An example...

[poker]

This is a statue at a church we were at today. That's my highly active son in the foreground actually pausing to look at the statue.

Comments are appreciated.

Jurgen....you and I usually don't like pictures with the backs of people's heads. Can this be excused from that? Anyone else?

[Devin MacShawn]

I feel like a butthole for saying it, and your son's very cute, but I'd rather see this photo without a person in it. When I look at this the statues are competing with the boy for attention.

Statues are one of my favorite things to shoot. I think you've got a great photo here. I know it's not always possible or realistic to get the angle you want but I would have like to see this from a higher angle like if you were standing on a ladder to get less of the grass on the bottom, and putting the level of the trees at a higher point behind the statues to get less sky. I like the detail you got in the statues considering how bright the sun is and the fact that they are white.

[Dylan8i]

i think your son looking at the statue creates invisible leading lines directly to the statue and make the photo stronger than if he were facing the camera and trying to steal the focus.

i really like the size difference, usually statues are smaller than people while these statues are taller than the little kido. :-)

[Loupey]

IMO, when your main subject is an inanimate object like this, I prefer to keep the people in the frame anonymous like you did. I believe it keeps the viewers' attention focused on your intended subject.

As for a critique, my only suggestion would have been a lower vantage point. I'm sure this scene didn't last very long but if it did, I'm thinking like a wide angle shot from slightly behind, below, and to the left of your son. Kind of like sharing your son's viewpoint. That would have eliminated that roofline from behind the shrubs too.

[poker]

IMO, when your main subject is an inanimate object like this, I prefer to keep the people in the frame anonymous like you did. I believe it keeps the viewers' attention focused on your intended subject.

As for a critique, my only suggestion would have been a lower vantage point. I'm sure this scene didn't last very long but if it did, I'm thinking like a wide angle shot from slightly behind, below, and to the left of your son. Kind of like sharing your son's viewpoint. That would have eliminated that roofline from behind the shrubs too.

Ooh, that would've been cool. Yes, he didn't stay there long. I wish I tried your idea. I didn't even notice that roof line. I was too busy cropping out roof on the right and cloning his cousin's foot on the left

Thank, Loupey!

[poker]

I feel like a butthole for saying it, and your son's very cute, but I'd rather see this photo without a person in it. When I look at this the statues are competing with the boy for attention.

Statues are one of my favorite things to shoot. I think you've got a great photo here. I know it's not always possible or realistic to get the angle you want but I would have like to see this from a higher angle like if you were standing on a ladder to get less of the grass on the bottom, and putting the level of the trees at a higher point behind the statues to get less sky. I like the detail you got in the statues considering how bright the sun is and the fact that they are white.

Thanks for your opinion Devin. I would like to see some of your work on statues. I think taking pictures of statues is a challenge since there is a fine line between shooting statues artisticly and taking pictures of another person's art. Thanks again

[poker]

i think your son looking at the statue creates invisible leading lines directly to the statue and make the photo stronger than if he were facing the camera and trying to steal the focus.
i really like the size difference, usually statues are smaller than people while these statues are taller than the little kido. :-)

Thanks for the comment. Interesting pov.

[Devin MacShawn]

If you check the "people" thread in viewfinder, I posted two of my statue pics. The one of Christ was taken in my Village of Kleinrinderfeild, GE and is just a 1 minute walk from my house. I can see it from my drive way. The other was taken in Wurzburg, GE at the Rezidence.