People Kids Watching Magic Show

tim mcdonough · 10-04-2011, 12:38 PM

Some kids watching a magician last weekend in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Attached Images

K-9 · 10-05-2011, 04:49 AM

The one thing about this shot is that you had to tell us what they were watching. As far as a picture telling a story, the shot fails because we have no idea why the kids are acting this way. Taking a side shot and capturing both the magician and the kids' expression would have worked much better.

atupdate · 10-05-2011, 06:29 AM

Originally posted by K-9

The one thing about this shot is that you had to tell us what they were watching. As far as a picture telling a story, the shot fails because we have no idea why the kids are acting this way. Taking a side shot and capturing both the magician and the kids' expression would have worked much better.

I have to disagree. The kid's reaction is the story, not what they are watching. It really doesn't matter if the adult is doing magic, making balloon animals, or someone showing off a snake at a zoo presentation, the laughter is the subject.

Tim

K-9 · 10-05-2011, 12:19 PM

Their laughter has no connection to the black shadow that takes up too much of the frame. IMO, this makes it a snapshot rather than a good picture. Snapshots of family things are often juxtaposed with no subject and haphazard things going on. Cropping some of the black figure off, and capturing the magician with maybe his hand sticking out with a trick or item in it would have worked much, much better.

tim mcdonough · 10-05-2011, 09:08 PM

Thanks for the input all!

twitch · 10-05-2011, 09:48 PM

A case of the wrong focal length; it needed to be tighter or wider, but you're stuck in between with this one.

smf · 10-13-2011, 05:28 AM

This photo doesn't tell the whole story — without a title for the photo, the viewer wouldn't know that the kids are reacting to a magician — but it's still a nice shot.
You might consider cropping down a bit, thereby reducing the distracting presence the adult in the background and also the small face of the child in the background, whose lack of interesting expression adds nothing to the photo.
You might also try sharpening just a bit because of a bit of blur of faces in the front. (It's not bad blur.)
You might want to consider displaying the photo along with another showing the magician in action.
Best wishes.

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10-05-2011, 04:49 AM	#2
K-9 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,971	The one thing about this shot is that you had to tell us what they were watching. As far as a picture telling a story, the shot fails because we have no idea why the kids are acting this way. Taking a side shot and capturing both the magician and the kids' expression would have worked much better.

10-05-2011, 06:29 AM	#3
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,724	Originally posted by K-9 The one thing about this shot is that you had to tell us what they were watching. As far as a picture telling a story, the shot fails because we have no idea why the kids are acting this way. Taking a side shot and capturing both the magician and the kids' expression would have worked much better. I have to disagree. The kid's reaction is the story, not what they are watching. It really doesn't matter if the adult is doing magic, making balloon animals, or someone showing off a snake at a zoo presentation, the laughter is the subject. Tim

10-05-2011, 12:19 PM	#4
K-9 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,971	Their laughter has no connection to the black shadow that takes up too much of the frame. IMO, this makes it a snapshot rather than a good picture. Snapshots of family things are often juxtaposed with no subject and haphazard things going on. Cropping some of the black figure off, and capturing the magician with maybe his hand sticking out with a trick or item in it would have worked much, much better.

10-05-2011, 09:08 PM	#5
tim mcdonough New Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: United States Photos: Albums Posts: 21 Original Poster	Thanks for the input all!

10-05-2011, 09:48 PM	#6
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	A case of the wrong focal length; it needed to be tighter or wider, but you're stuck in between with this one.

10-13-2011, 05:28 AM	#7
smf Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midland, MI Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,083	This photo doesn't tell the whole story — without a title for the photo, the viewer wouldn't know that the kids are reacting to a magician — but it's still a nice shot. You might consider cropping down a bit, thereby reducing the distracting presence the adult in the background and also the small face of the child in the background, whose lack of interesting expression adds nothing to the photo. You might also try sharpening just a bit because of a bit of blur of faces in the front. (It's not bad blur.) You might want to consider displaying the photo along with another showing the magician in action. Best wishes.