Re: Re: Tucker’s Lesson 3 Assignment Submission

#18776
Duncan Rawlinson
Keymaster

Wonderful choices of shots.

I think both shots are very well done. However, within both there are various elements that I think could be enhanced. I think you’ve chosen great subjects for both photographs. They are interesting and engaging. By that I mean, that as an audience member I find myself looking deeper and analyzing both pictures. They are not simply pretty pictures that can easily be passed over. There is enough detail to catch your interest.

So although you have an eye for subjects, I want you to play closer attention to shapes, dimension and composition.

The photograph of the girl getting her hair brushed is stunningly beautiful. The natural light, her facial expression and the atmosphere of the photograph are great. The composition is also really well done.

The problem with the photograph in my opinion is that there is a mark (possibly a birthmark, burn, or some form of marking) on the girls arm. There is nothing wrong with the mark itself and it doesn’t need to be excluded, but the placement as it relates to the face creates an unintentional shape that appears to be coming from the girls nose. I find this slightly distracting due to the proximity to her nose and therefore it takes away my attention from the rest of the composition. You could have fixed this by changing your position or by waiting for her arm to lower slightly so it didn’t interact with another body part.

The point is to be aware of the interaction between body parts and shapes. Pictures are 2 dimensional with the 3rd dimension being a bit of an illusion so shapes play a big role in your overall composition.

Your photograph of the boat doesn’t share the same composition strategy. The edges of the photograph seem to be a bit disorganized. You’ve “amputated” the windshield of the boat with leaving only about 50% of it visible. Your center of interest is apparent and organized, but your pictures peripheral area is not as well organized. I would have brought in the entire windshield or left it out all together. Remember, it’s as important to know what to leave out of a photograph as it is to know what to include. Also pay extra close attention not only to the center of the photograph but also to the 4 walls of the photograph. Try not to awkwardly “cut off” or “amputate” your objects unless done in an intentional way. One of the biggest challenges as a photographer is cleaning up the 4 edges of your photograph.

Overall, great work! Keep it up.