Need some advice

[Belushi]

What did I do wrong here?
My Mother-out-law (cue Ride of the Valkyries) who knows a bit about land photgraphy says this is nice ... am I being over critical in my "I dont like this, but I dont know why" attitude?

Please be as critical as is objectively possible, I would like to learn.

 

[Zerogravity]

The pic is ok, but lacks visual impact. Really, I'm not sure what I'm looking at. The light streaming in would have greater effect if the pic was a bit darker with more contrast between the brighter light rays and the darker wall of the cave. Also, how large is this image? Larger images obvioulsy have greater impact and visual appeal because they tend to bring the viewer into the picture. I know the size for posting is limited but always go as large as possible. Take a look at Dee's photos: great composition, lighting, the images of her best really jump out at you. Also depends too, on what kind of gear you are using. DSAO ZG

 

[James connell]

zerogravity is on the right track.
the pix has no sence of scale and no center point for the eye, your eye roams around the shot looking for a subject ( the highlite in the very top is nice but is to far off center to help.
a diver(s) in the shot ( not nessesarily in the exact center) lit by the central beam of lite mite be a good choice,it would give it much more 'impact'.

what you'v done is build a great set but didn't put the actors in it.

 

[cdiver2]

Zero is right I think this a great scean and would have called for a bit of experimenting (bracket)

 

[Dee]

I think only because I love swim thrus and can guess what's on the other side!

I also have to agree with Zero and James. The only main focal point is the sunbeams and I keep looking for something for them to land on....no actors on your stage sort of thing. If there had been light coming through the opening behind the sunbeams, you eye would have had somewhere to go.

The exposure isn't bad. You've got good depth in the shot, good foreground, central and background, just no subject. So this is a composition snafu more than an exposure one.

Your M-I-L in right, it's a nice picture, but it won't hold anyones attention very long.

 

[James connell]

cdiver2 once bubbled...
Zero is right I think this a great scean and would have called for a bit of experimenting (bracket)

the exposure isn't off by much - some but few zone 9s and the zone 0s are about right. about 1/2 stop darker would give a more dramatic effect . this is one of those cases were a filter would have been a help - it would have darkened the shadows ( with out cutig off the highlites), brought out the color a little and added depth to the pix.

 

[PapaBob]

Ditto the prior responses. Remember seawater tends to scatter light creating lack of contrast. It also kills color as you probably know. This is not bad for ambient light.

---Bob

 

[TheAvatar]

Zero and James have it.

The first question someone is going to ask is "where is the subject?". There isn't one. You could try to say the ethereal light beams are the subject... For an image like this to work without one, it needs to be a little more dramatic and/or slightly better composition (composition is ok but lacking) among other things. I wonder how it would look in PS if you desaturated it 100% and increased the contrast (among other things).

It's an OK picture. It made me want to dive there. Then again, most dive pictures make me want to dive. You wouldn't be able to pay me to put it on my wall though (Ansel owns my walls).

 

[James connell]

TheAvatar once bubbled...
For an image like this to work without one, it needs to be a little more dramatic and/or slightly better composition (composition is ok but lacking) among other things. I wonder how it would look in PS if you desaturated it 100% and increased the contrast (among other things).

It's an OK picture. It made me want to dive there.

i'd like to know just how big that crack is -
jugdeing from the "blueness" of the water and how far vis goes, it makes me think of a 20-40ft depth, bit it could be only 2 ' or so.

comments on comp is a hard thing in cases like this. you have no idea whats behind and to the side - this could have been shot from under an overhang after a sharp turn, no chance of doing much more with it. ( i do think the forground on the bottom is not nessesary but that should go in a crop.)

how's this for a fast (5min) PS touchup?

 

[TheAvatar]

James connell once bubbled...

comments on comp is a hard thing in cases like this. you have no idea whats behind and to the side - this could have been shot from under an overhang after a sharp turn, no chance of doing much more with it. ( i do think the forground on the bottom is not nessesary but that should go in a crop.)

True... sometimes one can only do so much... but sometiimes the best one can do with the composition isn't enough to make the image great. This was the point I was going for.

how's this for a fast (5min) PS touchup?

Your edit makes the image much more dramatic and the elements you altered gives me much more of a feeling of being in a cave. I like it.