[Leica] poorly framed & composed snaps?

[evanowski at gmail.com (Edmund Evanowski)]

Hi Ted,

Thanks taking the time to look at and critique my photos...and for not 
raking me over too much. :-)   


Ted Grant wrote:

>Hi Ed,
>Welcome, the toughest one is the first one posted After that it becomes a 
>piece of cake. :-) Because you've lurked you already know we sometimes rake 
>a shooter over a tad. By the same token where praise is deserved we give 
>it. 
>So get ready;-)

I'm ready.

>>>> I have posted a few pictures to the gallery located at:
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/evanowski <<<<<
>
>_R1_027_12... Train on bridge over river:
>I think what you reacted to were the reflections on the side of the rail 
>cars, but the exposure is under therefore loosing the highlights. All the 
>brush and tree branches overwhelm the scene also.
>
>Our human eyes see through this brush without seeing it in focus when we 
>visually focus on the train. but the camera doesn't do this, therefore the 
>bushes become interfering with a clean picture of the train.
>The other thing causing the under exposure, if you used a light meter, is 
>quite probably the large sky area creating an under exposure for all the 
>land area. Something to keep in mind while shooting with large areas of sky 
>is point the meter to read slightly more to the middle or ground area.
>
>And without question bracket, that is shoot more than one frame shoot 
>several by adjusting the shutter speed or aperture for various settings 
>above and below what the meter shows to use.

Thanks for reminding me...bracketing is something I usually forget to do.

>_R1_021_9... Flatbed on siding with ties.
>
>My gut feeling is I'd have stepped more to the left and filled more of the 
>frame showing the car on about a 45 degree angle filling the frame front to 
>back
>

I'll try this the next time I shoot something from an angle...

>with the rail car and ties rather than the trees and grass and out of 
>focus bridge? in the background.
>
>It's changing the angle from the same position by stepping away from the 
>car 
>an becoming on that 45 degree angle will maintain good soft light.
>
>This kind of thing improves with practice, as in the more you shoot the 
>better you'll become. The more things you try the better your eyes will 
>see. 
>Look at it this way.... we on the list pretty well all started the same 
>way. 
>Don't take comments personally, it's always about the pictures and not you 
>the person.
>
>_R1_023_10 your son for comparison of size.
>
>We all do this with our kids at sometime or other,  that's part of the idea 
>when we take family pictures. Yes we can do, good,bad and ugly and teh more 
>we do the better we get and the easier it becomes for the children if you 
>can make it a game where they can be involved doing something than as 
>you've 
>done here... "stand there and look at daddy!" yep they're cool also at 
>times, but a slightly different angle might have been him squatted down by 
>the under carriage and looking up at the size of the wheels or some other 
>thing. In this way he becomes interested in how big it is and not 
>thinking..."oh here we go again dad and his stupid camera!" ;-)

...he doesn't call the camera stupid yet...but, he usually gives me the big 
cheesy grin.

>Working with the kids becomes a game, get them involved and they'll forget 
>"Dad and his stupid camera!" Your keep sake pictures of your don and if 
>other children,
>
I have another son who will be turning one years old soon...

> become far more memorable than the 8 thousand sick "happy 
>snaps of... "look at daddy and smile!"


Grandma usually likes these...

>And yes we've all done those! But try to avoid them at all cost as they 
>don't show the real child when they're involved doing things.


...but I'll try to avoid them.

>I hope this helps.


Thank-you! Your criticism is always welcome!

>We're all looking for more postings, so keep 'em coming.
>
>ted
>
>Ted Grant Photography Limited
>1817 Feltham Road
>Victoria BC  V8N 2A4
>250-477-2156 
>
>
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