atlatling

A few things bother me and some can be changed by cropping. First, what is wrong with the ship? It seems to be listing badly...Or is it just some trick of the lighting? I cannot tell, but it bothers the heck out of me to see it leaning so much to the left.

Light on the smoke or steam above the building bother me and needs to be cropped away. the trouble is that each time I try to crop away portions of that side, I am left with a worsening of the misshapen hull of that ship. I don't think it can be improved as there is something inherently wrong with that boat.

Willie The Cropper

A few things bother me and some can be changed by cropping. First, what is wrong with the ship? It seems to be listing badly...Or is it just some trick of the lighting? I cannot tell, but it bothers the heck out of me to see it leaning so much to the left.

Light on the smoke or steam above the building bother me and needs to be cropped away. the trouble is that each time I try to crop away portions of that side, I am left with a worsening of the misshapen hull of that ship. I don't think it can be improved as there is something inherently wrong with that boat.

Willie The Cropper

I think the fact that this photograph was staged is so obvious that I wonder why photographers question that fact. Staging is not a four letter word. I think the staging here is brilliantly done. The Norman Rockwell-like theme is marvelously performed. My hat's off to you, Christopher.

Willie The Cropper

I usually don't comment without reading others comments, however I was so struck with the composition of this photograph that I didn't want to be swayed by other peoples thoughts. That strong diagonal across the image with a pathway leading through and into an "S" curve into the middle background is most dramatic. It forms two diagonals crossing for real dramatic presence. Drama exists in the color of the sunlit yellow grasses along the crest of the ridge and in the foreground. A really great shot. Very well presented. An unusual composition but it really works here. Nice! No cropping needed here. Keep it just as is.

Willie The Cropper

I don't feel that there is much about the "reflected" girls face that is real at all. I think it's a photoshoped reflection. Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe in making changes to images through the magic of photoshop, but this one was not done too well. The one reflected eye is missing and the other is as sharp as the original above. That eye would have been blurred if reflected. I think the hair should be blurred more. Note the loop at the top of the head is supposed to be reflected in the swirling water with no blurring what so ever.
There is a very obvious technical flaw along the left edge of the water surface midway down the picture and some on the right as well as the photographer in post production worked the water surface. I would like to suggest a crop, but there is nothing to crop. The picture is not really a vertical image, yet not square either. It seems a bit strange.
The picture is not the winner that many above indicate. I guess it's good enough to force comments from quite a few people, but to me it's just not quite right. Not my cup of tea, as they say.
Willie the Cropper

Few people have remarked about the fact that the girl is walking out of the picture, partially saved by her looking back to the camera, but still there is a lot unnecessary space here -- in fact, half the picture is wasted in my view. I would crop the five left hand buildings away. All of that gravel or grass or what ever is gone and the picture looks great as a vertical. That is of course in my humble opinion. (Willie is back!) Not a particularly good name in my view, but the picture is beautiful ... if cropped.
Willie the Cropper

You've got a nice diagonal composition here and even though it seems to cut the picture in almost exactly half, it works well. I would warm up and brighten up the sunlit portions of the rocks on the left and center just a tad, but they show up fine as is. Lovely sky -- lots of interest there.

 

 

Bill

Everyone seems to have a problem with the composition with this picture, as do I. We don't all agree on a way to crop the image, and the reason, I feel that is so is that it may have already been cropped too much. There should be a lot more of the image off to the right which appears to have been lost through cropping. The image looks as if it is square, but that is not so. The way it shows up on my screen is as a slightly vertical image. Cropped or not, the subject is right in the middle left to right, but the weight of the whole photograph is placed on the left with not enough picture on the right to balance it.
I am not bothered by the shadow in the foreground, in fact I sort of like the additional weight there. I am concerned for the safety of the subject with bricks or stones falling from the building and its obvious bulging of its side right toward her.

Never the less, I like the nice afternoon (or morning) lighting and the subject matter. Well done, and congratulations on being selected for this weeks pummeling.

 

Fred and Stephen, I don't mean to make this simple subject a wild sunset or anything, just a lift from the really dull colors it now has. Subtle images can attract, but sometimes they are just passed over for lack of punch. In this one I would suggest some variance in color to achieve a dab of punch, a small bit of excitement. I am reminded of some of the faint colors in motel room "art" which is not really meant to be viewed, but just noted and ignored.

A great idea for an unusual composition. Really nice in my view. I believe the picture has been darkened a tad too much in the upper left edges, but the bottom right and left look just about perfect. My other comment is that the subject needs a little air below the leaf tip's reflection. Even the top is cropped a bit tight, but the bottom needs more space.

I think too, that with some different colors or hues that this image might be one of those that jump out and grab the attention of the viewer than do these blue-grays and tans. It is striking either way, but it could use a little more punch!

Willie the Cropper

I liked the photo very much. Most attractive and no doubt a seller as this sort of picture is more commercial than many. In looking over your portfolio I see so many with the same traits. You seem to specialize in strange and unusual lighting. That's great! My congratulations for being selected by the elves.

I do feel that you might have overdone the painting with light a bit in this one. That can be a very hard thing to determine in the heat of battle. In my opinion, although this may have been photograph through an arch, it gives the appearance of shooting from the mouth of a cave. If that were so, the framing rocky structure would be dark except for a rim of lighting at its inner edge only. Also many of the rocks outside have the light on areas not lit by the moon or coming dawn. So where is the light coming from? That otherworldly sky is beautiful. Wish I could achieve that feeling.

I personally feel that Christal's photo is very well done too. Maybe darken the flower in the upper right a bit. Nice. I especially like her composition.

Willie the Cropper

Magnificent! However, in my normal way, I look to crop it somehow. In this picture, the very bright sun attracts my eye so much that I find it difficult to see the picture as it should be viewed. I am too attracted to that sun, so I would crop the brightest portion of the sky away. But of course, that's just me.

I love the colored water and all of the color of the boats and people. You have really captured the essence of an Asian Market. I, ve seen similar scenes in Bangkok and in Vietnam.

In reviewing the image once again, I see you have captured two pictures. Just make two verticals -- Left half and right half. Neither of which is as good as your original, however. Just block out that ultra white blown out sun...at least most of it.

Willie the Cropper

Upon first (and second) glance, I felt there was something wrong with this picture. I haven't figured it out yet, but it has to do with the eyes, I think. In playing with it a little I found an interesting crop which in this shot works well for me. How about the rest of you.
Crop the right side of the picture away leaving just one eye and half the nose and mouth....No, I am serious. Cropping the left half of the photo away doesn't work at all. Some how this makes a very interesting image and one that I might just try some time with one of my own shots.
Now having said this, I'll read the other comments posted. I didn't want to be persueded by others views.

Willie the Cropper

Scott, you violate every rule of composition and for some this is a good thing. Not so for me. My high school art teacher drilled into us the fact that a person or object should not lead out of the picture, but rather move into the picture. After viewing your photograph of this interesting egg shapped girl I couldn't have agreed with her more.

If it were possible I would give the girl a 180 degree turn from where she is keeping her toes where there are. This would give me the view of how this photograph should have been made. The lighting seems good and the thought behind the photograph seem correct. I just cannot look at this photo without thinking of a physical therapist who said to me, "Next week we'll work on posture." Somewhat indignant, I asked what is wrong with my posture and she answered with the phrase: "You don't have any."

I feel much the same about your composition in this image, you don't have any. . . . .

Willie the Cropper

Unusual composition, but it really works well. I find the lighting slightly strange, but the image captures my immediate attention. Nice job. Congratulations.

Willie the Cropper

Thanks for commenting on a couple of my far-out space scenes. Love this one with the bluish color. You have a good eye and imagination. Keep it going. Hope to see more of your images in the near future.

Well, it looks as if I am getting ganged up on. I once again "straightened" this image out by turning it 2 or three degrees and I could go as far as 4.5 degrees and improve the picture. I still am not computer literate enough to print a picture here to show what I mean. Try it yourselves. One of you should be able to do that and show what a little tilting along the lines of any one of the 6 or 7 tree trunks. Yes, the closest one is more or less true, but all of the rest slope badly. By doing so, you will also lose some of that bright light on the far left too.

Willie the Cropper

I keep waiting and waiting for someone to take the upper hand here and critique this week, and no one will. I feel forced once again to speak first. It's a lovely photograph, but not nearly as nice as a couple of others taken at the same place which you have in your portfolio. Those are magnificent. Everyone should look at Przemyslaw's work -- they are just great.

I do find a problem with this photograph, however. The whole picture appears to be tilted slightly causing the tree trunks to slant. I like the diagonal composition, but the slanted image is giving me trouble. I straightened it and it improves the picture a lot. i just don't know how to bring it up here from my computer. It needs only a couple of degrees tilt to bring it into (in my view), a much more pleasant scene.

Willie the Cropper

I must say that I laughed at this presentation when I first looked at it. (Second and third time as well) I find it not only amusing, but it stimulates me to want to try something similar.

Unlike John A. above, I do have a small problem with the technical aspects of the photo. It's the background. It looks as if it has been over photoshopped to the extent that the wall actually "Looks"as if it was lightened by photoshop. In fact even that isn't too bad, but halfway to the wall from the back of the suitcase is a blurry white vertical line. The idea was great, although the execution needs tweeking a tad.

Willie the Cropper

I would like to get the hair in focus. It looks almost as if it was purposly blurred and it makes my eye wonder up there every time I look at it. I would at least cut half of the hair away by cropping off the top of the photograph. But then the composition isn't quite right.
I like the little bubbles. They focus your view and you know you are under water. The mottled shadows caused by the water's surface are nice too.
The hair really turns me off more than anything.
Willie the Cropper

A picture perfect post card photo. However, I see it in four quadrants. The "horizon" line of snow covered flat land across the middle of the photo horizontallly divides it into upper and lower halves, and the break in the mountains do the same thing vertically. This would be much better composition had a bit more sky been added to the photo, and had it been cropped a tad closer to the reflection of the sun touched mountain.

I think too, that the overall picture would be enhanced had it been darkened a little. it just seems too light for that colorful sunlit portion.

Nice picture overall, however. Congratulations on getting out of bed on what looks like a very cold morning and seeing such a scene as well as being this weeks chosen one.

Willie the Cropper

Your work astounds me! How i wish I could replicate some of your stuff. Wonderful and so imaginative. Sure would like to spend some time looking over your shoulder. .. Bill

Thanks Mark, for dropping by my pictures and hearing from you. These colors are so intense. I love the way the greens grow into the blue in the top. Nice shot. We should see more of your work on these pages. I'll check back later on. .. Bill

Many thanks for the comment, Ali. This is four views of the same statue. Of course I had to work a lot in the background to help make the images merge.

An eye catching photograph, however I am troubled by the demarcation line of the projected light from the left and the ambient lighting. It is not smooth at all. In fact, it reminds me of a scar across the subject's forehead. I also feel the hair or shadow of a hair across the girl's eye is distracting. I would clone it out, I think. Never the less, It is an appealing photograph and one that is difficult to stop looking at. No needs for cropping here.

Willie the Cropper