At the Mission

[GB1]

I visited a Mission here in San Diego for Good Friday. Some images from the grounds, but not sure if they're anything special. Nice architecture anyway. C&Cs?

[Frog]

You chopped off his arm! Is it tilted intentionally? Can't decide if it would look better straight but as I look again, I think the tilt works
I like the second but wish it was wider with more of the limb but I don't know what else would come in if you did that
I really like the last one. I thought maybe the wall was too bright but then thought no....there is sun on that wall and bright as it is there is still texture in it. I like where the flower pot is.

[hminx]

I'm with Frog on the last one , and the slightly offset position of the pot plant keeps it from being too symmetrical

[GB1]

Frog - Thanks, didn't even notice the tilt till you mentioned it. In general though, straight, lined-up images are technically correct, but if one does that every time then it looks a little plain. I think here that the scene calls for confusion, emotion, etc., so the shot being too dressed up may work against it.

I found the tree intruding into the scene in number to be a little comical. It's still about the windows, but it's like the tree is saying "hey, me too" and jumped into the frame.

I also find the bottom one the best (though not as sharp as the others). It seems a little lonely compared to the other two, and I think it would benefit from warmer sunrise or sunset lighting. I think it faces west, so maybe I'll stop by again at the end of the day and see what I can get.

Regarding the arm on number one though, does the matter? That is, does every body part have to be in the frame for it to be a good pic? I ask your opinion because this is a constant question that model or people photographers ask themselves when composing. I have a friend who only shoots people (doing so for about 30 years) and he now realizes says he has a mental block about letting parts be outside the image frame, and he always kept the entire body in the frame and that it's hard learning a new trick. I say no, that you do not have to keep it all in, but it depends on what you're trying to convey. Not sure what's right, but my friend says he's heard to never cut off at a joint. Ahh...

Thanks too Pete. That pic seems a little crocked to me, but it's the way the ground was.

G

[Adamo]

Greg,

I agree with you on leaving out body parts sometimes. That being said, I think it has to be symmetrical and deliberate to work. I think if you had a little bit of all three cropped out with an emphasis on (I assume Jesus's? face) I think it would work better. In this instance it seems more like a mistake. I do like the angle as well, I think it adds to the emotion of what you are capturing.

I think the bottom one is my favorite. I always like simple window shots. The tree doesn't bug me that much, I can go either way. My only issue is with the placement of the pot, of course I wouldn't go around moving their stuff around, but I do wish it was over to the right just a tad.

Great images though! Time for another get together!

[Frog]

I agree with Adamo on the body part chop.
But then to get the rest of that arm in, you would have to go much wider and lose the personal close up aspect. Its a good shot and I do rather like the tilt.

[GB1]

Thanks fellows. Good pts. There's an art to chopping, knowing how to do it, etc. I need to study it more.

Artwork like this can be incredible to photograph, but unfortunately, the background isn't always cooperative. Seems like you have to choose the least distraction, still leaving some, or chop

G