# another "Please Critique/Advise my photo(s)" Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 21, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986 "2012-07-21T19:35:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/1 "2012-07-21T19:35:17Z")
This link points to two photos I took on a particularly foggy day by the Golden Gate. The only phone I had with me was my wife’s cell phone. The third is an attempt to make something out of at least one of them. [Photos](http://www.photoshop.com/users/dfoliver1968/albums/60742061c6264674987f58111e5bfdf0) The first photo probably should have had more traffic in it to add some context. I have had a hard time making a useful photo out of it. The second is the basis of the next two. I think I improved the composition a lot. I also tried to tweak the levels and sharpness, but I am not sure there is much I can do with the colors and grain. I tried to see how it looked in B&W but I don’t like it, not enough contrast or interest throughout. Any thoughts, suggestions. Feel free to upload them and see what you can come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/2 "2012-07-21T19:54:30Z")
It says “This album has been deleted or marked private by its owner.” ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/3 "2012-07-21T19:55:57Z")
Me too. " Album unavailable". Do you have a pic in the [Dopers Picture Gallery](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/index.html)? :: checks:: No, not yet, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/4 "2012-07-21T23:04:50Z")
OK, hopefully this will be better [Photos](http://www.photoshop.com/users/dfoliver1968/albums/60742061c6264674987f58111e5bfdf0) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/5 "2012-07-21T23:05:25Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > OK, hopefully this will be better > > [Photos](http://www.photoshop.com/users/dfoliver1968/albums/60742061c6264674987f58111e5bfdf0) Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/6 "2012-07-21T23:09:58Z")
You might try posterizing them, in either color or B&W. The bold graphic shapes would be interesting in that format. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/7 "2012-07-21T23:14:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Fixed. Geez, its amazing I can even figure out how to turn on a computer. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/8 "2012-07-21T23:27:55Z")
I like the final cropped shot quite a bit. Strikes me like the opening shot of a movie scene. I am waiting for the camera to pan down the cables. Evocative and quite memorable, I’m sure I’d be able to call it to mind months from now. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/9 "2012-07-22T01:20:39Z")
[A quick edit](http://s7.postimage.org/mwh0k5f63/bridge.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/10 "2012-07-22T03:06:23Z")
Your last photo is amazing, **Gangster Octopus** - and **zombywoof** ’s edit makes it outstanding. Good work, you two! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/11 "2012-07-22T05:51:16Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > Your last photo is amazing, **Gangster Octopus** - and **zombywoof** ’s edit makes it outstanding. . . . except for the over-sharpening. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/12 "2012-07-22T08:31:54Z")
I dunno **panache45** - I like it like that… ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/13 "2012-07-22T23:54:02Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > . . . except for the over-sharpening. Didn’t apply any sharpening adjustment myself, though cropping and a levels adjustment do bring out the halos present in the original - there’s only so much to work with in an underexposed cell phone .jpg. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/14 "2012-07-23T01:00:54Z")
I actually applied an Unsharp Mask in hopes of bringing out the orange color of the bridge more, I should post the picture without that layer. Like **zombywoof** said, there is only so much you can do when the detail isn’t in the original. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/15 "2012-07-23T01:06:45Z")
I like much better after the edit. For some reason I am expecting something really bad is hiding in the fog. There is a sense of forewarning in it. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/16 "2012-07-23T01:25:35Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > I like much better after the edit. For some reason I am expecting something really bad is hiding in the fog. There is a sense of forewarning in it. Do you mean the third one in my link or **zombywolf’s** link? ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/17 "2012-07-23T07:54:23Z")
When composing shots, watch out for little distractions: the top of the streetlight at the bottom in the first photo is a good example. Those are really strong graphic shapes that demand the eye’s attention, and distracting from them clutters things up. The second one feels off-balance, to the right: there’s a dividing line down the centre, top to bottom, and all the visual ‘weight’ is on the right-hand side of the divide. Because there’s so little of the traffic at bottom left, that feels a little like a distraction as well. Third one’s definitely a strong shot, compositionally speaking. The line leading into the image is awesomely strong, giving it a sense of tension and movement; there’s a nice contrast between the reddish colour of the main line and the grey of the fog. I do think you’ve gone a little far on the sharpening but the composition is just about spot-on, imho. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/18 "2012-07-23T12:30:22Z")
What **tavalla** said. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/19 "2012-07-23T16:32:38Z")
> [@tavalla](#): > > When composing shots, watch out for little distractions: the top of the streetlight at the bottom in the first photo is a good example. Those are really strong graphic shapes that demand the eye’s attention, and distracting from them clutters things up. > > The second one feels off-balance, to the right: there’s a dividing line down the centre, top to bottom, and all the visual ‘weight’ is on the right-hand side of the divide. Because there’s so little of the traffic at bottom left, that feels a little like a distraction as well. > > Third one’s definitely a strong shot, compositionally speaking. The line leading into the image is awesomely strong, giving it a sense of tension and movement; there’s a nice contrast between the reddish colour of the main line and the grey of the fog. I do think you’ve gone a little far on the sharpening but the composition is just about spot-on, imho. Thanks for the input. I agree with everything you said, those were my thoughts exactly about the first two. The third one is just the second one cropped to remove all that negative space and a little other tweaking to try and bring out some more interest in the photo, it looked too flat, IMO. I did consciously try to make the bridge line disappear into the fog at the southeast “rule-of-thirds” intersection. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-please-critique-advise-my-photo-s-thread/628986/20 "2012-07-30T12:57:17Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Do you mean the third one in my link or **zombywolf’s** link? zombywolf’s edit improves it, but the elements that makes it a strong image are there. Like I said, there is (for me at least) a strong sense of tension, forewarning. It’s like a scene from a scary science fiction movie.