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Photography Question 

Shawn Wilson
 

Composition input needed


 
  full crop
full crop

Shawn Wilson

 
  my crop
my crop
The dimentions were chosen to fit a poster frame that I have.

Shawn Wilson

 
 
I have been getting more active taking panoramic pictures as the tools out there to stitch them get better and easier, but have come upon something I need some input on.

Compositon of certain shots is troubling me because I want to make these pictures produce as much wow factor as possible, but the compositions lend themselves to center alignment.

What I'd like is for those of you out there with some 'street cred' to take this picture and compose it how you would see fit and maybe comment on why.

Attached is my source picture (washed out for some protection) and the final that I did.


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October 11, 2006

 

Shawn Wilson
  No takers? *frown*


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October 12, 2006

 

Pete H
  Well Shawn,

Not sure why no responses, but if many are like me, we don't try to "re-do" someone elses work.

..but since you ask;
If I were to shoot this shot, I would probably have panned a little further left or right and not center this image.

Here's why I would do it this way:

1) Symetrically centered photos don't lead the viewer into the pic; they are already there. No mystery.

2) If the shot were panned left or right, with one of the hills occupying 2/3 of the frame, the viewer is now more comfortably pulled into the photo to see something of interest. Kinda' like a treasure hunt with a prize waiting.

3) By panning the shot (cropped) with again, one of the hills filling 2/3 of the frame, it will lend itself to size, majesty and scale of the hills.

What I would have done is what I like, maybe not everyone.
I like your shot, but feel it could have been composed a little better for the human eye.

Pete


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October 13, 2006

 

Shawn Wilson
  I realize that people don't like to re-do other's work like you said, but I'm hoping to get some input none the less.

I guess my thought process was that since these are panoramic pictures that will be printed at 3 to 5 feet wide they may benefit from different compositon rules than an 8x10 print.

Is that thought process flawed? Should you compose the shot with the same thought process regardless of the final print size?

Your comment about the person being lead into the picture of already being there sparks this thought. Because when displaying a panoramic image at 5 feet wide that's kind of the point, to feel like you're there.

Does an image still benifit from a leading in composition with all that considered?


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October 13, 2006

 

Pete H
  Well; in my opinion, a good composition is a good composition, regardless of the size.


Pete


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October 13, 2006

 

Shawn Wilson
 
 
  Pan final crop
Pan final crop
Colorado - near mount Belford.

Shawn Wilson

 
 
I think I decided on a final cut. I adjusted the crop as you suggested and as the rule of thirds suggests... although not fully to a third, it's at least offset from center now.

And I'll admit, even the little shift draws your eye across the picture rather than locking it on center.

I need to take this into account as I'm shooting the panoramic source images next time to help with the final shot.


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October 13, 2006

 
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