Which image is better and why?

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Jason B
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Which image is better and why?

Post by Jason B »

Image

Image

Regina septemvittata - Queen snake

Both shot with a Sigma 20mm on a Canon, 1/100th, F/8, natural light

Which image is better and why?

Thanks,
Jb
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Daryl Eby
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Daryl Eby »

My gut reaction is a strong preference for the first. Saying why is a little tougher.

1) Composition is more pleasing with bridge near upper 1/3 line and snake near intersection of lower left 1/3 lines and facing toward the center. Might have been better if the snake was slightly higher. The second photo seems too long, or maybe I just have a bias against portrait type shots.

2) Better pose of snake. The ventral striping under the neck is visible and the snake seems more alert and interacting with the viewer.

3) Better focus on snake.

4) I like seeing the full bridge. Wish it could have been in focus. Its a shame to have such a great secondary subject OOF. That said, you got better results than I've been able to achieve in similar types of shots.

The only thing I noticed that I prefer about the second is that more water is visible. Also, the truncated tree at the left side of the bridge might be a little distracting. Perhaps having that all the way at the left (like in the 2nd shot) would have been better, not sure.
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Hans Breuer (twoton)
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Hans Breuer (twoton) »

I like the first composition better. More breathing space for the image elements, less claustrophobia. Technically, I find them both a bit dim, but that might be my monitor.
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brick911
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by brick911 »

First one, all the way. I like the bridge out of focus. I don't think you could get in focus... maybe at F32 or something?
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chrish
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by chrish »

I prefer the second one.

1. The position of the snake in the frame is better. Yes, the pose of the snake is better in the first shot, but it is too far down in the frame.

2. The OOF bridge is better in the second shot. Yes, you can see more of the bridge in the first shot, but the left end of the bridge isn't interesting and the tree blocks it.

3. I think your DOF is perfect. Because the bridge is such a strong compositional element, if you had it in focus it would make us look at the shot and say "Oh, that's a scenic bridge photo.....oh wait, there's a snake!". By having the bridge OOF, it is clear that it is a photo of a queen snake with a scenic habitat behind it.

4. The second shot has more of the habitat visible. These aren't snakes that live under covered bridges, these are snakes that live along streams. Seeing the stream is more "informative" than more of the bridge.

5. And to be geeky and compositionally technical, I think the simple parallel lines of the log edge and the bridge contrast nicely with the curved lines of the snake on that even patterned log. This draws the eye to the snake right away. You don't get quite that effect in the top photo because you don't have as much linearity to the log edge (it curves a bit). It might have made a really interesting composition if you could have positioned the snake in a pattern that followed the lines of the log/bridge (i.e. somewhat uncoiled moving parallelish to the log edge).

I would clone out the car from both shots and it would have been better with some fill flash. They are a little dark/flat looking. You might be able to brighten up the front of the snake a bit in Photoshop and frankly the whole photo could use a tiny bit of brightening.

Well executed shots overall.

Chris
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justinm
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by justinm »

The second shot is my preference but I can't really expound as to why. I flipped back and forth, and liked the second one better.
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geckoguy747
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by geckoguy747 »

i have to go with the second one. the snake feels more like the focus of the shot, probably because it seems to fill more of the frame. in the second shot it's just a part of the photo. there's too much space filled with much less interesting things distracting you, not to say i don't like the background, though. the snake itself, however, is posed way better in the first shot.
josh
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Antonsrkn
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Antonsrkn »

I started liking #1 better, started replying and quickly read the responses before mine so as not to rehash too much and both sides make a good argument. I looked again and saw some of the things the others mentioned in the images, now I'm not sure which image I prefer. Several things that instantly caught my eye about the first one and helped me form my initial opinion is that I do like the snakes pose better in the 1st image, it also seems like you shot from a slightly lower angle in #1 than in #2 which puts you more on the snakes level which I also like.
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Jason B
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Jason B »

Wow, I just learned a ton! Thanks guys, you all are genius.

Jb
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Nshepard
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Nshepard »

Seems to be a mixed bag of opitions on this one, so I'll add mine.

I really, hands down, prefer the second photo!!!

Angle and position of the snake: we can see more of the dorsal part of the snake and the top/side of his head vs. in the 1st photo we are looking at his chin.

The snake is better positioned in the photograph than in the 1st.
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Carl Brune
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Carl Brune »

Interesting discussion. I like the second one better, in part because you can see more of the water. I'd like to see the bridge a little more in focus, because covered bridges are rather cool in their own right...
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Jason B
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Re: Which image is better and why?

Post by Jason B »

I'm enjoying hearing everyone's justifications for their opinions. Here's one from the series with the bridge in focus:

Image
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