Capturing the moment

Some times I thake a picture that I love, but noone seems to like. This is one of those. Can you tell what you think it's wrong with it?

http://fotos.sapo.pt/GgDhzcVMbEb3uDzwAmo8/

Not much as far as I can see. It's very cool. I guess a bit more black at the bottom might help a little and maybe burning in some of the cloud to add some dramatism up there that the slight over-exposure of the sky has robbed.

I like the premise of the shot, and i love the graphic quality but what is it about? To my eye, the shot is about the boys, not the sky (even though the sky looks great). This is VERY subjective though.

Therefore, if this were my shot i would have zoomed in big time on the boys to make them at least 3 times their current size. :twocents:

Does it work better this way?

http://fotos.sapo.pt/rYYI2r72aVW3PCkCuMcy/

Oh, I loovvee the sky in the first! And I like the focus on the silhouette in the second =) (Although, I do miss the sky). Nicely done on the both =)

I'm not crazy about that crop because you lose so much of the sky which I think really adds to the image. I would just come in a bit on the left cutting out those little trees and keeping the whole sky vertically. I like it cropped like this with the sun rays going to the corner of the frame. I don't know if it's bad etiquette around here to crop other people photos, just tell me and it won't happen again.

I like the 1st image still. Keeping the boys small seems to add to the grandeur of the sky. FOr me the raised hands and the light shafts ARE the story here. Religious perhaps? Love of nature? Whatever ... it's a photo the viewer can translate as it appeals to themselves best.

I think Ray's crop is a compromise. The boys are larger, but you can see the rays of light that were missing from the close crop.

I think what makes the difference is that when you take the picture you are in a such emotional state that cant be told simply with a picture, and other people cant feel the same mood when seeing it, others wont have the same memories of joy and will judge coldly technically.

This is personal stuff But i like the crop in post #4. There seems to be more 'interaction' between the fisted boy and the sky. For me, it tells a better story.