Would really appreciate comments. This is one of my earlier photos, but still one of my personal favorites. I know the hood intruded, but I couldn't find cropping to suit me.

Thanks David Martin

-- David Martin (webjunk@dfmartin.com), February 20, 2003

Answers

Depending on your attitude for criticism, I'm either about to slam your photo or give you suggestions for improvement. Please take the following comments in the better light (no pun intended).

- Mechanics: You already know the hood caused vignetting, so I won't go into that. There is a pervading lack of sharpness here; can't tell if it's from the shot, the print, or the scan.

- Composition: First, I perceive a tilt in the frame from the angle of the horizon and the clouds visible through the arch. The camera may have been level, but it doesn't look it from the shot. Second, the cropping choice leaves a lot to be desired. There needs to be more arch in this photo. Third, your human subject is flat out overpowered by the arch. I think your subject is a woman, but her distance from the camera (coupled with the above mentioned lack of sharpness) makes it hard to tell. Her relative size and position don't add anything to the shot.

- Timing: This looks like it was shot on a pretty cloudy day and with harsh sunlight. Wilson Arch is outside Moab, the hearland of red rock country. Midday is not the time to shoot color; the sandstone almost always appears drab and the lighting is flat. I speak from experience. Morning or evening light will always work better.

Overall, this has the appearance of a vacation snapshot rather than a planned photograph. There is nothing innately wrong with a snapshot -- they help preserve your memories and take you back to the location. However, they pose a problem when they are offered up for critique, because of two things. First, there is normally little to no planning process in taking a snapshot, so the photo is set up to be flawed. Second, there are always more emotional ties to snapshots because of the memories that go with them and/or the people (friends, family, etc.) that appear in the shot. This makes it hard for observers to critique and hard for the photographer to take criticism.

How would I improve this shot? I'm not sure; I've never been to Wilson Arch, though I've been to Moab a couple of times, so I don't know the lay of the land. Off the top of my head, I'd say shoot in better lighting (closer to sunset), use a wider angle lens, use a more dramatic angle (perhaps drop down and shoot up at the arch), use a tripod to ensure level horizons, and get your human subject closer and in a more prominent position (alternatively, shoot without anyone in the frame). And lose the hood to avoid vignetting.

I hope you take my comments as constructive criticism and come back with more improved shots for us to see.

-- Christian Deichert (torgophile@aol.com), February 20, 2003.

I appreciate your response. The most impactful aspect of your critique is that you are an observer. You made me look at my own photo through someone else's eyes. That is what I was hoping for, although difficult to do at times. The sharpness, I believe, is due to scanning and other artifacts from sending it through the digital byways of my computer. The slanted horizon - I am ashamed. That is a perfect example of my own personal feelings clouding my judgement. Again I appreciate your comments (all of them) and hope to return with better shots.

-- David Martin (webjunk@dfmartin.com), February 20, 2003.