Beginner Shots Clock Tower

[Dclark]

These are some of my First attempts at proper digital photography

Im looking for some criticism no matter how harsh on how to improve my photos.

Thank You in Advance.


#1


#2


#3


#4

Sorry For the Wait.

First post of what i hope to be many!

[tirediron]

Well... I guess I'll come back tomorrow.

[tomorrowstreasures]

Personal preference, not a critique - I would like to see the vertical lines be at right angles to the edge. I really like the b/w one.

[tegan]

Personal preference, not a critique - I would like to see the vertical lines be at right angles to the edge. I really like the b/w one.

Actually that is part of critique. Lens/barrel distortion should be minimal or not present at all in telephoto shots. It can however be improved somewhat in postprocessing.

Tegan

[tirediron]

Hmmmm... to be honest, I'm not sure. Technically they're fine, although the bricks in #3 are somewhat over-exposed, but something isn't working for me in the composition. I can't put my finger on it, and I can't think of a different way that I would have composed these images. I think perhaps it's because there's not enough building. The clock-tower on it's own just isn't enough to hold my interest.

Just my $00.02 worth - your milage may vary.

~John

[tegan]

Hmmmm... to be honest, I'm not sure. Technically they're fine, although the bricks in #3 are somewhat over-exposed, but something isn't working for me in the composition. I can't put my finger on it, and I can't think of a different way that I would have composed these images. I think perhaps it's because there's not enough building. The clock-tower on it's own just isn't enough to hold my interest.

Just my $00.02 worth - your milage may vary.

~John

"Technically they're fine." Surely you noticed the lean inward of the tower in number 3 and the lean in the other direction of the rest of the building.

In number 4, the centre columns lean out from the bottom as you move your eye to the top.

That is considered lens distortion which is a technical defficiency.


Tegan

[Travis]

"Technically they're fine." Surely you noticed the lean inward of the tower in number 3 and the lean in the other direction of the rest of the building.

In number 4, the centre columns lean out from the bottom as you move your eye to the top.

That is considered lens distortion which is a technical defficiency.


Tegan

Tegan you are wrong. People use distortion all the time as a creative tool. You of all people should know this. Photography is not a spelling bee in which there is only one correct result. Photography is artistic, and people use the effects of distortion, grain, highkey, lowkey etc to create the desired result of the artist.

[Marko]

When I shot film I NEVER had a shift lens and never corrected non-straight architectural lines. Nobody else did either. Nobody except architectural photographers.

Now that this is a simple task in photoshop, are we obliged to do it or else it's regarded as a 'fault'? Not sure - maybe. I'll tell you this, I do notice it in my own images and other people's images but I'm not sure it should be regarded as a 'fault'. I really think it's a question of how much attention the lean brings to itself. For me it's not - it's leaning therefore it's bad.

Shot 4 here is the strongest shot for me (though I also think shot 3 is well composed). I like the graphic quality of the clocks. I think the shot would be improved with stronger 'blacks' throughout the image. The lean doesn't bother me in this image but I do notice it in the first 2 images.

Hope that helps,

Marko

[tirediron]

"Technically they're fine." Surely you noticed the lean inward of the tower in number 3 and the lean in the other direction of the rest of the building.

In number 4, the centre columns lean out from the bottom as you move your eye to the top.

That is considered lens distortion which is a technical defficiency.


Tegan

Sorry, I have to disagree with you. Yes it's lens distortion, but is it a technical defficiency? I don't think so. Unless the OP had a tilt/shift lens or a view camera, there's nothing that can be done to correct that in the camera short of getting a different shooting position, and judging from the building in the other images, that's not realistic.

[tegan]

As I am sure you guys are aware, when lenses are reviewed by the magazines, barrel distortion and pin cushion distortion are looked at and measured as technical imperfections in the design of the lens.

The reason all photo editors have ways to correct lens distortion and the reason ds0's lens distortion correction software is so popular and successful despite being expensive is that pros and enthusiasts have been demanding methods to correct distortion in postprocessing. DS0 in fact has become the standard in this area.

Any artist should realize that if you keep your art to yourself, then quality doesn't matter, other viewers don't matter, and you can deceive yourself into thinking anything is great work.

The same is true for photography. Once you start to display, present, sell your work, then the standards of the viewer and the field become more important. What the photographer personally likes really doesn't matter, if he/she wants to be accepted/recognized as a capable, talented artist by others.

A photograph must stand on its own, subject to the standards in the field.
The manner in which technique is judged is simple...

If most viewers do NOT see that distortion CONTRIBUTES to the overall impact of the photo,...then it is a fault and a weakness.

The general guidelines are that lenses wider than 28mm are considered to be specialty lenses which means that their accompanying distortion is only effective in a very limited number of situations for example shooting down a round staircase from the top. Otherwise, dx0 and other software is used correct the distortion.

Even distortion from 28mm lenses can be unacceptable, depending on the camera angle and the subject and may need correction as well.

Basic to photography is that if a technique is not seen by the viewer(not the photographer by the way) as contributing to the overall effect of the photo then it is a fault and a weakness.

Agree or disagree, that is just how it is, in the field of photography.

Tegan