Languid
Uploaded: October 06, 2001
Milano (Italy) Minolta SRT 303b 50mm 400ASA
Colleen M. Walsh October 06, 2001
I really like this shot. The black and white makes it very nice. May I suggest cropping it to get whatever it is in the front right corner out of the photo. It's not in focus and a little distracting. Plus, you've got a good expression on the cat's face and some interesting shapes in the background. This is a good verticle shot.Colleen #1042
Renzo Ballabio October 07, 2001
Hi Colleen, thank you for your comments and advice. I appreciate, I did follow your suggestion to crop the right side. Here is the result.Colleen M. Walsh October 07, 2001
I think it looks better. The cat looks much bigger in the photo, don't you think? It's more the focal point. You could probably crop the bottom out even just a little more so none of the stairs show at all, to just below his feet where you just have a little black under him and the stairs in the foreground are completely gone - cover it with your hand and see.Then, in composition, the viewers eye goes immediately to the cat, then the eye follows along the stairs to the left and gets to the end of the page, since there is background that is not in focus, the eye goes back up to the top right of the page, and the vertical lines of the bars bring your eye right back to the cat.
Also, by cropping out all of the stairs in the foreground that is out of focus, you are putting the cat in the lower left hand quadrant. There is a "rule of thirds" in photography that says that compositionally, if you put your subject in one third of the photo - meaning slice the photo in half vertically and horizontally - you'll have 4 sections to your photo. Your subject should not be completely in the center of the photo but mostly in one of those sections. (Although there are always exceptions to the rules.)
Here are the two examples side by side. I like the vertical look to the photo, so when shooting the original shot next time, you can frame it so that you have more height above the cat to keep the vertical look.
Hope that helps. I definitely think you've got an eye for photography; it just takes practice, practice, and practice.
Colleen
#1618
Renzo Ballabio October 07, 2001
Hi Colleen, my cat (Bliss) and I would like to thank you once more for the time you dedicated at the photo. It helps indeed, chiefly for an amateur as I am. It seems to me you deal with photos as I drive my car. Your suggestions are more than welcomed. #1620Colleen M. Walsh October 07, 2001
Renzo,No problem. That's the only way I learned, by asking questions and by working with others. It really is the best way to learn. If you would like to ask my any more questions, (not that I'm a qualified professional or anything) you can write me at colleen_m_walsh@hotmail.com or visit my web site at www.geocities.com/customphotos_2000
Colleen #1626
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