What is your opinion on this photo?

[SensoVision]

Hi folks, I've finally got some free time to sort out my photos. I'd like to ask opinion about this one, as I've argued about this with my girl.
Would like to know if you like it or not and whatever you can say(frank opinion please), I'm asking to learn how other people see things and it hopefully help me to extend my vision of the world.

[Menard]

My first question is: What is it?


I'll touch on what doesn't work with the photograph, then I'll touch on what does work. Keep in mind, though, that this is my opinion, and mothing more, where as someone else may well like something I don't, and vice-versa.


What doesn't work:

*My first question of "what is it" should alude to the first thing that does not work. Something in the photograph should be immediately recognizable. If there is a bit of a mystery you are trying to impart to the viewer with your subject, then something recognizable, even if it is just texture or form, should lead the viewer into the subject.

My first thought of 'what it is' was a caterpillar nest. Looking further at it suggested that this could be the top of a small tree and what I originally though was webbing may the the remnants of thin leaves...well...maybe.


*Your subject is almost dead center. You could have composed the subject a little more to the right, bringing more of the spider web into the picture.

One of the key tools to use for composition is the rule of thirds. You divide your frame (viewfinder) into a grid of three squares by three squares (mentally divide it; don't actually draw on it), giving you what would be like a Tic-Tac-Toe diagram. Center square is off limits; you can focus the attention on any part of the subject, but not in center square.

The rule of thirds, though, is just a guideline, and you will end up crossing over center square.

Another part of rule of thirds is your horizon line. Your horizon line falls at either one-third or two thirds of the way from the top of the frame (or one-third from either the top or bottom of the frame; whichever way you would prefer to look at it).


Here is a cropped version of your picture using the rule of thirds:



By no means have I created a perfect example of the rule of thirds, but you can see where the tips of the branches go up to a line about one-third in from the top of the frame, and the tree top fills the right two-thirds of the frame.

Another thing I have done is to cut off the trailing branch, emphasizing the form and texture of your subject more. In this way, you can use an unrecognizable subject, as the subject of your photograph is not necessarily the identity of the subject, but elements of the subject.


*Distracting elements - although the branch is part of the tree, and it would seem natural to include it, it really doesn't go anywhere or add anything to the picture. Cropping out the branch keeps the viewer's attention on your subject.


*There is too much space around your subject. If you were intending to impart a feeling of isolation (being alone), you did that, and it could work in that way. If you find a fascination in your subject, show more of what fascinates you.



What does work:


*Separation - you have done a good job of separating your subject from your background. I would have prefered not to blur out the background as much, but there is nothing wrong with the way you did it and you have done it well.


*Your focus appears to be good, but I cannot truly tell from the size of the image. You primarily want as much of your subject as you can get, at least the part you want to stress. Thirds, ain't it amazing, also fall into place here. Your depth of field, where you are going to have your sharpest detail before falloff, falls one third before your point of focus and two thirds behind it.


*Although I originally thought that you could have used some fill light on the front of your subject because I thought it looked too contrasty, when I cropped the photo like I did, the contrast looked good on it. It is really a small matter of preference and what looks good from one perspective may or may not look good from another.


*It is darn difficult to get a good focus on a spider web, and particularly from that distance. The spider web appears to show fairly well from what I can see, and I presume that was your point of focus or you got lucky; either one works.



Like I said before, these are just my opinions and someone may fully disagree with me. Any form of art is completely subjective and, although there are guidelines to teach the proper or better ways of doing things, there are no fully right or wrong ways to do it.

The rule of thirds, as I mentioned before, is a guideline only as a memory jogger and, like any good rule, is made to be broken.

[Menard]

One thing I wanted to add:

In macro and nature photography, it is often perfectly acceptable to frame the subject in the center of the picture, especially if it is a split second decision.

If your subject had been a rose, or a butterfly on a flower (something like those), the way that you did the shot would have worked well.

I think the subject of the picture is a little unappealing and that makes the rest of the picture stand out at least a little. Any subject, though, can make a good subject, but sometimes we really have to work with it to get it there.

[Andy]

That was a fascinating tutorial by Menard.

I agree with the points mentioned. The original has too much blurred background around the subject. Unfortunately, I don't like the look of the dead plant either.

[SensoVision]

I'll touch on what doesn't work with the photograph, then I'll touch on what does work. Keep in mind, though, that this is my opinion, and mothing more, where as someone else may well like something I don't, and vice-versa.

Thanks, Bob! I really value your opinion so would be glad to know it as I'm always learning something new from you.

*My first question of "what is it" should alude to the first thing that does not work. Something in the photograph should be immediately recognizable. If there is a bit of a mystery you are trying to impart to the viewer with your subject, then something recognizable, even if it is just texture or form, should lead the viewer into the subject.

it's spider web on dried fennel My

My first thought of 'what it is' was a caterpillar nest. Looking further at it suggested that this could be the top of a small tree and what I originally though was webbing may the the remnants of thin leaves...well...maybe.

I see my mistake, as I thought that it would be easily recognizable by other people. It's just spiderweb on dried fennel. Although autumn was near weather was very hot and among green grass it was single dry plant which I wished to emphasize.

*Your subject is almost dead center. You could have composed the subject a little more to the right, bringing more of the spider web into the picture.

Agree with you but from what I remember other part of spider web was on something I doesn't wish to include into picture, can't quite remember what it was maybe something artificially made. Anyway guess some cropping from the right side would be beneficial to it.

One of the key tools to use for composition is the rule of thirds. You divide your frame (viewfinder) into a grid of three squares by three squares (mentally divide it; don't actually draw on it), giving you what would be like a Tic-Tac-Toe diagram. Center square is off limits; you can focus the attention on any part of the subject, but not in center square.

Yeah I'm aware of it and try to use it when possible, but it's still sometimes difficult for me to apply it in certain situations like this. Thanks for showing how rules of thirds could be applied to this particular image as examples always help!
BTW in the past I draw 4 dots with red marker on my LCD camera monitor just to make it easier to see where important parts of picture are, but they are got erased with time.

By no means have I created a perfect example of the rule of thirds, but you can see where the tips of the branches go up to a line about one-third in from the top of the frame, and the tree top fills the right two-thirds of the frame.

actually your cropping really bring new look to the photograph.

Another thing I have done is to cut off the trailing branch, emphasizing the form and texture of your subject more. In this way, you can use an unrecognizable subject, as the subject of your photograph is not necessarily the identity of the subject, but elements of the subject.
*Distracting elements - although the branch is part of the tree, and it would seem natural to include it, it really doesn't go anywhere or add anything to the picture. Cropping out the branch keeps the viewer's attention on your subject.

Indeed it drag a lot of attention from main subject, guess it shouldn't be found in the picture at all or need to be blended more with background.

*There is too much space around your subject. If you were intending to impart a feeling of isolation (being alone), you did that, and it could work in that way. If you find a fascination in your subject, show more of what fascinates you.

you're rigth, I guess that just didn't manage to reflect my feelings and fascination in this photo and this is one of the main reasons it doesn't work.

*It is darn difficult to get a good focus on a spider web, and particularly from that distance. The spider web appears to show fairly well from what I can see, and I presume that was your point of focus or you got lucky; either one works.

I was trying to get it in focus along with dried fennel, maybe if I manage to get shallower DOF to include in focus only web and some part of fennel than composition would work better as well.

Like I said before, these are just my opinions and someone may fully disagree with me. Any form of art is completely subjective and, although there are guidelines to teach the proper or better ways of doing things, there are no fully right or wrong ways to do it.

I think the subject of the picture is a little unappealing and that makes the rest of the picture stand out at least a little. Any subject, though, can make a good subject, but sometimes we really have to work with it to get it there.

indeed, all people whom I show it tells that subject is simply not interesting so guess that I got fascinated with something unappealing to others and doesn't manage to look it interesting.
So this is the main reason why picture doesn't work.
I also got suggestion to make this photo B&W, I'll play around to see if it work or not and post if got something interesting.

Thanks once again for your comments and critiques on this picture, Bob! it was really good and helpful tutorial!

The original has too much blurred background around the subject. Unfortunately, I don't like the look of the dead plant either.

Thanks, Andy, Svetlana said me same thing, she suggested me to post other picture of live fennel which I don't like