“Happiness”

by Bogdan Condor

Aaron

This is a great capture of a couple on the beach during their engagement session. There is so much going right in this image but first, let me address some of the areas that could strengthen the image. I usually handle a photo critique in the exact same way that I would if I were looking at my own image. This doesn’t mean I’m always successful at generating error-free work. I happen to find mistakes or things I could have done better in every image I’ve ever taken. Unfortunately, my level of execution doesn’t equal my ability to spot areas for improvement. It’s one of the things that keeps me creating images – always looking for perfection.

One of the first things I think can be improved is the couple’s pose. I appreciate the genuine expression and the way that the couple is wrapped up in an intimate and non-awkward way. Where you could improve the pose is the position of the woman’s feet. Her knees and legs look nice, but having one foot point vertically downward and connect with the other creates a tangent. When most people talk of tangents in design or photography, they usually refer to the most obvious tangent – horns, antlers or growths. An example of this would be trees that seem to appear out of the back of someone’s head in a portrait. A tangent is basically the connecting of two objects in an awkward or ambiguous way that causes tension.

I cropped in tight to the feet so we could better see the ambiguity of the two foot shapes. Having her move her foot slight away from the other foot would have eased the tension by giving each foot their own distinct shape. In this image they look like the two feet are connected and it’s difficult to see where one foot ends and the other begins. Because of this, the two feet can actually appear as one, interesting-looking appendage.

Below is a small chart that displays the many different kinds of tangents that can be found in visual communication such as drawing, painting and photography. According to the chart, your feet would represent a fused edge or hidden edge tangent. Here is a link that provides more information on tangents and design. Tangents.

Another element I’d like to address in the image is the use of lights and darks and their relationship with each other to create depth. In lighting, we commonly refer to this as chiaroscuro. In the image above, the stacking of lights and darks can create a great sense of depth. Photographing a white shirt against a dark background is a perfect example of how to achieve this separation and render a two dimensional photography more three dimensional. But in the instance of the woman, she’s wearing a black shirt and she’s photographed against a black reef. This causes her to get lost in the background. As soon as her black shirt meets the sky, we see that separation.

The lighting is the last area I’ll mention in the critique of this image. Off-camera-flash (OFC) has been used for many years by photographers and as lights and modifiers became lighter and more mobile, they’ve been incorporated into wedding and portrait photography as well. I see a lot of mixed light photographs (mixing strobes with ambient) and if you aren’t careful, they can end up looking like you just pointed the light directly at the subject. I don’t usually ever light just for the sake of adding light. There always has to be a direction to my light. Just as when I’m using available light, my light source is generally the open blue sky and my hair light is usually the sun. Even when I’m not having the sun hit the couple and they are in open shade, I still use the big open sky as my main light to illuminate their faces. So even when we’re using available light, it has direction. And this is what brings me to the lighting on this couple – it doesn’t look to have direction. The couples faces look as if they had a light put on their faces solely to balance them with their ambient light. It almost looks as if they are being lit by the sun, but I know the sun is at their back, sinking into the ocean. I would try to diffuse this light a little more, to give it the impression of a big sky lighting their face, or I would put the light off to a 45 degree angle and let the light cross their faces and create some drama. These are just other methods of illumination that might create a more subtle balance and more importantly give the light some direction.

Your composition is very strong. I admire your vision and the fact that you followed it by putting the couple out on the rocks. The strong sense of the ocean gives a nice metaphor to the couple’s connection. How the couple are embracing is also a great strength in the image. Many couples look awkward when showing affection and it’s up to photographers to “teach” them how to hold each other in a way that doesn’t look like they’re playing vertical twister. The way you lowered your camera angle was a great call. You placed the heads of the couple above the horizon line and avoided created a tangent with the horizon going through their heads. To the left of the woman, there is a pair of rocks that resemble the couple. Wether intentional or not, I think this repetition of shape is really nice. I also appreciate how you cleaned up the rocks in the water and warmed up the entire image. I think that was a great choice.

I happened to go to your website and you have a bunch of really great work on there. Many of the images displayed there show expertise in many of the areas that could have been stronger in this image. Thank you for your submission and I hope you enjoy the commentary!

Megan

In this image you have a beautiful location and looks as though there is decent texture and light in the sky. The couple is lit, which really separates them from the background in an slightly unpleasing way for me. I will probably sound contradictory since I understand they are the focus of the image and you want them to stand out but there are ways to light them that makes them more cohesive without being lost in the scene. Perhaps it is because the lighting seems a bit harsh making more contrast between the subject and its environment. I really appreciate adding artificial light into portraits, but I think it is a delicate line on how to pull it off when including it into the landscape. All of the elements of a strong image are here with the location, natural light, composition and subject. Your edits from your original cleaned up distractions and made the scene warmer showing your attention to detail. Overall nicely done image.

David

Jason

While the location may be stunning, it appears quite muted and dull compared to the power of the couple. I’d like to see a tighter crop of the couple to bring them more into the emphasis of their passion. Bringing them closer provides a closer look at the details they have in their gaze. I’m sure there are other options that were taken on the photo shoot, but the landscape in this photo isn’t powerful enough to warrant the distance away from the couple.

I really enjoy the connection I make with the couple in the photo. The embrace of this couple is really relaxed and authentic. There relationship is seen as a loving couple. They are well lit and the focal point of the image. Placing them in the rule of thirds helps strengthen their significance. A key eye pays attention to the detail having the ring finger wrap around to be see in the shot.