Your comments please

[Yisehaq]

Hi,
As I was roaming in the forest this weekend I came accross this monk who came out of the monastry nearby for enjoying the sun and I took the opportunity.

I took the picture in a raw and all parameter setting to 0. Thinking I could get some assistance in post processing . As there was very low light I used ISO 800 and I think this picture looks a bit grainy. I would have like if I can make any good out of it. Therefore, I have put it for your comments.

I shoot from different sides (learning from the Podcasts ) but I think this will be representative.
Awaiting your comments.
If possible hope to make it better picture otherwise, the learning process will continue....

[Marko]

Hi Yisehaq,

Since you are asking for comments or critiques, this post should have been posted in the critiques forum. No problem though, I will move it for you in a day.

I VERY much like shot 1. It is fairly well framed and my eye goes right to the monk who is the central element of interest. It would have been a bit better if the monk was doing something more interesting....but I still like it
A few things to make it better:
1 - on the left edge there's a branch that's too bright. I would tone it down or crop maybe 1 inch into the photo.
2 - There's one more long distracting branch from the central tree going to the lower left. I would try to tone it down or clone it out.
3 - The monk could be a bit sharper.

For shot 2 - I really like the interplay of the tree branches but the monk is too small here. I would have moved in much closer (as in shot 1)
I really like the light in both shots.

Hope that helps,

Marko

[Yisehaq]

Hi Marco,
Yeah, I understood late that it should have been in the critiques thread and tried to find a way to put it after it turned out on this thread but guess was lates.

thanks for the comment especially that there was some sense in it.
One thing about the monk that made me a bit smile is that when you said "It would have been a bit better if the monk was doing something more interesting". It's quite funny and bit of oxymoron so to say a monk doing something interesting. .

My thanks again foryour constructive comments

[Marko]

Hi Marco,
Yeah, I understood late that it should have been in the critiques thread and tried to find a way to put it after it turned out on this thread but guess was lates.

thanks for the comment especially that there was some sense in it.
One thing about the monk that made me a bit smile is that when you said "It would have been a bit better if the monk was doing something more interesting". It's quite funny and bit of oxymoron so to say a monk doing something interesting. .

My thanks again foryour constructive comments

My pleasure Yisehaq - and you are right about the oxymoronic phrase. Too funny. I guess I was speaking about 'photographically interesting'