critique my photo - how do you interpret it?

[doherty]

I took this photo a few days ago. It's the first one I've gotten that I've really felt proud of and that it has a message to it. Just wondering what you all think. Is this photo effective?



clicking on the image will take you to the image where there is a quote by Thoreau which I think sums up my own interpretation. (I don't want to give it away before giving you a chance to think about).

Thanks, comments are always appreciated!

Merry Christmas btw!

[pinemikey]

There is another, more colloquial, phrase that could be applied as well.

It goes like this:

“A bad day fishing beats a good day at work every timeâ€

[jengle]

I like the picture in general, for me I think some more context would help the picture - for example some foreground or background trees or rocks would give it more bang. The ripples help. Of course my opinion is worth the paper it's written on...

I like the darker bottom and the reflection is very nice.

[rileypm]

There appears to be a lot of noise visible in the photo. I don't know how to prevent it but there are programs that could help clean it up.

[blachly]

I agree that the noise seems to mess up the photo some. If it was clear of noise, it would give it a more calm feeling. I also agree that it needs something else. I like the serinity of the fisherman. But it would be nice to have some landscape in it. Or if you couldn't have the landscape, have the fisherman turn 90 degrees so you have a profile of him.

Overall I like the photo, but the noise is my biggest issue.

Mike Blachly

[doherty]

The noise is do to a high ISO. (A lesson in resetting camera settings from previous shoots).

Is there a good effect way to remove noise from an image with out making it too soft?

I've tried messing around with this in photoshop but have not been happy with any of the results.

Also, as far as a foreground goes, in the original frame there is a tree that frames the boat above and to the right. I decided to crop/clone it out because I thought it cramped the image too much. I'll upload the original frame when I'm done with classes today so the too can be compared.

Also as far as my own interpretation goes...The lack of any foreground details, in addition with the fog, gives the photo a lack of context. Also, the fisherman is not identifiable, which it was my hope that this would help the viewer identify with the fisherman. When I look at this picture I feel a sense of being lost - which is pretty much been how I've felt about the past few years of my life. I've been out "fishing," as it were, but soon discovered I wasn't sure I was where I wanted to be. But I had to stick it out. (like if i was out on a boat but suddenly decided i hated fishing, I would have to work to get back to the land).

I think if this shot could have been set up, I could have made it much more effective, but it was one of those "holy crap theres a random guy on a boat and he's about to disappear" moments so I had to take what I could get.

Anyways, thats my semi-jumbled idea of this photo.

As always, your thoughts are appreciated.

[doherty]

here is the original full frame for comparison.




thanks for your replies.

[andrys]

here is the original full frame for comparison.
thanks for your replies.

Ah, this explains why the man was set so high on the right in the earlier
crop. It made me uncomfortable, though I can't say why.

It was still a striking image, if one could get rid of the usual things one
"wants" to see, normally.

The graininess reminded me of Seurat Impressionism

In the original, it's now right-heavy. I am Asian and think this might
work better for those brought up reading right to left! What you might
try is to crop this one to make a picture that keeps much of the tree
but not all of it, and makes the image more balanced.

[northstar37]

It would be good to leave in the three layers of blue; dark, light, dark and also the tree at the side and over the boat.

[jypsee]

the original is much better than the crop; I haven't read all the other responses, but you could run your photo through NeatImage or some other noise removal software and not hurt the "feel" of it. The softness of the fog and the subdued color is perfect; and the dead center fisher and boat works with the balance of the trees framing it. Nice comp!

[rileypm]

I like the trees on the far bank shrouded in the mist as well as their reflections in the water. I do not find the right side of the photo to be a distraction. Instead, I have a sense of the boat and fisherman drifting toward and behind the large tree and bushes on the right and eventually disappearing completely in the mist. That is what I "see."

I agree that a little help from a noise reduction program would help, but I wouldn't over do it in order to maintain the "feel" of the photo.

[blachly]

I like the origional best. I love the trees in the background and I like the trees on the right. I agree that it is a little heavy on the right side so I might crop some of the bottom and right side out to frame the image rather than be a central part of it. Good job on the photo op.

[rsbfotos]

Some good suggestions made so far.
Another --- crop (or clone) out that street lamp? (top left) in the background. It's distracting! - (mho-ymmv)
cheers -- 10kzoomfz

[michaelsv]

the original is much better than the crop; I haven't read all the other responses, but you could run your photo through NeatImage or some other noise removal software and not hurt the "feel" of it. The softness of the fog and the subdued color is perfect; and the dead center fisher and boat works with the balance of the trees framing it. Nice comp!

I agree. I like the original composition much better. It's just a bit dark. Run it through noise reduction software and may be (not even sure it's required) make it a bit brighter with curves (not the S-shaped, just move a bit center point up). BTW, it's not necessarily noise we see, fog itself creates a grainy image. It also possible to crop about and inch from right to move the fisher off center.

Michael.

[jengle]

I also like the original better. The tree and branch not only frames the subject but adds more mood.