Vanishing Point Self C&C

bbjones

Hi all. One thing that is great about dgrin is how supportive everyone is. It's a good place to get some constructive criticism.

Sometimes, however, we gotta hear the truth (have a look at this blog post). I'm looking for some really harsh and critical C&C on this one. I'll start in on it myself -- you can either pile on, or tell me why it's better than I think.

#1. Mission Soledad


First, to the challenge goal. Putting the actual vanishing point off-camera is a decent idea; it avoids the triteness that can come so easily to this subject. But why was it done the way it was? Why put it there, rather than farther off camera, or just barely off camera? Overall, I'd give it a satisfactory: avoided the major pitfalls, but didn't do anything really interesting.

Second, the main point. As far as I'm concerned, excellent challenge photos should be excellent photos that incidentally include the challenge, rather that excellent examples of the challenge topic shown in a mediocre photo. So more important than the vanishing point is the photo itself. And this is where it falls down.

What is the goal of this photo? Commonly, a photo might be trying to make a point, or to evoke a feeling. There's not much of a point here; I guess you could go with "an empty bench at a mission called Soledad," or the evaporation of the old California culture. But it doesn't seem to have elements in it strong enough to make that point. So maybe it's evoking a feeling. I suppose that's what drew me to it personally; the sense of old California that it pulled out. That's why I processed it the way I did, because it seemed to emphasize that feeling. But it's kind of a nostalgia-for-something-I-never-experienced feeling, which seems a rather poor kind; it's imagined feeling by proxy.

Finally (and probably least important, IMHO), the technical. Extreme sharpness is not really at a premium for shots like this. One could argue for getting rid of the bit of bench in the lower left corner, but a crop there would come close to the window. One could argue for getting the whole window in, though I'm not sure what composition principle would push one way or the other on that one. There are an odd number of benches, and window/door openings, so that's nice. As for the processing itself, sometimes I like it, but sometimes it seems a bit cliched. The whole thing is in some danger of falling into a spaghetti western.

So, all in all, I'm not that impressed. The struggle is that while I think I've identified some things I don't like, I'm not sure what I would do next time to make them better.

What do you think? And don't pull any punches, okay? I've got no emotional investment in this photo; I just want to get better.

Thanks!

PedalGirl

You already pointed out the obvious... I would say cropping out the piece of bench in the corner and showing the entire window. Also... maybe a bit more of the walk way showing at the end. On the other hand...the walkway being cut out at the end makes me wonder where it goes, what's at the end of that?... so maybe that's a plus. I do like the treatment you gave it. Oh, and the little black piece of something in the right edge...I'd get rid of that.

Troy Raymond

I also like the treatment and also find myself wondering what is at the end. Perhaps a subject to take away that empty feeling, an elderly person sitting on this end of the bench? Not just sitting, but having an expression or something that 'tells a story'.

also agree on the chair arm and chunk on the ground.

GretaPics

Your analysis pretty much covers it and even more when it comes to these challenges in general. I agree with you and the others on the various fixes suggested and particularly think it needs a little something more in the image like an old item, or a person, etc. I like the "dusty" processing though and the overall concept. GP

tinamarie52

It feels a bit to confined to me. Perhaps a shot with you standing a little more to the left with something at the nd would strengthen it. Be careful with the bits and pieces of things in the periphery.

Chris