City of Dinant (Belgium) again

[Ctn]

Hi again,

Same city, same vacation, reflection again.
Please share your thoughts.

Thanks in advance!

[wfooshee]

I can't call this a critique, I don't think, but I would have gone with a longer lens and tightened on the center subject and its reflection, without so much sky and the foreground shrubbery. I don't know if you could have eliminated the shrubbery completely be standing a little to the left, and that might have been a confusing element without the wider view.

Again, though, smooth smooth water! Fairly early in the morning?

[llewpics]

A very nice subject. The composition is interesting, with the building's reflection nestled between the the bushes. The image seems to lean a little to the left and you should perhaps consider straightening it. The sky is not that interesting - with no clouds. As a result, I would consider a different crop with less sky. A gradient filter "look" coming from the top in dark blue may make it a little more interesting. In addition, it would be really great (if possible) to see this same image in a very early morning or very late evening - with more golden hues and perhaps a little less contrast.

[Shyanni]

That is a lot of empty sky. And the building that is your center of focus is pretty close to dead center in the image. I like the framing the foreground shrubs give to the reflection, keeping the eye focused on the subject rather than wandering off down the river. But you might have gotten a more dynamic image if you had gone horizontal and tightened up on the subject, losing a bit of the foreground and a lot of the sky.

[Shyanni]

I hope you don't mind me playing with your photo -- this is what I meant in my previous post about a horizontal composition. I also lightened your mid tones a bit to bring out the details in the shadowed areas.

[Photo-John]

I have to agree with Shyanni here. There is wayyyyyy too much empty sky. While you compose, try to take a moment to evaluate everything in the frame. If it doesn't add something valuable, then take it out. Skies are tricky. We have a tendency to want to include a lot of sky. But plain blue sky really doesn't add anything to most photos. Unless there are clouds or something, sky should usually be minimized.

I like Shyanni's crop here. What do you think, Ctn? Do you see how the tighter composition makes a stronger photo?

[Ctn]

I have to agree with Shyanni here. There is wayyyyyy too much empty sky. While you compose, try to take a moment to evaluate everything in the frame. If it doesn't add something valuable, then take it out. Skies are tricky. We have a tendency to want to include a lot of sky. But plain blue sky really doesn't add anything to most photos. Unless there are clouds or something, sky should usually be minimized.

I like Shyanni's crop here. What do you think, Ctn? Do you see how the tighter composition makes a stronger photo?

I am thankful Shyanni took the time to show me what he means by editing the photo. I absolutely agree.
These things give me an extra drive to go out and make better composed photo's.