Lifeguard Stand on the Beach

[stpetedigital]

Here is a photo of a lifeguard stand West Palm Beach, Florida. Let me know what you think. I will post more pics as time goes by.

This photo was taken with Fuji Finepix S5100 Digital camera.

[ken1953]

Hello and welcome to critique. I think this photo has a lot of potential. However, there are a few problems that I see. First thing, what is the stripe across the picture? Is it a volleyball net or is there a problem with your camera? I ask this because of the gray stripe across the bottom as well. Also, this seems quite busy and distracting. The girl walking along the left, the people in the background, and of course the 2 stripes. IMHO, either make the people more prominent or use a tighter crop to hide them more. Finally, the tower looks flat, not 3 dimensional. More like a ladder than a tower. Try a different angle to add some more depth to the tower. I really like the colors and the DOF is nice. Keep after it, I think you show some nice potential.
Ken

[STinGa]

My daughter's HP P&S has a similar problem with a stripe across the bottom of the frame. It does not show in the panel on the back, only when you download it to the computer. I sent the first one back for a replacement and the problem has surfaced on the replacement also. I am about to return the replacement ... arg.

[Alison]

I was expecting to see some stud in shorts lol.
The shot doesn't actually do anything for me. However your colours, dof and exposure are superb. I would rotate the image 1 degree clockwise.

[Chunk]

Glad you are posting StPete. You have some nice things going on with a strong graphic subject and interesting out of focus middle and distance. The technical problems Ken mentioned are a distraction. I don't think the photo is tilted because the city buildings seem straight and the other lifeguard chair is tilted the other way. I think the tilt is an interesting aspect of the impermanence of something sitting on sand.

There are a few things about the composition I would have done differently unless there are other interferences I can't see outside the frame. The chair is a vertical element and these often seem to me to sit better in a horizontal frame. The chair also has a definate front and is place very lose to the left edge, 'looking' out of the frame. I'd rather have some space in front of the chair. I also don't like having the trash can in the scene so I'd recommend moving it for the shot and replacing it afterward. The scene I'd like to see would have the main chair at the right side, with the second chair to its left. This would give a more interesting angled view of the main chair and have an unobstructed waterline/beach curving into the frame with the city in the background.

[yogestee]

Hi stpetedigital,,,It appears you have a few technical issues with this image..Also I find the blue barrell/can in the background distracting..

Jurgen
Australia

[stpetedigital]

Thank you all very much for all your comments, I have been wrecking my brains trying to figure out what that line is. I took this photo in hurry on my way back to the hotel room. Matter of fact it was the last shot i had on my card LOL. I wish I had more time to compose this photo, but I did not. I will include more phots for review.

[fiona]

colors and images aside, it does well in making viewers wonder where the lifeguard is...hehe..

[stpetedigital]

At the time of this photo, It was off season for swimming, so there were no lifegaurd on duty at that time.