Photos that tell the story, not the view...

[Chip]

I take pictures to document my hikes. Occasionally I accidentally take a good photo. You can critique the framing etc, if you want, all analysis is welcome. I'm interested in photos that depict the conditions; difficulty, ease, steepness, drop-off, etc.

I like this one of the Tablelands of Katahdin in early February;

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Steepness is difficult to depict. This is an attempt;

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If anyone would like to edit out the hiking poles of the climber on the bottom right, I'd appreciate it !

 

[Paradox]

IMHO the second is beautiful, but the first really gets me to thinkin'.... 1.) What possessed him to take his mitts off? 2.) Why does my lens fog/ice up in milder conditions? 3.) Wow, look at the straps on those poles... it's really blowing.

 

[grouseking]

I love the first one. It tells the story...in a big way.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

This first is a very effective photo in showing the fierce windy conditions above treeline. Although the blowing snow and distance does provide a discernible visual separation in the two overlapping figures on the right, it would be better compositionally if the two figures did not overlap. Nonetheless this is a very dynamic photograph.

In the second photo you are correct that steepness is difficult to convey, especially if you are shooting directly upslope. In general a cross slope scene would convey the terrain more easily. However, this photograph does convey the steepness better than most similar upslope photos would. That is because you have the near figure clearing stepping up into the slope and the second leaning into the slope. Also the snow at the base of the rocks conveys some of the steepness. Yes, the overlap of the poles is a definite drawback -- which you do need to watch as you compose the photo. You can usually easily eliminate such overlaps by you moving a bit, or by asking that the poles be moved. I would not have a serious "manipulation" issue if someone could edit them out.

 

[Chip]

In general a cross slope scene would convey the terrain more easily.

Good comments, thanks.

I did try a couple cross slopes on this hike, but they're a bit problematic also I think;

 

[kmorgan]

If anyone would like to edit out the hiking poles of the climber on the bottom right, I'd appreciate it !

Here you go...

Kevin

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Here you go...

There's a shock

I do think the cross-slope photos make the case for steepness much better than the up-the-hill ones. There's no denying the slope, especially when you have a horizontal horizon elsewhere in the photo.

The first one does convey conditions well. Personally, I would like it better if the person standing and looking was actually struggling forward into the wind.

Tim

 

[Grumpy]

What your two cross-slope photos (post #5) lack is, mainly, a human element that would make them seem all the more dramatic.

Mark Schaefer’s comments pretty well covered the ground on the photos in your original post. I’ll add two points.

You might try cropping the first photo to eliminate blank space on the right. This places emphasis on the human figures. The story in this photo is, after all, people in a harsh environment. (I’ve played with this, and can live with the photo cropped or not – I think the real choice is a matter of whether you want to emphasize people in the environment, or the environment itself.)

As for removing the poles in the second photo … I’ve expressed my thoughts on this before, and will reiterate: if your intent is to produce a documentary photo, such alterations are out of bounds. The poles are not actually all that distracting in this photo, although the one on the left does seem to create some dissonance since it is just stuck in the snow and not apparently in actual use.

One thing both photos make a case for is shooting more frames. My first college photojournalism instructor lectured frequently that “film is cheap.” Today’s high capacity digital memory cards make shooting more frames even cheaper and more convenient. Of course, shooting more works best if you strive to make each image truly different from the others in some way …

G.

 

[Halite]

Both photos are really good storytellers. I share your attitude about hiking photos: I like a great scenic shot, but love a great shot of people interacting with an extreme environment.

The framing of your first shot is not an orthodox, balanced composition. But it works for me because the off-center framing adds visual tension that emphasizes the extreme conditions--almost as if they are being blown out of the frame by the wind!

The unfortunate positioning of the hiking pole in the second shot is similar to the problem I've had trying to take unposed action shots in a harsh environment. It's hard to focus on making a strong image when you're cold, tired, worried about ruining your equipment, etc. Also, your subjects aren't always focused on making sure you get the best shot either.

 

[Chip]

Here you go...

Kevin

Thanks Kevin ! Can you make me look like George Clooney ?

 

[kmorgan]

Thanks Kevin ! Can you make me look like George Clooney ?

You mean like this?

Kevin

 

[Paradox]

There is nothing that conveys steepness so well as actually climbing it!

I really do not think I would have thought about the poles unless you had mentioned it. My dad used to have a saying: "Photographs never lie, but the guy behind the camera might."

 

[kmorgan]

...and just a quick levels adjustment to your first shot.

Kevin

 

[DougPaul]

...and just a quick levels adjustment to your first shot.

I prefer the original--IMO, it carries the mood better. (The processed one also looks artificial to me.) Such pictures, IMO, are more about the mood than the actual objects and people in the photo.

Doug

 

[Paradox]

This is also interesting: in the first the poles (particularly the straps on the poles) add a great deal, while in the second we are debating whether poles should be removed.

 

[kmorgan]

Further enhancement reveals more detail in the background...

 

[NewHampshire]

I am with the second photo crowd. Simple, straight forward and visually appealing while still telling the story!

Brian

 

[Chip]

Further enhancement reveals more detail in the background...

I believe that would be Pamola !

The poles in the first shot add to the impression, the poles in the second shot appear to be making an impression.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

This is also interesting: in the first the poles (particularly the straps on the poles) add a great deal, while in the second we are debating whether poles should be removed.

The poles play different roles in these two photos. In the first photo they provide valuable information about the wind velocity. In second photo they became a bit of a distraction. Due to the overlap, one pole appears to impale the hiker in the distance. It is similar to the common photographic distraction of a tree trunk growing out of someone's head.

The argument that Grumpy presents for not editing a photo is spot on for documentary photography. Even in scenic photography we should not attempt to misrepresent the permanent and natural elements in a scene. We would consider it unethical to cut down a tree merely to improve a scene. Removing such an tree with photoshop would similarly be considered a misleading manipulation. The best solution is to seek a way to photograph around and/or crop out the distracting elements.

The hiking poles planted in the snow are transient elements in these scenes -- they will move on with the hikers. So the photographer can legitimately move them from their arbitrary and incidental location before shooting the photo. It would not be cheating nor misleading to do so. That is why I don't have a great problem with editing them out with photoshop. However, my preference would be to resolve the issue in the field: move the poles, find an angle of view that avoided the overlap, or wait for the hiker in the distance to move beyond the point of the overlap.

Good photographs don't just happen, they are made. Over time we all learn to exercise more control over the elements in a photograph.

 

[nartreb]

Sometimes things like overlapping in the composition can further the story-telling aspect of a photo: when the photographer can barely manage to snap off a shot, and you can't really see what's going on, you know conditions are interesting. Here's one that I snapped off in a hurry, but I think works:



(Keeping the dark, grey levels was intentional.)