Cityscape Santorini Church

sealonsf · 05-09-2011, 11:53 AM

Just curious what everyone thinks of this shot - not just the composition but the overall look. I'll tell you why I'm asking specifically after I hear from a few of you. Thanks for your comments!

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Last edited by sealonsf; 05-09-2011 at 11:53 AM. Reason: fixed typo

Guayabero · 05-09-2011, 01:29 PM

I'd start be eliminating all the surrounding structures. Cool church though..

**Kerrowdown** · 05-09-2011, 01:36 PM

I've stood exactly there myself, Santorini is a truly an amazing place.

But unlike you for me there were heaps of folk milling about the whole time for me. I ended up taking multiple shots and combining layers in PP to get the "no people" look.

I was also luckier with the weather, I know I know not much you could have done about that, apart from go back another time. But a bright sunny day gave me a bright white building and deep blue Med sky, which gave my shots a lot much more punch.

I also got a lot closer on the building itself, but hey, I like the dogs too.

mischivo · 05-18-2011, 03:15 PM

This is very unusual shot of Santorini. Most photos of the place focus on its outward face. This shot seems to lack any conscious composition whatsoever. It doesn't work for me.

sealonsf · 05-24-2011, 11:29 AM

Okay, now that the composition has been battered, I was wondering if anyone would point out how flat the photo looks... I think it was over processed after it was taken. Any thoughts on that?

sealonsf · 05-25-2011, 01:04 PM

Here's a crop of the same photo.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

SpecialK · 05-25-2011, 03:04 PM

It's not bad if you like dogs :-) I'd fix the tilt to the right, though.

**Ash** · 05-25-2011, 04:34 PM

If you're still around the area, you should reshoot the church. It's a lovely vista and worth recomposing the image from a few different perspectives to isolate the subject more effectively. The current image has too many distracting elements and the church is off-centre with its lines not symmetrically aligned.

The PP process also could do with significant tweaking to accentuate the look of the church.

sealonsf · 05-26-2011, 08:38 AM

Originally posted by Ash

If you're still around the area, you should reshoot the church. It's a lovely vista and worth recomposing the image from a few different perspectives to isolate the subject more effectively. The current image has too many distracting elements and the church is off-centre with its lines not symmetrically aligned.

The PP process also could do with significant tweaking to accentuate the look of the church.

I took other photos of just the church - I wanted to feature the dogs in this shot, and the town square in front. I'm just starting to do more PP with Photoshop Elements and I noticed that a lot of photos I see have a similar look to this - the shadows have been taken out which makes the scene rather flat looking. I'm not fond of it, but I see it so much that I think other people are fond of it. You're the only person who came close to saying what I expected - that the PP was not so great.

I agree the composition on this shot was more like a snapshot - and that's really what it was - I wanted to remember it the way I saw it that day. I won't be entering it in any photo competitions and I didn't send it in hoping it would get into PPG.

twitch · 05-29-2011, 08:55 PM

The good: cool church & including foreground subjects in this scene has potential.

The bad: The subject you included doesn't seem connected with the environment, and yet it's not a juxtaposition either. Neither fish nor foul, no story being told. The framing isn't too well thought out either and the overall is composition not asthetically pleasing.

Your flickr stream shows though this isn't your best shot by a long way, you have some great pics in there.

05-09-2011, 11:53 AM	#1
sealonsf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Francisco Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,729	Santorini Church ISO: 50 Just curious what everyone thinks of this shot - not just the composition but the overall look. I'll tell you why I'm asking specifically after I hear from a few of you. Thanks for your comments! [IMG] [/IMG] Last edited by sealonsf; 05-09-2011 at 11:53 AM. Reason: fixed typo

05-09-2011, 01:36 PM	#3
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,863	I've stood exactly there myself, Santorini is a truly an amazing place. But unlike you for me there were heaps of folk milling about the whole time for me. I ended up taking multiple shots and combining layers in PP to get the "no people" look. I was also luckier with the weather, I know I know not much you could have done about that, apart from go back another time. But a bright sunny day gave me a bright white building and deep blue Med sky, which gave my shots a lot much more punch. I also got a lot closer on the building itself, but hey, I like the dogs too. Last edited by Kerrowdown; 05-09-2011 at 01:43 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Travel Oia, Santorini	sealonsf	Post Your Photos!	3	05-09-2011 07:58 AM
Santorini Sunset	scarr2k	Monthly Photo Contests	0	01-07-2011 09:54 AM
Travel Santorini - sunset lighting	Jasvox	Post Your Photos!	15	04-14-2010 03:41 PM
Architecture Church	JeffJS	Post Your Photos!	2	01-31-2010 07:43 PM
September dusk in Santorini	kennyb53	Monthly Photo Contests	2	11-25-2009 05:55 AM

05-09-2011, 01:29 PM	#2
Guayabero Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 64	I'd start be eliminating all the surrounding structures. Cool church though..

05-18-2011, 03:15 PM	#4
mischivo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 397	This is very unusual shot of Santorini. Most photos of the place focus on its outward face. This shot seems to lack any conscious composition whatsoever. It doesn't work for me.

05-24-2011, 11:29 AM	#5
sealonsf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Francisco Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,729 Original Poster	Okay, now that the composition has been battered, I was wondering if anyone would point out how flat the photo looks... I think it was over processed after it was taken. Any thoughts on that?

05-25-2011, 01:04 PM	#6
sealonsf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Francisco Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,729 Original Poster	Here's a crop of the same photo. [IMG] [/IMG]

05-25-2011, 03:04 PM	#7
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	It's not bad if you like dogs :-) I'd fix the tilt to the right, though.

05-25-2011, 04:34 PM	#8
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	If you're still around the area, you should reshoot the church. It's a lovely vista and worth recomposing the image from a few different perspectives to isolate the subject more effectively. The current image has too many distracting elements and the church is off-centre with its lines not symmetrically aligned. The PP process also could do with significant tweaking to accentuate the look of the church.

05-26-2011, 08:38 AM	#9
sealonsf Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Francisco Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,729 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash If you're still around the area, you should reshoot the church. It's a lovely vista and worth recomposing the image from a few different perspectives to isolate the subject more effectively. The current image has too many distracting elements and the church is off-centre with its lines not symmetrically aligned. The PP process also could do with significant tweaking to accentuate the look of the church. I took other photos of just the church - I wanted to feature the dogs in this shot, and the town square in front. I'm just starting to do more PP with Photoshop Elements and I noticed that a lot of photos I see have a similar look to this - the shadows have been taken out which makes the scene rather flat looking. I'm not fond of it, but I see it so much that I think other people are fond of it. You're the only person who came close to saying what I expected - that the PP was not so great. I agree the composition on this shot was more like a snapshot - and that's really what it was - I wanted to remember it the way I saw it that day. I won't be entering it in any photo competitions and I didn't send it in hoping it would get into PPG.

05-29-2011, 08:55 PM	#10
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	The good: cool church & including foreground subjects in this scene has potential. The bad: The subject you included doesn't seem connected with the environment, and yet it's not a juxtaposition either. Neither fish nor foul, no story being told. The framing isn't too well thought out either and the overall is composition not asthetically pleasing. Your flickr stream shows though this isn't your best shot by a long way, you have some great pics in there.