I took this to capture the mist rising from the stream, which it often does in winter. I'd like help with the framing. I think there's too much of the path on the right, the buildings in the distance, the sky over the rooftops, but I can't find any crop that satisfies. If that's because of the original angle, then please suggest how I could find a better one. Thanks!
Thank you for these suggestions. It looks as if this shot itself cannot be saved by cropping, but I have lots of ideas for when the stream starts steaming again, probably early next year. It wells up from underground only about 100 yards from this spot, and keeps the same temperature all year round. This means that on really cold winter days it steams beautifully. I have a seldom-used 135/3.5 lens, so will try to follow Keith's suggestion with that. As for Jenny and Matej, well, I'll take Wellington boots and a ground sheet and change my point of view. Thanks again! This is a great project...
I think theres another option for this location, and thats a mild telephoto (100mm or so) shot from way back. This will allow you to crop tightly to the stream and walls and compress the dof. The converging walls and mists may be quite pleasing.
Well I've given this some thought and my conclusion is quite similar to what Jenny suggested. Give us more stream & mist and less background. Lying down on the ground may be one way of accomplishing this, but if you have access to the sort of big rubber boots that fishermen use, you could also try stepping right into the stream.
Here's something you could have done differently in the original setting. Walk up to those rocks along the edge of the water. Lay down on the ground, parallel to the little river, facing towards the steam. Use something like a 35mm - 50mm lens, so you get a bit of background surrounding, but mostly rocks, steamy water, and a hint of surrounding setting.
Take some pictures with the river running forward/upwards in your picture. Take some more with it running diagonally (all of these, while laying on the rocks).
Then, staying low to the ground, take some facing across the river, with the plants and rocks background.
The point of this is to fill more of the picture with your main subject (water/steam), and less of it with pretty but irrelevant background. The other point is to help you think about unique viewpoints and angles, so you get more different ideas of how to explore a scene.
'Not up to Usefilm standards" - nonsense. Don't remove it just yet, okay? Some pictures require more brain time than others. Or if you really want to remove it and you have it posted elsewhere, email me the link.
I'll remove this in a day or so if there are no suggestions for better trimming/framing, I know it's not up to usefilm standards as it is... I do think there's a great photo in there somewhere. Maybe I'll have to wait until the mist is rising THIS winter...
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