Watch out for that rock!, which one?
Lex
Registered Users Posts: 262 Major grins
This one was well received by a few folks at another forum, so thought I would share, one never knows what may come into view of your shot, so sometimes, you just shoot it. Some nice guys from Knoxville out for a little weekend adventure in the Smokies. They said they come up about every weekend to go tubing. I talked with them for a few minutes.
I also was not sure where to put this shot here, people shot or field? Sports? I put in sports at the other place, but wasn't sure about that either, hmmm.
I also was not sure where to put this shot here, people shot or field? Sports? I put in sports at the other place, but wasn't sure about that either, hmmm.
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Thanks DJ, the vantage point I was able to get to that helped some with the depth, also the scene helps that too just naturally. I went out on perimeter rocks to get as far into the water as possible without getting wet. Sometimes, you are ok getting a little wet, but you have to watch green rocks and photography gear, they can put you in the drink!
I had water in front of me, and water behind me. My primary target was actually the other direction.
Very good pro grade gear does help some too to create that depth. :-)
Technically, aside from UV protection, I also utilized a Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter to control the amount of light in this bright scene.
Doug
Goes well here, some street dudes out in the field
I like the even light throughout the image. However, this scene lies in between a Kodak moment and a snapshot. Had there been some better more interesting interaction between the guys, who knows what, it may have added the interest I think it needs to make it become a great shot.
Food for thought
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I may or may not ever see them again, there's a lot of territory and I don't know where they put in at, or where they quit really. But there are always more tubers and kyakers.
The guys had just pushed off from having talked to me, so some are still in their talking positions, rotated around, as you can see they were flipped around toward the center except for the lead guy. They did just dip some snuff from a can in a plastic bag if maybe that would be interesting, lol. But I don't think that ads much in a sitting still position.
Once you hit the river though, you have to keep yourself focused on what's up stream most of the time, if you don't, you could get in trouble. Now with kids, many times they do violate the rules, they take chances so who knows what they may do.
Without false pretense of it being a great human interests photo which by no means do I think this is, I think what DJ said pretty well captures it. It's about fun, recreation, and a nice backdrop of scenery. I too feel the dimensionality of it very well, and that is part of what makes it a very nice photo, IMO, even if not "great". :-)
I have taken "snap shots" with my Canon 1ds M11 and a B+W, actually I have even taken snap shots, back in the day, with my 4x5 field camera having taken a hand held light meter reading then loaded a holder and hand cocked the manual shutter on the Rodenstock Grandegon 75mm lens. My definition of a snap shot is an image, taken by any camera, that could be drastically improved with ones thinking cap on:D.
though your image is beyond a snapshot it is not quite a great human interest one. I understand you are having fun but......
Regarding being a great human interest photo, I believe everyone wants to achieve that point in their photo hobby or profession where they have the ability to at least recognize a great human interest moment or better yet be ready camera in hand to record it when it occurs. Therefore, the discussion of why all our images are not so great must go on
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Without the kids, it's a nice landscape with depth, and clarity. The kids add interest, and give the shot a fun spin and a splash of other color. It's really no more than that, yeah ok a kodak moment as far as the kids or mountain fun goes.
But it could also be in a Smokies tourist brochure showing one aspect of fun in the smokies, so how do you define a great photograph? It all depends on the context I think.
But your the pro, I'm just an amateur with way to much glass on my hands. I respect what you say.
Regards,
Doug
I wanted to expand the discussion into what might make this a Great shot. Keep shootin no matter what they say
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So, how do I make it more than it is, really, I mean it. Let's expand it. I'd like to know how to improve, at any cost. Honestly, it was a snap shot, I didn't plan on them being there, because they weren't when I went down in the flat (most water holes are down below road level.)
So, you think if I get to know some tubers, or kyacker's maybe, it could make a difference? I'll bite, just curious how you'd go about improving it or how you think I should? :-)
thanks.
Doug
I have been lucky once in a while, but usually If I want a great shot I have to invest my time. Having said that as a pro the stakes are higher for me as I make my living attempting to make images great. However, there is no secret formula other than being prepared and having the experience to understand when to predict the extraordinary. The so called “spidy sense” as some folks call it, is acquired from experience only. In regards to your situation with the tubers, and possibly water sports at large, I would interview those who are active in the sport with hopes of understanding what they consider extraordinary. With such knowledge you can than try to apply it in your images. For example, I used to photograph skiers flying through the air, thinking this was the most spectacular event in alpine skiing. However, years ago while chatting with one of the most well known extreme skiers, the subject of photography came up and he explained to me that snow skiing was done on the snow and not in the air. He went on further to explain that the tracks left behind are a skiers “art work.” Right then I began including the skiers tracks as a design element in my work. This little detail kicked off an entirely different approach for me to pursue and helped me take some of my favorite ski images ever. Often by participating in an event you learn how to predict excitement better, in the same way you learn to predict some ones moods once you get to know them. Having said that I think it is much simpler predicting excitement in activities than moods in people:D
Good luck to you
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I'll take that to heart, in this same vein, it would be better to prepare and pursue the one great shot and click the shutter once, than to click it 100 times, hoping to get that one great shot using a shotgun approach. Occasionally that works, but usually it comes up somewhre short of the perfect shot.
Doug