More Luck than Skill !!!, a photo from Oxfordshire, England

Photographer's Note

Every Saturday the Banbury Canoe club come out and practice their sport. This photo taken from the lock gate with a low POV and a shallow DOF was more by luck with the sun light catching the narrow boat and the canoeist at the same position.. I guess it would have been a very different image if I had set a f/stop around 11.. but as I was holding the camera inches above the water lever, I was focusing more on getting the angle and position right, than on the DOF.. I look forward to your comments

holmertz, ikeharel, besnard, RhodieIke, Sonata11, Cricri, vasilpro, delpeoples, baddori has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (27216) 2011-07-31 8:42

Hello Richard,
Personally, with the simple camera I carry these days, I rely on sheer luck all the time. This was obviously one of those moments when luck was on your side and you got the sharpness where you wanted it. Regardless of technicalities it's a very enjoyable composition of the single canoeist gliding across the glittering surface alongside the individually painted houseboats.
Kind regards,
Gert

batalay (32930) 2011-07-31 9:12

Hello Rich,

I'm glad I was logged into TE when this wonderful photo logged in. The colorful house boats lining the canal provide an ideal counterpoint to the sole kayaker paddling by. The light is exquisite, and the depth-of-field could not be better. The blurred images of the distant boats does not become a distraction to subject in the foreground.

Warm regards and enjoy what's left of Sunday.

Bulent

digbymerry (3998) 2011-07-31 9:46

Hello Richard

I agree with Batalay. I only have a Lumix LX3 compact camera so virtually all my photos are taken without having to consider DOF. In the old days of film I used to have an SLR and will probably purchase one again if I can justify the expense and this will increase my range of photography. Here the POV, comnposition and colour are great. You have hit the focus at the right point but I would personally have preferred more DOF as I would have liked to see detail in all the narrow boats.

Best wishes

Digby

besnard (49031) 2011-07-31 10:38

Bonsoir Richard
Je trouve que le résultat est bon. L'image est profonde, colorée et animée.
Merci pour le partage et bonne fin de journée.
Nicole

williewhistler (7595) 2011-07-31 13:13

Hello Richard,perfect timing in a lovely light make this a stand out shot,even the paddle is across the verticals!
Lots of detail and well produced.Lovely.
All the best Les.

RhodieIke (9207) 2011-07-31 13:19

Hi Rich, Super photo, super timing, love the shimmering light on the water, great colours and presentation, Cheers Iain.

Sonata11 (28758) 2011-07-31 21:46

Hello Richard,
this shot of the man in canoe and house boats are a very interesting, well presented to show us so many details and great atmosphere. Fantastic composition and framework as well. Wonderful time, great colors, fantastic POV. I love the DOF, is brilliant. Thanks for sharing and the information. Well done.
All the best,
Barbara

SnapRJW (19188) 2011-08-01 0:19

Hello Richard - tales on the riverbank! A lovely presentation of an idyllic scene and I think the DOF works well as you are pin-sharp on the main subject and BG detail is sufficient to give the context. Lovely light on the area of focus and I love the weeping willow which acts as a partial frame. Warm regards Rosemary
PS I have mailed Ann.

Cricri (87288) 2011-08-01 10:25

Hi Ric
Et le résultat est plutôt satisfaisant :-))
c'est joli, bien composer, la lumière et les couleurs ajoute une pointe de gaieté en plus de la scéne
Belle soirée
cricri

corjan3 (1879) 2011-08-01 12:18

Hello Richard,
I fully agree with all the positive comments above and I am sure I enjoy looking at this scene as much as everyone else here. I think cropping off the OOF foreground would make this iamge even better but very good as is. Best wishes.
Neels

lousat (58446) 2011-08-01 15:15

Salut Richard,quelle magnifique choix de la prise pour creer cette perspective san fin,magnifique idee' et composition tres riche des elements et couleurs.Mes compliments et bon Mardi,Luciano

emka (59010) 2011-08-01 15:28

hi Rich,
You prefer not to go anywhere, just take pictures from your garden. A lot of boats are moored there now. Interesting idea such a low POV. about f stop I have nothing to say, as you know. Skill and luck.. I have no skill, luck sometimes, I believe in probability. With many photos made some must be more interesting than others. Such nice memories...Regards from rainy Warsaw
Malgo

pajaran (36906) 2011-08-01 15:29

Pozdrav.
Dobar tekst ...
Lepo mesto sa usidrenim camcima, lepa fotografija.
Dobar ugao snimka i trenutak sa veslacem kanua, dobra kompozicija i lepe boje.
Sve najbolje u novoj nedelji koja je pocela.
Paja.

Google.

Hello.
Good article ...
Nice place with anchored boats, beautiful photos.
Good angle shot and the moment the canoe paddlers, good composition and beautiful colors.
All the best in the new week that started.
Paja.

mauro61 (52527) 2011-08-01 23:41

ciao Richard,
simpatica scena ben ambientata con la fila dei barconi ormeggiati e il passaggio della canoa che scorre sulle acque del fiume.
saluti
maurizio

Fis2 (73646) 2011-08-02 13:43

Witaj Richard!
Curious place.
Interesting boats.
Canoe add savor of photo.
I like frame and colors.
Well done.
Best regards
Krzysztof

vasilpro (40233) 2011-08-02 23:05

Hello Richard,
Wonderful action composition, excellent POV, very nice light management, natural colors, I like the blur BG, interesting scene.
Have a nice day, Vasilis.

wolf38 (28300) 2011-08-03 5:11

Hi Richard. .... First I read the interesting text. Of course, the technical side of photography is not unimportant. Everyone should be able to adjust the camera properly. That's one side. The other side is the image processing on the computer. Your photo shows exactly how you worked. Altogether well done. Rgds, Wolfgang.

lakshmip1949 (19110) 2011-08-03 6:52

hello Richard,

This on is absolutely a beauty. Love those colored houseboats with green lush in the background. I like the quiet waters and the man rowing.

Lakshmi

ikeharel (38090) 2011-08-08 1:17

Hello Richard,
The moment taken came out superb, even as you noted from just above water surface, and yet you achieved good DOF even with 2.8F stop.
Vivid colors and with fine light in compo.
Regards
Ike

delpeoples (45717) 2011-08-19 2:27

Hi Rich

I think you're being too modest. There's alot of skill that went into this shot. The light is wonderful and I really like how you;ve played with the depth of field and low POV. The light shimmering on the water is idyllic. Fantastic job, thanks for sharing.

Have a great weekend
Lisa

baddori (19065) 2011-08-19 12:13

Richard
Spot ..diaframma aperto ed hai perfettamente messo a fuoco il canoista ...
ottime la case galleggianti .
La scena c'è e come .
Il movimento è perfetto ...Il luogo splendido .
GF

cornejo (18714) 2011-09-21 11:52

Hello Richard, good and beautiful picture of this beautiful canal with boats and this guy kayaking, and pretty good composition very sharp and with high quality, good job well done, congratulations. Good night and happy week.

Best regards.

Angel.

Photo Information

Copyright: Rich Beghin (Ricx) (13453)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2011-07-19
Categories: Daily Life
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): GB Canal narrow Boats, Cropredy Oak Appreciation Association [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2011-07-31 8:36