Is this picture OK or meaningless? Comment and critique

[JoeyRoa]

I know art is subjective, but when you look at this picture below, what are your thoughts? I am unsure because I am a beginner and I haven't started trusting my work yet... please critique openly. I want to get better.

i'm a beginner too.. i'm sure you were just enjoying blurred circles in the background... that's it... foreground is meaning less... at first look i saw lights not the twigs or sticks.. look around perhaps there's more interesting subjects... better you backed off and shot the wbole scene.

Edit: or just wait for a night bird (???) to get on the twigs.

cheers!

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Graphic Designer / Pre-Press / Photography Hobbyist
A Father of One

 

[JoeyRoa]

scenario, who would you have framed? The one in the middle or the one to the right?

what i see in this photo is you had a timing here because she throw a good smile for you.. but the lady in the front popped up... and ruined your composition.

if i were you i would do this..

WARNING: Professionals... i'm a beginner.

[ATTACH alt="then buy a 4"x3" frame... "]media_3588860[/ATTACH]
then buy a 4"x3" frame...

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Graphic Designer / Pre-Press / Photography Hobbyist
A Father of One

 

[Glen Barrington]

The photo has no emotional or intellectual content.

 

[NoDOF]

Meaningless.

Tedolph

I agree. If some of the red dots were in focus, it might be better, but the barren branch is meaningless.

The framing of the second photo is fine. The closest subject should generally be the point of focus, but doesn't need to be centered. As shot, it includes enough context to tell the story, and the arm is part of it. It shows the exuberance of the occasion.

 

[mostlyboringphotog]

I know art is subjective, but when you look at this picture below, what are your thoughts? I am unsure because I am a beginner and I haven't started trusting my work yet... please critique openly. I want to get better.

Photo is OK but sans meaning to a casual viewer ;-)

BTW, meaningless seems unnecessarily pejorative... as I have tons of photos just like yours above.

Good luck.

 

[Bob]

Art is a form of communication.

This could be a fantastic image, or nothing special. It depends on what you're trying to express.

 

[tedolf]

Art is a form of communication.

This could be a fantastic image, or nothing special. It depends on what you're trying to express.

What the op is trying to express is irrelevant. All art is objective, i.e. not subjective from the creator's viewpoint.

The only thing that matters is how it is perceived by others. If it does not communicate anything, it is worthless.

tEdolph

 

[thewzrdharry]

I know art is subjective, but when you look at this picture below, what are your thoughts? I am unsure because I am a beginner and I haven't started trusting my work yet... please critique openly. I want to get better.

You've got a lot of the basic right - exposure, focus, colour etc. The blurry colours in the background are great, but the branches in focus don't really say much. Great photos are made up of more than one element - and if you manage to nail a few or there is a great story being told thats where the magic happens. Its a great start but try and get something interesting happening in the foreground and the background. OR if your subject in focus is interesting enough, then isolate the subject by putting it in front of a blank background.

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I'm on Instagram: http://instagram.com/thewzrdharry

 

[Gerry Winterbourne]

Thanks.

I know what you mean and it's good that you acknowledge the comments.

But I don't really think "kind words" is the right expression. "Kind" suggests that they said more than your post deserved and they don't - your advice truly was excellent and thoroughly deserves that praise.

 

[Gerry Winterbourne]

Despite what some people have said the picture isn't really meaningless, but it takes quite a lot of effort from the viewer to find meaning in it. But that's why we can't call it OK either - you shouldn't push so much effort on to the viewer.

The post from jbf shows how you could pull something clearer from your starting version, and you could find others. The fact that he did pull ideas from it show why it isn't really meaningless; the fact that he had to shows why it isn't OK.

But you should carry on looking for quirky subjects and don't be put off by the negative comments.

 

[NearerNirvana]

Despite what some people have said the picture isn't really meaningless, but it takes quite a lot of effort from the viewer to find meaning in it.

And no small irony that people who make no effort other than to state "meaningless" add nothing meaningful to the debate or for the beginner :-|

 

[jbf]

Thanks.

I know what you mean and it's good that you acknowledge the comments.

But I don't really think "kind words" is the right expression. "Kind" suggests that they said more than your post deserved and they don't - your advice truly was excellent and thoroughly deserves that praise.

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Gerry
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First camera 1953, first Pentax 1985, first DSLR 2006
http://www.pbase.com/gerrywinterbourne
[email protected]

Wow! Can I call what you just said "kind"?

All of the positive responses are great to hear. I've never been good at seeing how to compose a scene when I'm taking the photo, so my best skill is figuring out how I should have shot the scene once I get the photo on my computer. It may have come in handy here. Also, most of what I know about photography I learned on this site. I like to pay it forward when I can.

Thanks again Gerry,

jbf

 

[Sp0nG3B08]

imo its an ok picture.

there is a say : "everything is in the eye of the beholder" . it means that whoever will look at it will interpret it differently . me i think this is a nice fall or spring picture , for a birthday card maybe .

what my eye sees : branches , then i see they have no leaves and then questions pop up what does the photographer mean ? the cycle of life, maybe or the finality of things , etc... this picture isn't meaning less , its Too full of meaning. its just hard for the viewer to grasp a message without context which is excellent! ( you can use the photo in many places which is great !)

if i was the photographer i would do it exactly like that ( i am a bit noob but hey its my opinion )

 

[Aria Patel]

Thank you all again for your inputs! I noted all the points down. I appreciate it!

Happy clicking this weekend!

 

[tedolf]

imo its an ok picture.

there is a say : "everything is in the eye of the beholder" . it means that whoever will look at it will interpret it differently .

That is not what it means. It means that the creator's opinion is irrelevant and it is the viewer's opinion that matters.

me i think this is a nice fall or spring picture , for a birthday card maybe .

what my eye sees : branches , then i see they have no leaves and then questions pop up what does the photographer mean ? the cycle of life, maybe or the finality of things , etc... this picture isn't meaning less , its Too full of meaning. its just hard for the viewer to grasp a message without context which is excellent! ( you can use the photo in many places which is great !)

if i was the photographer i would do it exactly like that ( i am a bit noob but hey its my opinion )

Tedolph

 

[Aria Patel]

imo its an ok picture.

there is a say : "everything is in the eye of the beholder" . it means that whoever will look at it will interpret it differently .

That is not what it means. It means that the creator's opinion is irrelevant and it is the viewer's opinion that matters.
Tedolph

This was why I wanted to see what the viewers thought. The bokeh are actually confetti thrown up in the air during the same parade. I acted fast and clicked only to realize that I actually liked the shot :-O

But then, I thought that I was only a beginner and I'd probably think "I'm cool" anyway and wanted to see how others perceived the barren branch shot.

So far, I am loving this discussion! :-D