Running in the park...composition?

Bend The Light

Does the composition work here? I love the two girls chasing, but the expanse between is making me wonder...

...I like this photo, but wonder what others may make of it?

Qarik

it's a well done shot but I am missing a connection with the kid(s)..especially the one on the right due partially to her obscured face.

adbsgicom

Sorry, this isn't working for me. My eye gets drawn center by that dark opening in the middle. Sort of ominous and forboding in comparison to the girls play. Do you have more picture to either side? Could you do a more panoramic crop with room to either side of the kids?

Bend The Light

I know what you mean about the big gap in the middle - to be honest, that's what annoys me. I really like the girls running, and maybe the girls individiually would be better, but they were playing so well together...

I don't have much more on the original - what bit I do have is to the right, behind my daughter, so not so helpful - not a "running into" space.

I might consider doing a panorama with some other shots I have - this might give me some more of the trees and grass to work with...



PS: One of the reasons I like this shot is that it tells a story (to me and the family, not necessarily you all). My daughter is home educated - so many people said "But how will she learn to socialize?". The answer is in this picture - the girl on the left is a complete stranger, at the park with her dad. My daughter went up to them and asked if she'd like to play - they were like old friends in less than 2 minutes. that's how she'll learn about socializing!

liflander

Re: Running in the park...composition?
Perhaps if the bg was blurred out and just the girls were in focus, the connection would be stronger.

LiflanderPhotography.com

Bend The Light

liflander wrote: »

Perhaps if the bg was blurred out and just the girls were in focus, the connection would be stronger.

LiflanderPhotography.com

I'll give it a go - I'm also gonna try taking a chunk out of the middle, using a later mask, or something to see if that makes a nice composition.

Thanks fot the replies.

Bend The Light

So, I had a go at "expanding" the space for the girls to run into...I also moved my daughter (on the right) closer to the other little girl...

Any better?

Before:


After:

D'Buggs

I don't think it worked. It now looks like a reworked image.

IMO, if the 1st edit works for you, you're done. You are the customer here. And FWIW, I see the image as kids doing what they do; coming and going, and having a blast while doing so. Keep it.

Bend The Light

D'Buggs wrote: »

I don't think it worked. It now looks like a reworked image.

IMO, if the 1st edit works for you, you're done. You are the customer here. And FWIW, I see the image as kids doing what they do; coming and going, and having a blast while doing so. Keep it.

Yes, I know what you mean. Basically, there is an opinion about every composition possible, and while there are rules that people "generaly" follow, someone will always come along and "like" the original "badly composed" shot.

And, actually, I like the original too. Was just wondering what other people thought. Was worth a practice on Photoshop, anyway.

michswiss

I'm not a PS person, but I liked the original. Compositionally, it's fine. There's nothing wrong with subjects facing out of the frame or being separated by distance. In fact, that's one of the areas I'm working on now myself.

The point about the connection between the two has nothing to do with the distance, rather an emotional connection in the image itself. If the forward girl had been looking back at her playmate while running, the shot would have been golden. Especially for those of us that weren't there. As it is, you're able to complete the story for yourself which makes it a wonderful memory.

Bend The Light

michswiss wrote: »

I'm not a PS person, but I liked the original. Compositionally, it's fine. There's nothing wrong with subjects facing out of the frame or being separated by distance. In fact, that's one of the areas I'm working on now myself.

The point about the connection between the two has nothing to do with the distance, rather an emotional connection in the image itself. If the forward girl had been looking back at her playmate while running, the shot would have been golden. Especially for those of us that weren't there. As it is, you're able to complete the story for yourself which makes it a wonderful memory.

Thank you so much. Obviously I invited critique of the shot, but it is also nice to have people just saying they "like" the shot, or that it's ok to not follow the rules.

D'Buggs

Bend The Light wrote: »

And, actually, I like the original too. Was just wondering what other people thought. Was worth a practice on Photoshop, anyway.

I view the original and see the left girl first. Then my eye picks up the lg tree in the middle, then I'm led to the other girl. Once done, I come full circle and start it all over again. That tree makes for a nice triangle between the two subjects and gives it some added depth. Without it, it seems to fall flat (MO).

The image *could* be stronger but considering the subjects and the candid aspect of the photo,,,,, I'd be glad to have accomplished what you captured/achieved.

Bend The Light

D'Buggs wrote: »

I view the original and see the left girl first. Then my eye picks up the lg tree in the middle, then I'm led to the other girl. Once done, I come full circle and start it all over again. That tree makes for a nice triangle between the two subjects and gives it some added depth. Without it, it seems to fall flat (MO).

The image *could* be stronger but considering the subjects and the candid aspect of the photo,,,,, I'd be glad to have accomplished what you captured/achieved.

Thanks again D'buggs. I have now printed the first image and it is now on my wall at work...it may not be the absolute best, but I like it.

Cheers:D