White haven't seen them it only reveals their haste and ignorance but it doesn't make me a "timid or insecure photographer" as White claims. I am certainly going to put more pictures soon, once I find time to scan them. Lee and White are welcome to see them and comment, if necessary. .Lee, it doesn't take a long time to criticize, sitting in front of my computer, and it doesn't take a long time to appreciate either.

 

Several times earlier I did appreciate the P'sOW (Lee and White can check my comments) when I felt that the picture was great. Whether to appreciate or criticize is dependent on my judgement and is my right. Lee and White cannot be so profane about it. There is a fine line between a sharp criticism and an indecent criticism. Hope they realize this.

 

About the picture of this week: the colors are great. But there is too much dark foreground in it. I feel its not like the earlier great P'sOW, namely, 39723 (Tomas Bercic), Praying hands (Bart Aldrich), 68810 (Richard Baillie), Jaisalmer Woman (Nigel Nagarajan).

 

As Ara Kotchian rightly points out the photographer should not feel bad about these comments. After all it's his effort and art. So long as it gives him/her enjoyment there ends the matter. The POW is only a bonus.

 

My Parimi,

Critique helps in majority of the time and i think it is the manner you put your view that is disconcerting and drawing the kind of responses which you try to defend yourself.Imagine yourself putting your picture as POW next week and some amauteur come along and said something like that about your picture without much constuctive element in it.If you are not perturbed then good on you.

Jasper

The man on the far right isn't fishing. He's propelling the canoe with his stick. The shot appears to've been taken from the back of that canoe. Anyway, I don't have a problem with him being on the far right. The horizon centered vertically and the patch of clear water centered horizontally bother me. I would crop some off the right and bottom of image. Getting a well exposed sunset and silouettes is not such a big deal with print film. I have photos at home.flash.net/~brownt/photomain.htm

I think the format for POW should be changed. It's not really fair to the photographer who took the picture, that he has no say as to being chosen, unless he makes the picture publicly unavailable. For all we know, this picture isn't one of his best, and maybe he would've chosen a different one altogether. What should be done is that all you brainiacs out there that think your pictures are so wonderful should be able to submit a picture a week to a pool that the POW can be selected from. This would make it more interesting, and maybe we'd get better POWs. Also, it seems recently that the pictures are getting more and more jpeg compression, which might be having some negative consequences. If you look at this week's POW, it's only 15K. That's not really large enough in my opinion. It's like we're criticizing a 3x5 print.

"It's not really fair to the photographer..."

Evan, why don't you start your own website with picture of the week. I mean since it's so easy and cheap.

It is perfectly fair that I am allowed to create photo folders on someone else's Web server for free. In fact it's great. I suppose if I am worried about getting photo of week, then I'll just put a disclaimer why I posted if I don't think it's great. Or maybe if you don't think the photo is so great, then you should not be posting here. Put it on your home page that you pay for out of your own pocket. Otherwise deal with it.

Not to mention the fact that photo.net is one of the best places to learn photography anywhere, much less on the Web. Not to mention photo.net is one of the best Web sites of ANY kind on the net. Oh, did I mention it's free?

Sorry to let loose on you Evan, it's just that a bunch of people have been complaining.

Lordy, lordy if you don't have something good to say don't say it. Ok ok, I know life's not a bowl of roses or whatever, and every word ever uttered can't always be positive, but come on. Quit whining, pop the top on a cool one, take some pictures and enjoy yourself for pete's sake. Who gives a rat's fat ass if some website is not absolutely perfect. Philip G. sure doesn't. He has more important things to worry about.

"It's not really fair to the photographer who took the picture, that he has no say as to being chosen, unless he makes the picture publicly unavailable"

 

As a courtesy, we actually send email to the photographer before posting the shot. To date, no one has asked us not to use their photograph.

I wouldn't back down from what I said above. I think it would be more fun for everyone, if the POW were made more into a contest that people actively participated in. I don't think implementing that idea would take much more effort than the current system. In fact, it would be nice if there could be nominees that photo.net users could vote for their favorite. I agree photo.net is a great asset for photographers, but it has room for improvement. Being free doesn't necessarily make something good or immune to criticism. Anyway, as to the suggestion that I have my own POW on my site, I do have that, but just for my own pictures. If you want to check it out, and or criticize my pictures, feel free. http://www.cellandtissue.com/prev_pows.html.

i like this photo...dammit...you gotta love them fishermen...if not for them there's no mc fillet-o-fish :-)

It is uncalled for to shoot a photograph that is placed here down, even if you don't like it (P!!) Instead we should offer advice (I thought that was the whole idea.) We should comment on line, shape, color, texture, etc. Perhaps even add what we might have done differently. This photograph is an excellent example of a silhouette\reflection pic. One gets enough information to intrigue, yet enough is left out to inspire. There is in general a good flow of line (Leading Lines), and though debatable, (and here's where I throw in a tad of personal data) I loke the space to the right. The cloud formations there are distinct enough to occupy your attention, and tear your eye away from the fishers. It also acts as a continuation or end of the leading lines depending on how you want to look at it.

 

 

 

This is how it must be.

And, as thumper said, If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. (Beyond constructive criticism) I believe this should be the golden rule of photo critiques, breaking them is uncalled for, revolting, and unnecesary.

In my opinion Mr. Nguyen's photo is artistic and well composed. The colorful sunset creates a peaceful atmosphere. Well done.

It is well composed, has good color and contrasts, and most importantly, it evokes an emotion. Well done.

Hardly no one comments on photo's in personal folders.. why do you feel you have to the moment it hits POW?