# Is this photo ruined by a composition error? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783 "2012-01-26T22:56:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/1 "2012-01-26T22:56:20Z")
Take a look at [this picture.](http://postimage.org/image/qjjuui83d/) Do you notice something that ruins the composition? If so, what is it? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/2 "2012-01-26T23:01:52Z")
Tree and barn are distractions from your subject, with the barn tucked under the horse’s neck, and the tree not quite touch his head. Either of these elements would be okay if they were given space to balance the main subject. As it is, they crowd at it. Also the horse crap. 🙂 ETA: also the other horse. Of course. :0 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/3 "2012-01-26T23:05:31Z")
Yes, you found it. It’s the other horse. Would you look at that?! As soon as I saw the picture, I realized that it looked like the main horse had an extra pair of parasitic legs coming out of its stomach. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![DeweyDecibel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DeweyDecibel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeweyDecibel)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/4 "2012-01-26T23:05:52Z")
No, it’s a lovely picture of a 6 legged horse. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/5 "2012-01-26T23:09:00Z")
I see an that the horse has an extra set of legs. It doesn’t ruin the picture, just sort of makes me giggle. P.S., I posted this without looking at the other answers. I wonder if this is what others saw. Yeup, the extra set of legs it is! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/6 "2012-01-26T23:13:11Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Yes, you found it. It’s the other horse. Would you look at that?! As soon as I saw the picture, I realized that it looked like the main horse had an extra pair of parasitic legs coming out of its stomach. > > :smack: [Could be worse.](http://forum.sportsmogul.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22143&stc=1&d=1232647157) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/7 "2012-01-26T23:18:23Z")
[Alot worse.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l8aelmmNMI1qd88z0o1_500.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/8 "2012-01-26T23:26:29Z")
A little photoshop and you’ll have a great photo. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/9 "2012-01-26T23:26:58Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > [Alot worse.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l8aelmmNMI1qd88z0o1_500.jpg) Thanks for that. I nearly sprayed my keyboard with pepsi. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/10 "2012-01-26T23:35:06Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [Could be worse.](http://forum.sportsmogul.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=22143&stc=1&d=1232647157) > [@Biggirl](#): > > [Alot worse.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l8aelmmNMI1qd88z0o1_500.jpg) [Much, much worse.](http://weknowmemes.com/2012/01/photobomb-level-expert/) ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/11 "2012-01-27T00:04:53Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > A little photoshop and you’ll have a great photo. Hope you don’t mind, **Argent Towers** - I did a quick and dirty photoshop job and here is what it looks like with the second horse removed and the overall exposure brought down a bit: [Horsie picture](http://s467.photobucket.com/albums/rr40/interface2x/?action=view¤t=horsie2.jpg). I like it. If you don’t want it posted, though, let me know and I’ll take it down immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/12 "2012-01-27T00:08:53Z")
I don’t mind it. Pretty good! You got rid of the other horse’s shadow too - good job. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/13 "2012-01-27T00:10:01Z")
Thanks, I realized that I went a little crazy and removed too much around the horse’s inner back leg, but hey, it was a quick job for illustrative purposes. ETA: Ah crap and the very front of the other horse’s nose is visible! ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/14 "2012-01-27T00:10:52Z")
What tools did you use to do that? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/15 "2012-01-27T00:13:19Z")
Photoshop CS5, done using the content-aware filter, clone stamp, and the Patch tool. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/16 "2012-01-27T00:20:21Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > ETA: Ah crap and the very front of the other horse’s nose is visible! Yeah, I was gonna say, the horse still has a “lump on its neck.” ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/17 "2012-01-27T00:22:45Z")
I’ll tell ya, it’s not easy photographing horses in a pasture. They kept following me around everywhere. It’s damn hard to get them to stand still; they shifted their position constantly. This is one out of hundreds of pictures I took last week for a guy I know who breeds horses. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/18 "2012-01-27T00:24:05Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yeah, I was gonna say, the horse still has a “lump on its neck.” I’m sure it’ll thank you not to stare! ---
**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:** [January 27, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/19 "2012-01-27T00:26:26Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > Photoshop CS5, done using the content-aware filter, clone stamp, and the Patch tool. Nice job, although the other horse is the obvious distraction, personally I find the tree right in front of the horses head awkward looking as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783/20 "2012-01-27T01:54:33Z")
Yeah, and while you’re at it, prune that tree limb off on the left distance, that shouldn’t be there. And make a proper cut, we don’t want to see a stub. And that off on the right background, is that a telephone pole? That is distracting, takes one’s subconscious away from the topic of horses, and onto things like “why hasn’t so-and-so called” or “should I order a pizza?” So that should probably be removed too. Also, do you see that tuft of grass? As if the horse missed a spot? It just does not look natural. I mean, what was it about that particular clump of grass that makes the horse so fussy about it? Another distraction. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-photo-ruined-by-a-composition-error/610783.md?page=2)