A wet day in London

[Autumn]

Last weekend we went to London.

A wet Saturday afternoon on a coach in the centre of London, I was trying to capture people with umbrellas, when this bus got in the way. I was going to delete it, but wondered if in fact, there was an image there. What do you think?

I don't go in for blurred, out of focus, camera shake type images, but I see people post them and if the Poster is known to be a good photographer, it seems to be acceptable, but if the Poster is an alsoran, critiques/judges say "It's soft or out of focus."

Can anyone help me to understand where this line is drawn and what is a good pic when it is blurred?

It's taking a lot of courage for me to post this photograph.

[Josh Bear]

Re: A wet day in London

Really great questions to ask. I don't know the answer but I can give you my opinion on why I think your picture works.

For me it is the fact that the rain running down the glass is uniform in pattern and shaprness. Perhaps it could be a bit sharper but it isn't bothering me. The background (i.e. outside is colourful and the bus adds the movement that makes it a good picture that captures interest. Like I have said before, if a picture makes me go back and have another look, then another, then another then it has achieved what it set out to do i.e stimulate thought / interest.

Best Regards

Josh

[Ian]

Re: A wet day in London

Really great questions to ask. I don't know the answer but I can give you my opinion on why I think your picture works.

For me it is the fact that the rain running down the glass is uniform in pattern and shaprness. Perhaps it could be a bit sharper but it isn't bothering me. The background (i.e. outside is colourful and the bus adds the movement that makes it a good picture that captures interest. Like I have said before, if a picture makes me go back and have another look, then another, then another then it has achieved what it set out to do i.e stimulate thought / interest.

Best Regards

Josh

I'm with Josh - the picture works. The blurred colour of the bus makes the picture for me.

Ian

[Archangel]

Re: A wet day in London

Last weekend we went to London.

A wet Saturday afternoon on a coach in the centre of London, I was trying to capture people with umbrellas, when this bus got in the way. I was going to delete it, but wondered if in fact, there was an image there. What do you think?

I don't go in for blurred, out of focus, camera shake type images, but I see people post them and if the Poster is known to be a good photographer, it seems to be acceptable, but if the Poster is an alsoran, critiques/judges say "It's soft or out of focus."

Can anyone help me to understand where this line is drawn and what is a good pic when it is blurred?

It's taking a lot of courage for me to post this photograph.

Audrey,

There is a belief (mistaken according to my opinion) that blurred images form a kind of artistic photography. Well not exactly the case and not exactly the right view for someone to approach artistic photography.

Anyway for me blurriness in images can be interpreted as follows:

1. A blurred image due to the photographer's intention (misfocus, wrong settings or intentionally specific type of settings to give blurriness to an otherwise possible clear image) is the wrong way.

2. A partially blurred image, where blurriness exists in fast moving objects only, while the main theme is clear, is the right way.

Given your photo I would say that I find it to be in the right way.
It is hard to focus through a glass and I see the foreground of the glass with the rain to be in focus (needs a bit more sharpening though) and the people with the umbrellas in the best possible focus that someone could acquire through a glass.
The bus is a fast moving object and it should be blurred given this type of photo.


George

[Danny Chau]

Re: A wet day in London

Last weekend we went to London.

A wet Saturday afternoon on a coach in the centre of London, I was trying to capture people with umbrellas, when this bus got in the way. I was going to delete it, but wondered if in fact, there was an image there. What do you think?

I don't go in for blurred, out of focus, camera shake type images, but I see people post them and if the Poster is known to be a good photographer, it seems to be acceptable, but if the Poster is an alsoran, critiques/judges say "It's soft or out of focus."

Can anyone help me to understand where this line is drawn and what is a good pic when it is blurred?

It's taking a lot of courage for me to post this photograph.

Hi Audrey,

I used to run a BW lab in London, and at any one time I would have up to 10-12 framed prints of work that I've done for my clients. It wasn't until a customer pointed out one day, that out of the collection of 10 or so images, over 9 of them was either soft or blur, these pictures are all chosen on different times. What I am trying to say is that some of the best images doesn't at all need to be corner to corner sharp.

In your photo your have a point of focus which is the rain drops on the window, then the eye will start to wonder and look at other areas, this is usually how our mind works. What you maybe able to improve on this image is to play with the tonality of the image, so the eye don't run off the page (corners) where it becomes too light.

I too agree with you that we all take courage to share our work, I have only just over come the same feelings myself, welcome.

Danny
Attached is a quick corner darkened version

[Andrew Thatcher]

Re: A wet day in London

I think the intent is the key, if your setting out to go all fuzzy then thats fine. Its when its done by bad cameraman-ship is when its bad, you may get lucky and have a good image out of it, but its more rewarding if your setting out to do it. I have nothing against impressionism in photography I'm not one of those that think everything has to be sharp in an image for it to work. Your most of the way there in your image i think the rain could be sharper then the background would work. The bus gives a good sense of movement across the image.

[Tinka]

Re: A wet day in London

I can't add much to what has already been said, for me the image does work, it is colorful interesting and has punch it shows the scene as it was, I have seen images along the same lines in magazines, in frames and on posters.

I don't go in for blurred, out of focus, camera shake type images, but I see people post them and if the Poster is known to be a good photographer, it seems to be acceptable, but if the Poster is an alsoran, critiques/judges say "It's soft or out of focus."

As for your comments regarding successful photographers Vs also rans?, I wish I was an also ran, that would mean that I had been successful in the past I think/hope what you mean is that if some of our more skilled members who post images corner to corner sharp suddenly post a different soft or blurred shot then it stands out even more than usual, so it is picked up on but accepted, if lesser mortals post one it is picked up on and critiqued so as to try and help and to bring about an improvement in the skills of the photographer.

[Autumn]

Re: A wet day in London

Thank you all for your contributions.

After posting, I had realised that the pic needed containing top left. I had forgotten about vignetting to darken the corners and thus focus the eye on the centre. Thank you Danny for reminding me.

Yes Tinka that is what I mean.

I will have a shot at sharpening the raindrops. Not sure if I can do that without sharpening the whole.

[fluffy penguin]

Re: A wet day in London

As I am still new to all this a lot of the technicalities that you have asked and been answered go over my head, but I still know if a picture jumps out at me and makes me react.
And this one sure did.
It did convey to me a cold rainy day, and people scurrying. made me shiver and pleased I was inside.

fp

[Autumn]

Re: A wet day in London

Thank you all for your comments.

I have sharpened, vignetted the corners, inversed the vignet and lightened the centre and possibly given it a little contrast.

Is there any improvement?

[Josh Bear]

Re: A wet day in London

yes. the drops really stand out. Love it

Best regards

josh

[guymclaren]

Re: A wet day in London

I like this Audrey. Its very wet.

[lumix]

Re: A wet day in London

Thank you all for your comments.

I have sharpened, vignetted the corners, inversed the vignet and lightened the centre and possibly given it a little contrast.
Is there any improvement?

I really like this picture. The reworked version is just about right. I downloaded this and played with it. My only findings are that it seems to cry out for a stronger boarder or frame. I tried several and although I could not get what I had in mind, ie a window frame effect, the stronger/heaver the boarder the better it looked to me. Perhaps you could try the same and see what you think.

[Tom]

Re: A wet day in London

Great stuff Audrey. It's excellent. Doesn't bother me ever whether the blur is intentional or accidential; it's the result that matters. Be proud that it was you who pressed the button and captured this. Print this up and be proud to take it to your camera club and show it off.

[Pol]

Re: A wet day in London

Thank you all for your comments.

I have sharpened, vignetted the corners, inversed the vignet and lightened the centre and possibly given it a little contrast.

Is there any improvement?

It's a belter!!

"A soggy Day in London Town ....... you viewed the morning with much alarm then (you clicked the shutter and suddenly) in soggy London town the sun was shining everywhere"

Take a bow, Audrey .. then do as Tom says.

Pol .... (singin' in the rain)