[lovejoy]

It was cold and snowy outisde, I grabbed my camera and shot this through my window. Later I realised that it wud have been better if I had stopped down a bit. I wanna improve my composition skills so please let me know what could I have done differently ?

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[Macario]

You could have done many things different. The way you took it, it is just a snapshot of the snow. I would not have taken it personally, I would have gotten out of the door and try to find a better composition. But I have to say, I think the exposure is spot on

[Bruce Clark]

Hi

I agree with previous comment that you would have been better to go outside. A bit too cold for me though. This could have been a great scene with lots of potential but there are just too many elements in your picture. The car, the back-to-front stop sign, the blue light, the street lamps, the blue lit window and so on. These all compete with each other for attention with the end result that the viewer is confused. Try to select a main object and place that at a key point in the frame. (rule of thirds). Also be aware of objects poking in through the side of the frame (front of car on right). There are many great hints on composition on this site and others. I spend a lot of time looking at other photos and the comments in the critique forum. This is a terrific resourse. Keep experimenting and posting your work. Cheers.

[lovejoy]

Thanks Macario and Bruce for critiquing. it was cold and snowing outside so to protect my camera and myself I didnt go out, but I shall surely get out when it aint snowing and try finding a better composition.

Bruce you mentioned about finding a main object and placing that at key point in the frame which I understand could be in the middle or on the either side. Lets just say if I wanted to focus on the street lamps and the falling snow, where could I have placed them in this photo and how could I have composed it differently ? Your answers have got me excited to get out now in -14 which feels like -20 to try shoot the same thing from different angles, however, I shall control myself and try something different through my window.

[Bruce Clark]

Hi

I appreciate it is cold where you are. I would not be too keen on getting out there myself. I am sitting in South East Australia enjoying a sunny afternoon at 20 degrees Centigrade. If you are wanting to concentrate on the street lights I would try to put the closer one at 1/3 distance from the left of the frame with the lamp itself 1/3 down from the top. Your big problems here are the stop sign and the car. The sign could be carefully cloned out but the car would be much harder to deal with. I have cropped your original in three different ways to try to give the general impression but I am unable to see what is to the left of your field of view. Sometimes we are constrained by obstacles over which we have little control. Sometimes these constraints can encourage us to see other ways of looking at a scene. Perhaps there is another window that gives you a better angle?

Good luck and stay warm

[Eder]

I like your composition, i would only remove the other 2 cars to show the van only. And ithe stop sign would be form the other side, I mean showing the "stop". That would be like a message of stop snowing

[bezuidar]

1st pic should have been horizontal. Agree that there are actually many things one can do differently.