People on Durban Pier

[timh]

Please let me know what you think of this image, and what you would have done differently. Thanks for looking. D800E + 50mm f/1.8D

[Fons Baerken]

Nice one Tim, and welcome.

[elsid]

Hi Tim,
I would have taken this shot (if possible) at a time when the pier is quite empty from people, or if one only person was standing on it.

[timh]

Thanks, Fons 

Elsid, thanks for commenting. I live quite close to this pier, and usually go there in the late afternoon, when this photo was taken, and there are lots of people around. You are right, the empty pier would make a good image, so you could see the end heading into the sea. I will make a plan to go early one morning, when hopefully there are fewer people.

[afx]

Early morning would be cool, especially around sunrise.
I personally would crop the posted image from the right so that the poles are close to the image edge.

cheers
afx

[Akira]

Hi, Tim, welcome to NG.

I'm intrigued by the somewhat surreal atmosphere of the image: the clouds of interesting shapes, no one showing his/her face towards the camera, the way people are placed on the pier.

I may want to trim the left part so that the pier comes exactly to the center of the image.

[timh]

Thanks for your comment afx. I tried cropping on the right as you suggested, and I like the result.
The image now has a more definite subject, with the people on the left being more dominant, balanced by the poles on the right.
Thanks for your suggestion.

[timh]

Thanks Akira 

It is interesting that no one is facing towards the camera. Also the way the people are arranged. I can't say that it was intentional, the people just happened to be like that, at that moment.

I took this image a few years ago and didn't edit it at the time because it was quite underexposed. A few days ago I spotted it again and thought it might be worth giving it a go.   Thanks for pointing out that the pier was a bit off center. I have adjusted the original, and although the change is slight, it is an improvement.

[afx]

Thanks for your suggestion.

Glad you like it!

cheers
afx

[armando_m]

Tim,
I agree the crop makes it look much nicer

[Akira]

Thanks Akira 

It is interesting that no one is facing towards the camera. Also the way the people are arranged. I can't say that it was intentional, the people just happened to be like that, at that moment.

I took this image a few years ago and didn't edit it at the time because it was quite underexposed. A few days ago I spotted it again and thought it might be worth giving it a go.   Thanks for pointing out that the pier was a bit off center. I have adjusted the original, and although the change is slight, it is an improvement.

Glad you like it, Tim.  To me, the perfect symmetry would make the image more sterile, which would in turn enhance the surreal atmosphere.

[Peter Forsell]

The new crop suits the image very well. The light and atmosphere are beautiful.

I have one thing that you might consider. The nearest pole is cropped almost exactly at the joint between the dark cap and the light ?reflector? and this fact gives me similar unease as when cropping people at exactly the joints. Just my two cents. Well done image.

[timh]

Thanks for you comment Armando. 

Akira, I have attached the edit with the pier in the middle. Because the previous version was a bit off centre, there was a slight tension. You are right, the lack of tension does add to the surreal quality. Thanks again for your comments.

Peter, thank you for your kind words.  I never noticed where the light was cropped. I have cropped it a bit lower which looks better. After reading your comment, I noticed that the first pillar of the railing is also cropped in the middle, and as a result it appears to be hanging in mid air! Its interesting how one can overlook problems even after looking at an image many times. It definitely helps to have others look as well.