too busy?

[Seb]

Here is a quick one from the Financial District in NYC. I am mostly concerned to know if you guys think that the scene is too busy or not. The thing that draw my attention was the mix of shapes.

regards

Seb

[ShotsbyScott]

I like the picture Seb!
It may just be me, but I'm drawn immediately to the little green dome in the center, which I guess is OK.
Also, the picture makes me wonder if this is a fountain in the fg. If so, to bad it didn't have water in it.
It would have just made it better.
Overall great shot!

Scott

[Nina]

Hey Seb, I hope you had a good time in NY. This is a bit busy for my taste. There's so much going on that I cannot focus on any one thing. It is understandable that with all the going ons in NYC that you'd want to capture as much as possible. Is that building on the right the "City Hall" where everyone gets married?

[DownByFive]

A little busy...Maybe because of all the branches...they don't really seem to add anything to the photo, but instead sort of get in the way....But that may be just me.

[Dzerzhinski46]

Dear Seb,

Two things that kind of distract me. The trees take away from the nice repeating forms of the windows, the repeated squares. Another bothersome thing I find is the lack of a subject. Are you concentrating on the buildings or the lone lamp post, or yet again the little green dome in the distance? I am sorry if I sound like an irate idiot, but I find it hard to concentrate on the compositional elements if there is no discernable composition. Next time you could perhaps concentrate on the buildings more and exclude the trees, go for pure architechture. Sorry for the rant.

Dzerzhinski

[gahspidy]

Seb, this does feel too busy with the branches and hustle of cars and people in the narrow space. But your vertical frame up of the buildings and the sliver of space between them help keep the shot worth viewing. glad to know your visit was a good one.

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi Seb,
It is a bit busy. I think it would be a very good night shot.
yoyo

[Eagle_Eye]

Hi Seb, I like the verticle shot. The only thing that makes it just a little busy for me is the people and cars on the street. Like I said the buildings look great.

Dudley

[mtbbrian]

Busy..
There is just too much information, especially along the bottom with the trees and the colors of the flags.
If the trees weren't there, it would be better, the lines from the buildings seem to flow well together..
Brian

[Chunk]

Try square crops of the bottom of the picture and the top from above the lamp (some off the right side on that one).

[Overbeyond]

Hello Seb
I see what you are getting at.
I like busy shots but I need to be able to pick everything out and scan all the different aspects.
In this shot, especially at ground level there is no seperation for me to look around. The branches of the tree tends only to create confusion.
Tom

[Seb]

Here is a quick one from the Financial District in NYC. I am mostly concerned to know if you guys think that the scene is too busy or not. The thing that draw my attention was the mix of shapes.

regards

Seb

Thank you guys for commenting so much. Your opinions are highly useful to me.
I guess that the trees pretty much spoil the scene.

To answer two questions:
- this is an empty fountain in the foreground. I included it as I liked how its curvy shape lead my eye in the scene (but that's just me).
- I failed to note were the picture was taken exactly but this can't be the city hall at the right. This spot is lower (more in the south) than the city hall.

best regards

Seb

[Tuna]

Being able to see the tops of the buildings in the distance allows us to appreciate your perspective when you saw the shot. I agree that the trees are a distraction but looking past them isn't difficult. The overall scene would be better, in my opinion, with primarily buildings (without trying to make out the people, cars, etc.) OR closer in on the people, cars, etc.

Tuna

[OldSchool]

Hi Seb,

Nice shot -- maybe a little busy, but then I tend to like "busy" shots. I like to look beyond the "subject" and find other clues to help complete a story the image may be trying to tell. Ergo, I like big DOF and stuff.

However, the thing that I find distracting is that the parallel lines converge near the top edge do to lens distortion. So, I have a general question about this...

(If not intended by the composition) Is lens distortion something that should be avoided? For example in Seb's image, (possibly) a different focal length could be used (with a different camera position). Or, the distortion could be corrected in PP.

I hope people don't mind if I ask such a basic question. And Seb, I hope you don't mind that I chose your image when asking this question.

Many thanks in advance, I'm just wanting to learn....
Tim

[Seb]

Hi Seb,

Nice shot -- maybe a little busy, but then I tend to like "busy" shots. I like to look beyond the "subject" and find other clues to help complete a story the image may be trying to tell. Ergo, I like big DOF and stuff.

However, the thing that I find distracting is that the parallel lines converge near the top edge do to lens distortion. So, I have a general question about this...

(If not intended by the composition) Is lens distortion something that should be avoided? For example in Seb's image, (possibly) a different focal length could be used (with a different camera position). Or, the distortion could be corrected in PP.

I hope people don't mind if I ask such a basic question. And Seb, I hope you don't mind that I chose your image when asking this question.

Many thanks in advance, I'm just wanting to learn....
Tim

Hello Tuna and OldSchool. thanks for commenting.

Tuna: I take note of your suggestions. Thanks for looking

OldSchool: Good question and thanks for bringing the issue. I definately don't mind you picking my picture to ask the question. Quite contrarily, I am glad that it generate discussion.
I didn't wanted lense distortion in this shot. I used my Tamron 28-75mm xr Di lense at 28mm (bad idea). Theorically, the shorter focal lenght must have amplified lense distortion. Shooting from further away with a longer focal lenght (say at 50mm) would have helped. I corrected distortion as much as I could but the buildings at the extreme left and right are straightened so I can't further correct without having these building leaning outside the frame.
I don't think that lense distortion have to be avoided at any cost. In my case, it lessen the picture but it can be used artistically to create further interest. I don't claim to be able to do that but I have seen it done by others more than once. For instance, look at Gary latest post (Can 2). In the second picture, the blue can, lense distortion enhance the 3d aspect of the can and makes the shot better as I see it.

regards

Seb