Our August 2011 assignment was water. Water makes up most of our planet and we are mostly water as well. Everything is connected to water so for this assignment I asked you to go out and find the best way to showcase water in a photograph.
Lots of great entries were submitted. Overall, the only consistent problems seemed to be with clarity/exposure. Water, like snow, often gives a false reading to your camera's light meter because the water is so much brighter than the surrounding objects.
This results in the camera underexposing the scene in an attempt to even out the light across the scene. Either manually adjusting exposure or a quick levels adjustment after capture should correct this problem and give photos a much more vibrant result.
Be sure to check out all the great entries after you review the winner and finalist images.
Congratulations to our winner and finalists of Photography Assignment #93 - Water
Winner - neleonar
Finalists - Sherrilikens, Mahashakes, and Sandi OReilly
Honorable Mentions - mazie, whovelaz and janeagle
Winning Image by neleonar for Water Photography Assignment #93
My Overall Thoughts
I like the soft lighting in this image. There are just enough highlights in the water to keep my eye on the water even though the blue background has shapes that closely mimic the shape of the water. I also like the varying shapes of the water. Even though the water motion is frozen, the shapes suggest motion very well to me.
What Works
- Vertical Frame
Using a vertical shot for this subject works much better than horizontal would have. Using a vertical frame helps to emphasize the shape of the water.
- Color
Blue is a color strongly associated with water. Using a blue background helps to emphasize what type of liquid is show within the photo as well as suggest a calm emotion. - Depth of Field
Having good focus on the water while the background is nicely blurred helps to keep our focus on the water. The shapes and highlights in the background also create the feel of ripples. - Shutter Speed
Using a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion of the water gives us a chance to examine the shapes produced by the falling water in a way we cannot at normal speeds. This adds interest to the photo.
What Doesn't Work
- Subject Placement
With action photography it is very important to consider the motion within the frame. While the motion is frozen by the shutter, it is still suggested by the shapes of the water. Because the water is so close to the bottom of the frame, the motion is effectively cut off and the water has nowhere to go.
You can read the story behind the image on the original photo submission page.
Finalist Image by Sherrilikens for Water Photography Assignment #93
My Overall Thoughts
The close crop of this photo helps me to focus on the water itself. I like the water splashed on the face and it helps keep the photo about the water to me. It is a different approach to the idea of water which I also like.
What Works
- Composition
Vertical framing works for this image as it emphasizes the height of the water in the image. The subject placement roughly on the rule of thirds right side vertical line gives strength to the water and mouth while the leading line of the water keeps the eye moving through the length of the water arch.
- Shutter Speed
A relatively fast shutter speed has stopped the water just enough to give some shape and clarity to the water but is still blurred enough to give us a sense of the fluidity of the liquid. - Depth of Field
A shallow depth of field in this photo keeps our attention mostly on the primary water arch and the mouth while still allowing just enough focus for us to see the dripping water in the background so that the photo doesn't seem flat.
What Doesn't Work
- Exposure
While the overall exposure of the photo is good, the extra brightness of the child's face when compared with the dark background behind the water tends to cause the face to try to dominate the water. Especially in a photo like this one where a secondary subject is larger than the primary subject, getting the exposure values nearly perfect are very important. The splashed water across the face helps to counteract some of the face's attempts to overpower water as the subject but a graduated neutral density filter could have helped tone down the face just slightly while still getting a good exposure on the water.
You can read the story behind the image on the original photo submission page.
My Overall Thoughts
I like how this photo puts water into perspective within our daily lives. Showcasing the droplets on glass while still having a recognizable street scene in the background gives a sense of place to the water. For those who have expressed concerns about watermarks, please remember that for these photo contests I do not detract from an image based on watermark location. Allowances must be made in order to help the About Photography members feel safe about sharing their photos online.
What Works
- Composition
Horizontal framing works well for street images because it echoes the horizontal nature of a street moving through our space. The figure placement roughly on the rule of thirds right side vertical line gives emphasis to the figure but the shallow depth of field keeps attention on the water itself. - Depth of Field
As mentioned in composition, a shallow depth of field in this frame keeps our attention on the water itself while allowing the background to become a rough sense of location.
What Doesn't Work
- Composition
It may seem odd to say composition does and does not work but read on a moment and it will make sense. The camera sees everything in the frame while we tend to "tune out" bits of the frame that we don't like. This is what happens when we don't notice a telephone pole in the background of a photo until after we take the photo and it looks like a pole "growing" out of a subject's head. In this case, there is a vertical scratch on the glass positioned at the lower left intersection of the rule of thirds lines. This combines with the linear shape of the scratch (which contrasts strongly to the water drop shapes) to grab the viewer's attention away from the water droplets.
You can read the story behind the image on the original photo submission page.
My Overall Thoughts
The splashes create wonderful abstract patterns in this photo that contrast with horizontal lines of the steps and the white water against the black shows beautifully. Overall it is just a great abstract of water in motion.
What Works
- Exposure
The water is clearly lit but not overexposed while the black has enough light to show the texture of the stone steps. A touch more brightness might have worked but the exposure on the photo as is works well.
- Shutter Speed
The shutter speed is fast but just shy of completely freezing all motion of the water. This gives us mostly clear water while still showing the fluidity of the splashes. The varying speeds of the water splashes are well captured as well. If all of the motion was completely frozen this photo would not have worked as well at conveying motion.
What Doesn't Work
- Depth of Field
There are so many different planes to the splashes that it can be difficult to accurately focus on a scene like this. A larger depth of field would have helped to add a bit more definition to the splashes, especially the larger foreground splashes.
You can read the story behind the image on the original photo submission page.