Abstract Minimal mist

Horst-Helmut · 10-01-2010, 07:33 AM

ISO: 280, 1/500, f/8.0 @ 16mm

I started photography school a month ago and said to our teachers that I'd like to get real critique from my pictures not just "This is nice" kind of comments, that kind of comment won't help me improve my pictures. I'm still learning to process my pictures (lightroom & photoshop), that's one of the reasons I went to that school.

This was processed with lightroom 3.

1920px:
http://horsthelmut.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Maisemaa/Usva/usva-3.jpg/full

Thank you in advance.
-HenrikM.

Edit: I still see few specks of dust in the picture. My 16-50 should get cleaned completely, quite a lot dust inside it...

**jbinpg** · 10-01-2010, 08:27 AM

Good balance between dark foreground and light background here. You may want to play around with different crops to see if it stands up to being cropped a bit tighter.

Rupert · 10-01-2010, 09:06 AM

I guess that for the purpose of a minimalist shot, it is well done, which is similar to "nice" but not quite the same. There are some here that are true critics, (Ash is very good!) with a background in such, and with good advice and keen eyes for the technical and the the aesthetics of a particular photo.

I am not that kind of critic....I am just a lowly Plumber with a camera, and an eye (sometimes?) for what "regular people" I know, and I know plenty, seem to like in their photos. What pleases us is not always what pleases the "Herd". Having said that, I look at a shot and always ask this question.....if properly printed and hung in the proper environment , would it catch an eye.......would it solicit that word "Nice!"

Now, your shot although well done, would most likely cause Old Granny to say "What's that?" LOL!
Not trying to be funny.......or to make waves, but their are more kinds of critics than what we see here! We shoot for many reasons.......
Best Regards!

SpecialK · 10-01-2010, 09:39 AM

"This is nice." But, perhaps a bit too minimal...As suggested, cropping may work. I'd try some off the top and left.

digadv · 10-01-2010, 11:03 AM

Nice shot, but it lacks a reference (or anchor) point. Seems like the objects are just floating in space. Did you happen to capture the shoreline?

**Ash** · 10-01-2010, 12:25 PM

Agree with above - very gentle and smooth colour gradients with aptly chosen muted tonal range.
It suits the style of imagery, but the shot does indeed lack an interesting place for the eye to rest upon, making it difficult to appreciate the subject matter.

Horst-Helmut · 10-02-2010, 02:21 AM

Thank you people!
That kind of opinions matter because I get kind of blind (I think many new photographers get also) to those nice shots and these comments teach me to see differently and ask questions needed in self-criticism.

digadv: It was grass, wooden edge and then a straight drop to water. Maybe I'll take a shot of that to see if it would work in similar conditions.

If this doesn't make sense... I'm drunk as a monkey right now.

smf · 10-02-2010, 07:47 AM

I find the "floating" objects to be intriguing, the tones between the left and center large objects to be quite pleasing, and the intense brightness in approximately the top third of the photograph to be distracting. I'd either reduce that brightness or crop from the top.

This is a very good "standalone" photograph. But you might try photographing the same scene in different weather conditions and at different times of day, and then try displaying the best photos together.

K-9 · 10-02-2010, 07:35 PM

+1 on a tighter crop

Super A-wesome · 10-05-2010, 04:20 PM

I think it should stay uncropped, especially if that vignetting is from the lens, and not photoshop'd in.
cropping would lessen the vignetting, which IMO empasizes the image well.

Heiberg · 10-06-2010, 09:12 AM

I really like the minimalistic expression, but think its would benefit from a little rearrangement in the composition e.g. the left dark pole seems too close to the background middle object. Just my oppinion

logic14 · 10-07-2010, 07:01 PM

I dig it. Abstract as it is, there is a bit of thirds going on here. And I'll agree with the above, left dark pole too close to background objects... if it were me, I'd have shot the poles a little more to the right and the background objects in the same place.

10-01-2010, 07:33 AM	#1
Horst-Helmut Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 138	Minimal mist Lens: DA* 16-50 Camera: K200D Photo Location: Harjattula, Turku ISO: 280, 1/500, f/8.0 @ 16mm I started photography school a month ago and said to our teachers that I'd like to get real critique from my pictures not just "This is nice" kind of comments, that kind of comment won't help me improve my pictures. I'm still learning to process my pictures (lightroom & photoshop), that's one of the reasons I went to that school. This was processed with lightroom 3. 1920px: http://horsthelmut.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Maisemaa/Usva/usva-3.jpg/full Thank you in advance. -HenrikM. Edit: I still see few specks of dust in the picture. My 16-50 should get cleaned completely, quite a lot dust inside it...

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10-01-2010, 08:27 AM	#2
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Good balance between dark foreground and light background here. You may want to play around with different crops to see if it stands up to being cropped a bit tighter.

10-01-2010, 09:06 AM	#3
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	I guess that for the purpose of a minimalist shot, it is well done, which is similar to "nice" but not quite the same. There are some here that are true critics, (Ash is very good!) with a background in such, and with good advice and keen eyes for the technical and the the aesthetics of a particular photo. I am not that kind of critic....I am just a lowly Plumber with a camera, and an eye (sometimes?) for what "regular people" I know, and I know plenty, seem to like in their photos. What pleases us is not always what pleases the "Herd". Having said that, I look at a shot and always ask this question.....if properly printed and hung in the proper environment , would it catch an eye.......would it solicit that word "Nice!" Now, your shot although well done, would most likely cause Old Granny to say "What's that?" LOL! Not trying to be funny.......or to make waves, but their are more kinds of critics than what we see here! We shoot for many reasons....... Best Regards!

10-01-2010, 09:39 AM	#4
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	"This is nice." But, perhaps a bit too minimal...As suggested, cropping may work. I'd try some off the top and left.

10-01-2010, 11:03 AM	#5
digadv Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 52	Nice shot, but it lacks a reference (or anchor) point. Seems like the objects are just floating in space. Did you happen to capture the shoreline?

10-01-2010, 12:25 PM	#6
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Agree with above - very gentle and smooth colour gradients with aptly chosen muted tonal range. It suits the style of imagery, but the shot does indeed lack an interesting place for the eye to rest upon, making it difficult to appreciate the subject matter.

10-02-2010, 02:21 AM	#7
Horst-Helmut Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 138 Original Poster	Thank you people! That kind of opinions matter because I get kind of blind (I think many new photographers get also) to those nice shots and these comments teach me to see differently and ask questions needed in self-criticism. digadv: It was grass, wooden edge and then a straight drop to water. Maybe I'll take a shot of that to see if it would work in similar conditions. If this doesn't make sense... I'm drunk as a monkey right now.

10-02-2010, 07:47 AM	#8
smf Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midland, MI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,083	I find the "floating" objects to be intriguing, the tones between the left and center large objects to be quite pleasing, and the intense brightness in approximately the top third of the photograph to be distracting. I'd either reduce that brightness or crop from the top. This is a very good "standalone" photograph. But you might try photographing the same scene in different weather conditions and at different times of day, and then try displaying the best photos together.

10-02-2010, 07:35 PM	#9
K-9 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,971	+1 on a tighter crop

10-05-2010, 04:20 PM	#10
Super A-wesome Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 94	I think it should stay uncropped, especially if that vignetting is from the lens, and not photoshop'd in. cropping would lessen the vignetting, which IMO empasizes the image well.

10-06-2010, 09:12 AM	#11
Heiberg Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Copenhagen Posts: 31	I really like the minimalistic expression, but think its would benefit from a little rearrangement in the composition e.g. the left dark pole seems too close to the background middle object. Just my oppinion

10-07-2010, 07:01 PM	#12
logic14 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: St Paul, MN Photos: Gallery Posts: 70	I dig it. Abstract as it is, there is a bit of thirds going on here. And I'll agree with the above, left dark pole too close to background objects... if it were me, I'd have shot the poles a little more to the right and the background objects in the same place.