Composition - which one do you like more & why?

yusuf · 07-30-2013, 04:38 AM

Here are two almost identical pictures which I shot today. Somehow I liked one image better than another although both are very similar. Do you also feel the same? If yes, which image you liked more and if you can explain, why?

#1

#2

TaoMaas · 07-30-2013, 06:27 AM

I like the first one better. In the second shot, the focus on the foreground flower bothers me. The front part of it is pretty far out of focus, but not far enough to let it blur on out and keep it from being distracting, while some of it's back petals are still fairly sharp. It's like it can't quite make up its mind if it's part of the composition or not. I'd like to see the foreground flower sharper still in the first photo, but I know that's sometimes really hard to do on close-ups like this. However, of the two, I think the first photo is the one that's easier to view. If you were to re-shoot this, you might ask yourself, "Is this a picture of one flower or of two?" If it's two, then they should both be sharp. If you're trying to concentrate on just one, shoot at a wider aperture, adjust your focus point, and/or change your viewpoint to try and isolate it a bit more.

JinDesu · 07-30-2013, 06:35 AM

Mmmmph.. I don't quite like either. The first one has the better depth of field, keeping the two flowers in focus. Unfortunately it crops off a big part of that second flower. Since both flowers are equally large and at the same "level", they share equal importance in the image.

The second image is better "composed" but it still trims the flower on the right. In addition, the second flower being OOF is a bit distracting.

If I were to pick one of the two, I'd pick the first one. The OOF is too distracting in comparison. If I were to retake these, I would step back a little and get both flowers in the image. Maybe rotate my shooting angle a little.

Kozlok · 07-30-2013, 06:47 AM

I agree with JinDesu. I would also have gone with a little slower aperture. And Iwould have preferred either fresher flowers or less fresh. These are right in the middle, not quite old enough for a "dead" shot, too old for an "alive" shot.

This isn't to say it's a bad image, it is good, but could be a bit better.

mrNewt · 07-30-2013, 06:50 AM

If I had to choose I'd choose second because is slightly better framed... but in a contest/gallery will both be dismissed because of bad framing.

Reason is very simple... the flower at the bottom is just as an important subject as the top one. You either somehow isolate the one you want or compose for both... cutting them will make the picture incomplete.
Another way to somehow balance the framing is to cut the top one just as much as you have cut the bottom one... 1:1 format might be ideal in these conditions...

**Aristophanes** · 07-30-2013, 11:36 AM

Neither. Incomplete framing with an "orphan" edge drawing the eye away.

I think shooting just the left most flower alone would have been preferable, with slightly deeper DOF.

Kobayashi.K · 07-30-2013, 12:12 PM

I agree with the above posts concerning DOF.

In my view the composition of the first photo is better because it has the same distance left and right, which makes it more balanced.

If you get both flowers into focus there is no reason to cut the lower one off and perhaps you should make the photo a bit higher for adding the same amount of space at the bottom. After that you can try to reduce all the spaces a bit to frame your subject in. A common mistake is too much space around a subject.

Composition is very personal and it mainly depends on the experience of the viewer. It's a question of learning. When you view a lot of photo's (and paintings) that are considered top quality you can analyze why it is attractive. That information is stored in your brain and applied when you see a new photo or painting.

I think that's the main reason why some prefer one photo or the other.

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07-30-2013, 04:38 AM	#1
yusuf Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,497	Composition - which one do you like more & why? Here are two almost identical pictures which I shot today. Somehow I liked one image better than another although both are very similar. Do you also feel the same? If yes, which image you liked more and if you can explain, why? #1 #2

07-30-2013, 06:27 AM	#2
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	I like the first one better. In the second shot, the focus on the foreground flower bothers me. The front part of it is pretty far out of focus, but not far enough to let it blur on out and keep it from being distracting, while some of it's back petals are still fairly sharp. It's like it can't quite make up its mind if it's part of the composition or not. I'd like to see the foreground flower sharper still in the first photo, but I know that's sometimes really hard to do on close-ups like this. However, of the two, I think the first photo is the one that's easier to view. If you were to re-shoot this, you might ask yourself, "Is this a picture of one flower or of two?" If it's two, then they should both be sharp. If you're trying to concentrate on just one, shoot at a wider aperture, adjust your focus point, and/or change your viewpoint to try and isolate it a bit more.

07-30-2013, 06:35 AM	#3
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Mmmmph.. I don't quite like either. The first one has the better depth of field, keeping the two flowers in focus. Unfortunately it crops off a big part of that second flower. Since both flowers are equally large and at the same "level", they share equal importance in the image. The second image is better "composed" but it still trims the flower on the right. In addition, the second flower being OOF is a bit distracting. If I were to pick one of the two, I'd pick the first one. The OOF is too distracting in comparison. If I were to retake these, I would step back a little and get both flowers in the image. Maybe rotate my shooting angle a little.

07-30-2013, 06:47 AM	#4
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	I agree with JinDesu. I would also have gone with a little slower aperture. And Iwould have preferred either fresher flowers or less fresh. These are right in the middle, not quite old enough for a "dead" shot, too old for an "alive" shot. This isn't to say it's a bad image, it is good, but could be a bit better.

07-30-2013, 06:50 AM	#5
mrNewt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181	If I had to choose I'd choose second because is slightly better framed... but in a contest/gallery will both be dismissed because of bad framing. Reason is very simple... the flower at the bottom is just as an important subject as the top one. You either somehow isolate the one you want or compose for both... cutting them will make the picture incomplete. Another way to somehow balance the framing is to cut the top one just as much as you have cut the bottom one... 1:1 format might be ideal in these conditions...

07-30-2013, 11:36 AM	#6
Aristophanes Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Photos: Albums Posts: 3,948	Neither. Incomplete framing with an "orphan" edge drawing the eye away. I think shooting just the left most flower alone would have been preferable, with slightly deeper DOF.

07-30-2013, 12:12 PM	#7
Kobayashi.K Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 716	I agree with the above posts concerning DOF. In my view the composition of the first photo is better because it has the same distance left and right, which makes it more balanced. If you get both flowers into focus there is no reason to cut the lower one off and perhaps you should make the photo a bit higher for adding the same amount of space at the bottom. After that you can try to reduce all the spaces a bit to frame your subject in. A common mistake is too much space around a subject. Composition is very personal and it mainly depends on the experience of the viewer. It's a question of learning. When you view a lot of photo's (and paintings) that are considered top quality you can analyze why it is attractive. That information is stored in your brain and applied when you see a new photo or painting. I think that's the main reason why some prefer one photo or the other.