I need your help quickly please!

topcat374

Hi everyone,

Please can you help me make a decision before tomorrow evening?! I've agreed to take part in a photography challenge with some friends (just for fun) and the theme is water. I've been trying to capture images for the last month (mainly focussing on reflections) and am still not sure I've got anything I'm happy with! Would you mind voting on the following 6 images please (or tell me straight if you think any of them are complete flops!).

Feel free to leave as much C&C as you wish but I'd be happy even if you could just leave a number! I'd really appreciate you being as honest as you can!

Thanks
Craig

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6

jsqueri

I remember liking #6 from a previous post and I still think it's best here. Teh first two play with your eye with the symetrical reflection, but they don't turn me on. I like the bird shots, but the reflections are pretty grainy.

I don't know where #6 was taken, but it looks like a farmer's field in the BG and a big puddle (not a lake or ocean) in teh foreground. I think seeing the boat in what looks like an unusual environment is neat. I also like the balance created by the boat and barn.

P.S. The bird shots are definately more obvious water shots if that matters.

wendell

Of this group I would say #4 would be my pick, especially since I assume water is the subject. Maybe a slight contrast boost would help it pop a little more.

topcat374

jsqueri wrote:

I remember liking #6 from a previous post and I still think it's best here. Teh first two play with your eye with the symetrical reflection, but they don't turn me on. I like the bird shots, but the reflections are pretty grainy.

I don't know where #6 was taken, but it looks like a farmer's field in the BG and a big puddle (not a lake or ocean) in teh foreground. I think seeing the boat in what looks like an unusual environment is neat. I also like the balance created by the boat and barn.

P.S. The bird shots are definately more obvious water shots if that matters.

Thanks jsqueri. You're echoing my thoughts here! The bird shots had to be takne at quite a high ISO if I remember rightly. I may be able to do a bit of noise reduction but...

The boat pic was actually taken at what's left of an old sea harbour which remains subject to tidal flooding. The building is apparantly an old coal barn. My only reservation is that I don't know if this qualifies as a 'water' picture!

Thanks again:D

Any other thoughts anyone??? Really - any opinions would really help!!

topcat374

wendell wrote:

Of this group I would say #4 would be my pick, especially since I assume water is the subject. Maybe a slight contrast boost would help it pop a little more.

Thank you Wendell. I've now boosted the contrast and tried a little noise reduction. Re-posted as #4.

Richard

Hey Craig,

One of the reasons I don't much care for challenges is that you end up making compromises between the quality of the pics and meeting the theme. Of these, my favorite shots are #1 and #6 clap. But neither one screams "water." The reflection is mirror perfect in #1 and by turning it upside down the scene becomes surreal. I love it. In #6 the water is just a small part of the scene, nice as it is, and the same is true to a lesser extent in #5. #3 and #4 lack the clarity of the other shots and the compositions aren't compelling. So IMO, that leaves #2 as the best entry. Good luck.

topcat374

Richard wrote:

Hey Craig,

One of the reasons I don't much care for challenges is that you end up making compromises between the quality of the pics and meeting the theme. Of these, my favorite shots are #1 and #6 clap. But neither one screams "water." The reflection is mirror perfect in #1 and by turning it upside down the scene becomes surreal. I love it. In #6 the water is just a small part of the scene, nice as it is, and the same is true to a lesser extent in #5. #3 and #4 lack the clarity of the other shots and the compositions aren't compelling. So IMO, that leaves #2 as the best entry. Good luck.

Thanks Richard:D I couldn't agree more about compromising on quality. I thought the bird shots would turn out really nice but on viewing them I think I would normally have tossed them (if not for the theme of water pending!). Although this is just a challenge between firends, I've actually found it very frustrating and restrictive as I've hunted around for a subject to shoot whilst probably missing some other really good opportunities!

I'm pleased you like #1 - I wasn't sure if turning a picture upside down was valid or not!!! I think I might go with #2 simply for the clarity!! Thanks again.

Any other thoughts from anyone?

Richard

topcat374 wrote:

I wasn't sure if turning a picture upside down was valid or not!!!

Well, I don't know what rules apply in this challenge, but turning it upside down changed a pleasant pic (#2) into a striking one (#1). That seems like a pretty good justification to me.

Macushla

I think #1 and #2 are too centered in the frame. They don't do anything for me. The bird ones are something that many people might use if asked to do a water / reflection shot. I love the boat shots, again #5 is too centered for me. I vote for taking a chance on #6 - I say push the envelope of what defines a water shot.

That's the 2¢ of a total noob.

zoomer

Just my opinion of course.
The first four are really not much to look at. The bird ones I don't like at all, color is bad they are crooked and the crops don't work at all.
The first two are to cluttered and shadowy.

The 5th shot is probably the best as presented, it would be better if shot slightly more from the left instead of straight up the front.
6 is just ok, no real defined subject the eye just kind of wanders around the photo.

S0.....go with five and put a slight vignette around right at the edges. Give it a bit more contrast and saturation, don't overdo it.

Good luck with your project.

topcat374

Thanks for the great advice everyone. In the end, I took 4 shots with me - the 2 with the boat, the bird and the duckhouse. I showed the #5 and #6 as a set as my main images (with a slight vignette added) and everyone seemed happy that they had enough water in to qualify!

I also showed the bird and the duckhouse as others had brought several images too and they seemed to go down well although the consensus was that #6 was the better shot. Now the pressure's off I think I'm going to have a go at photographing fruit dropping into water (one that another member of the group had a go at) but need to get my speedlight off camera first I think.

Thanks again for the support - it's much appreciated

Craig

BTW - the next category is 'Architecture' so any ideas and inspiration would be gratefully accepted!!!

EOS_JD

Last one is very interesting. B&W or sepia and add some grain...... Hope you don't mind a small edit?

topcat374

EOS_JD wrote:

Last one is very interesting. B&W or sepia and add some grain...... Hope you don't mind a small edit?

Don't mind the edit in the slightest - just pleased that you'd take the time to comment and have a go for me:) I like what you've done with the picture - it does seem to emphasise the reflection element too. I prefer to view it from a distance as I find the added grain a bit too much up close but think I might have a play and see if I can find a happy medium. Thanks again.

PS - had a quick look at your website and hope to draw some inspiration from you 'architecture' section for the next challenge. Hope you don't mind:D

EOS_JD

topcat374 wrote:

Don't mind the edit in the slightest - just pleased that you'd take the time to comment and have a go for me:) I like what you've done with the picture - it does seem to emphasise the reflection element too. I prefer to view it from a distance as I find the added grain a bit too much up close but think I might have a play and see if I can find a happy medium. Thanks again.

PS - had a quick look at your website and hope to draw some inspiration from you 'architecture' section for the next challenge. Hope you don't mind:D

Yes just play around and you'll get the edits right.

Thanks! PS What's the challenge?

topcat374

EOS_JD wrote:

Yes just play around and you'll get the edits right.

Thanks! PS What's the challenge?

It's all very casual really. A small group of us have just decided to get together each month and share images, kit, frustrations etc. We're at varying levels of knowledge and ability but share a common wish to shoot the best pictures we can! We've decided it would be good to have a focus each month so have decided on a few titles (actually, we've borrowed them from a course that one of the group attended!). Last month's was simply 'water' and this month's is 'Architecture'. It's as undefined as that really - just with an added note to try and be as creative as possible. I've yet to decide what kind of focus I'm interested in. So far, I've taken the following 2 pictures (SOTC) but would like to be a little more creative this month!