Underexposed?
Underexposed?
Jean took my online class with the PPSOP and recently sent me this photo to talk about. As usual, i like to copy what every photographer had to say since so many have experienced the same situation or problem at one time or another. Here’s what Jean had to say:
Hi Joe!
I don’t think I will ever take a serious image again without hearing your words in my head about vanishing points, line, color, tension, etc.
I took a ride out to Robert Moses Park and Lighthouse in between rainstorms and had the good fortune to be there as a vivid rainbow appeared as the sun was beginning to set. I am pretty happy with these two photos, but I really want to know what YOU think.
Thanks, Joe!”
Sincerely,
Jeanne Bifulco
Hello Jean and welcome back home!!!
Ok, let’s talk about them:
First let’s talk about exposure and how important it is to bracket. In my online class with the PPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshop I conduct around the planet, I’m always talking about how important it is to bracket, and bracket manually; in the camera…Why is it important when you can lighten or darken things later in front of a computer?
Because it will make you a more rounded and stronger photographer, not a better computer artist. By bracketing yourself, you’ll gain knowledge in shutter speed/aperture relationships and learn to see, sense, and feel the light around you…especially when it changes. One day you’ll be able to stand there and know by instinct what exposure is going to be the best, whether it be under or over exposing what the camera has told you is the on reading. To me, being in control and doing things myself is a lot more gratifying than having some software do it for me.
I say all this because both of your photos are underexposed and to me hides how well done they are.
Take a look at them now:
Better exposure?
Better to see the Vanishing Point?
The photo with the rainbow is one of those times that doesn’t come very often, so when it does, be ready to act fast. As Eddie Adams said, “When you get lucky, be ready”.
It’s a great photo, but to me theirs too much road and not enough of that tension filled ominous sky. The road is just a road, with little redeeming qualities about it except of course the obvious one…it creates a Vanishing Point that leads the viewer to the point on the horizon and the remarkable payoff.
Having said that, you would still have the Vanishing Point if you raised your camera up to get more sky and less of the road.
In the second photo, you have also created a Vanishing Point that takes the viewer on a ride to the horizon and lighthouse. As you remember in my classes, the more ways we can lead the viewer around our frame the better. By doing this we make him an active participant and make him work a little…exactly what we want him to do.
You have also designed the composition as to include a couple more elements from your ‘Artist Palette’: The use of Negative space to define the railing and all the rectangular shapes created when the Negative Space defines the different parts.
Nice photos Jean and thanks for sharing them.
Visit my website at: www.JoeBaraban.com and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime. Click on the small poster for the Maine Media Workshop. I still have openings so come and have a fantastic experience in Maine this August.
Don’t forget to send me a photo and question to: AskJoeB@gmail.com.
JoeB
