Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/11/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks for the lesson, Ted - we can all always learn - and you're the one to teach.:-) B. D. On 11/12/05 5:27 PM, "Ted Grant" <tedgrant@shaw.ca> wrote: > B. D. Colen showed: > Subject: [Leica] PAWS > > >> http://gallery.leica-users.org/B-D-COLEN-PAW/Antiabort111205_14bw >> And following five images.<<<< > > Hi B.D., > Covered just like a news assignment should be. The message is meanigless > because covering an event such as this means it's a "news event" therefore > you must be neutral. Other wise you let your emotions get in the way and > you > miss interesting photographs and end up shooting signs. > > It's the visual aspect that you are there to shoot! Sure a sign or two is > OK, providing they're interesting as "photographs," not just the signs for > the sake of the sign message! Of course sometimes one is so unique it does > make a good photograph. > > I mean, one hardly need attend these events anymore, just go to your files > from the past, pull out some frames, print them and it's the same thing.;-) > > My favourite is the hands and rosary, it's a simple subject made very > interesting due to the use of real and shadow. It's small items such as > this > that many people miss because they get hung up in the message and don't see > the small things that make interesting photographs. > > Cropping: > Picture 1: > I'd have cropped the sun out completely right to the top edge of the poster > centre. At the bottom I'd have done a similar crop, cut the bottom off > right > at the tip of the sign straight across. In this way you tighten up the > image > and get rid of distracting elements and make better use of the print size. > > Picture 2: > Shadow use is great! If you cropped the top off right to almost the head of > the person on the right, would've got rid of the sky area that's waste > space > anyway. Then burn down the top corners, to lessen the eye catching that > drags your eyes away from the power of the shadows! > > And make sure you don't burn those corners too much, because if you do then > the darkened area becomes obvious and it back fires, then the black becomes > an eye draw because it looks phoney! > > Picture 3: > Rosary, I commented. > > Picture 4: > This is just a sign picture and doesn't do anything. Sure these young girls > think they've got a mesage because they're holding a sign, but their > expressions are all over the place. > > I'd have gone tight on one face and one sign rather than this composition > where you have the waste space showing sky between their heads. It works > like this: "One girl, one sign equals stronger message when shot tight!" > The > three faces actually become a distraction. > > picture 5: > This has some potential but you need to burn down the highlighted figure on > the left side as ones eye jumps right there at first look. Then you have to > come back to the message. Actually some of the reflected light would've > been > very helpful here! > > And I think a tighter crop taking away as much off the right side, as we > look at the picture because once again it's waste space and does nothing > for > the picture. Maybe even turn it into a tight vertical. > > Picture 6: > Obviously she's OK with you taking her picture, so in that case, I'd have > asked her to hold the sign higher to her chin, that tightens up the frame > first of all. Then if it didn't make her squinty, I'd have turned her > slightly to her left to make better use of the light. Given it didn't make > her squinty-eyed. > > Even though I see a woman holding a baby to her left, she's not that > important in the picture, I might have tightened the crop and got rid of > her. > > If we're talking news paper use here, there isn't any space to waste, > period! Shot tight, crop tight, maximum impact is what these type of events > are all about! > > Over all well seen and executed. With good light use in most cases. > > Your welcome. ;-) > > ted. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information