Back to Summer '04. It was with great trepidation I took a roll of IR with me on my journey up north. My previous two IR forays were disappointing, to say the least. This time around, things went really well. Exposure-wise, most photos are quite satisfactory, although I find most of the shots on this roll a bit boring (plus the sky was uncooperatively overcast the whole time). Anyway, I thought this shot was cool when I took it, but looking at it now, I'm not so sure. I probably should have stood on the topmost rail for more height (despite my poor relationship with gravity). What do you think?
I like Kevin's vertical crop for this image. Vertical crop gives good perspective to the image rather than baffling a viewer to find subject and correlate that subject to entire image.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful critiques everyone!
Kevin: Something was bugging me about this photo and you put your finger right on it: definitive subject! I think you're right. I really like your vertical crop - it gives the photo a lot more depth by pulling the eye into the photo rather than across it. Thanks for the suggestion!
Stefan: I lucked out with the sky here. The afternoon started out partly cloudy, then clouded over with high, white cloud, then a storm blew in about the time I got this shot. Most of my shots were taken in the "high, white cloud" period. I'm so impatient.
That is a boring sky to you?! BC must be spoiling you rotten with drama-skies. Exposure looks very good and I happen to like the wide composition you present, framing the view on both sides with trees is a good thing (c) IMHO. Good use of IR...
Hi Becky, What a really nice/well thought out critique from Kevin above. I was here earlier and thought nice sky and fences and yes a bit too many lines going this way and that. Had considered maybe a crop to the right may lessen the 'heavy feel'. But Kevin's 'vertical' is perfect.
Heya, nice pastoral, grainy B&W. Those seem to be going around for BC-based Usefilm photographers right now, eh?
On the topic of gravity, a gentleman named Dave Scougal has made the case to me that gravity is the inherent enemy of the photographer. Anyone who's ever droped a lens can see the direct consequence of this, but it plays itself out in so many smaller ways as well. Just a thought.
As for the image at hand, I think moreso than anything you're just lacking subject a bit. It has that cool IR look, but I really want to see something being corraled aside from perhaps the photographer. In terms of composition, perhaps getting atop a post may have helped, but I'd be inclined to move over a little to the left so that the dominant fenceline running away from the the lens was closer to the 1/3 area of the image, which would find the horizon (already at about 1/3 the other way) at a compositionally pleasing point, quickly zeroing the eye there.
Actually, on that note, this might be more interesting as a vertical...
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