[vrubel]

I love taking pictuires of my kids playing. What could I have done better to improve on this?

Thanks.

Attached Images

 

[Adam]

I think a different crop might make this one better. Try to make it more of a vertical, and see if you can't put the kids in the spotlight. As it is right now, the white railings seem a little distracting.

[vrubel]

Thanks Adam.

What do you think about this?

[Adam]

I think it works better than the original, but I'd still like to see some sort of vertical.

Adam
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[MSL]

I'm going to "argue" with @Adam on this one. I'd rather see it as a landscape photo, but keep some of the left hand steps. In other words, turn it into a 4:3 or 3:2 ratio image by cropping only off the top.

I think your cropped image is better, but I like having the kids be smaller - like you caught a secret moment between friends.

[Adam]

The reason I'm leaning toward a vertical here is that you've got stairs in the background, and stairs go up and down, not side-to-side

[MSL]

The reason I'm leaning toward a vertical here is that you've got stairs in the background, and stairs go up and down, not side-to-side

I think the original poster should try it both ways, and then we can vote
Probably be a tie though.

[Vylen]

Time for a different point of view

Crop in closer to the kids. Given the subject is really the kids looking intently at something, you'd want to see their curiosity expressed clearly in the frame, i.e. make it more dominant/pronounced by making filling the frame. The stairs and handrail really don't do anything for me in the photo (yea, personal opinion :P). If possible, you could even frame it so their arms (and thus the object they are looking at) are along the bottom portion of the frame, and their eyes in the top portion.. adhering to the rule of thirds.

Might be a bit hard to do if the resolution isn't the best (probably taken a bit too far away), but this sort of composition can be something to consider in the future.

[vrubel]

Here are three options, what do you think?

[Adam]

I must admit- the third one is the best! Guess all it took was a little cloning

[Vylen]

I must admit- the third one is the best! Guess all it took was a little cloning

Agreed... much cleaner but still intimate.

[MSL]

I'll call #3 a great photo - shows the intimacy of two friends, without being invasive. (Getting rid of the distracting hand rails was a great idea).

[vrubel]

Thanks guys.

[smf]

Nice image — even more so as finally presented.