[Leica] PAWS AND COMMENTS!

[bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen)]

Thanks for the lesson, Ted - we can all always learn - and you're the one to
teach.:-)
B. D.


On 11/12/05 5:27 PM, "Ted Grant" <tedgrant@shaw.ca> wrote:

> B. D. Colen showed:
> Subject: [Leica] PAWS
> 
> 
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/B-D-COLEN-PAW/Antiabort111205_14bw
>> And following five images.<<<<
> 
> Hi B.D.,
> Covered just like a news assignment should be. The message is meanigless
> because covering an event such as this means it's a "news event" therefore
> you must be neutral. Other wise you let your emotions get in the way and 
> you
> miss interesting photographs and end up shooting  signs.
> 
> It's the visual aspect that you are there to shoot! Sure a sign or two is
> OK, providing they're interesting as "photographs," not just the signs for
> the sake of the sign message! Of course sometimes one is so unique it does
> make a good photograph.
> 
> I mean, one hardly need attend these events anymore, just go to your files
> from the past, pull out some frames, print them and it's the same thing.;-)
> 
> My favourite is the hands and rosary, it's a simple subject made very
> interesting due to the use of real and shadow. It's small items such as 
> this
> that many people miss because they get hung up in the message and don't see
> the small things that make interesting photographs.
> 
> Cropping:
> Picture 1:
> I'd have cropped the sun out completely right to the top edge of the poster
> centre. At the bottom I'd have done a similar crop, cut the bottom off 
> right
> at the tip of the sign straight across. In this way you tighten up the 
> image
> and get rid of distracting elements and make better use of the print size.
> 
> Picture 2:
> Shadow use is great! If you cropped the top off right to almost the head of
> the person on the right, would've got rid of the sky area that's waste 
> space
> anyway. Then burn down the top corners, to lessen the eye catching that
> drags your eyes away from the power of the shadows!
> 
> And make sure you don't burn those corners too much, because if you do then
> the darkened area becomes obvious and it back fires, then the black becomes
> an eye draw because it looks phoney!
> 
> Picture 3:
> Rosary, I commented.
> 
> Picture 4:
> This is just a sign picture and doesn't do anything. Sure these young girls
> think they've got a mesage because they're holding a sign, but their
> expressions are all over the place.
> 
> I'd have gone tight on one face and one sign rather than this composition
> where you have the waste space showing sky between their heads. It works
> like this: "One girl, one sign equals stronger message when shot tight!" 
> The
> three faces actually become a distraction.
> 
> picture 5:
> This has some potential but you need to burn down the highlighted figure on
> the left side as ones eye jumps right there at first look. Then you have to
> come back to the message. Actually some of the reflected light would've 
> been
> very helpful here!
> 
> And I think a tighter crop taking away as much off the right side, as we
> look at the picture because once again it's waste space and does nothing 
> for
> the picture. Maybe even turn it into a tight vertical.
> 
> Picture 6:
> Obviously she's OK with you taking her picture, so in that case, I'd have
> asked her to hold the sign higher to her chin, that tightens up the frame
> first of all. Then if it didn't make her squinty, I'd have turned her
> slightly to her left to make better use of the light. Given it didn't make
> her squinty-eyed.
> 
> Even though I see a woman holding a baby to her left, she's not that
> important in the picture, I might have tightened the crop and got rid of
> her.
> 
> If we're talking news paper use here, there isn't any space to waste,
> period! Shot tight, crop tight, maximum impact is what these type of events
> are all about!
> 
> Over all well seen and executed. With good light use in most cases.
> 
> Your welcome. ;-)
> 
> ted.
> 
> 
> 
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