How can I get my feeling/mood across in a photo?

[hmpws]

I took the following photo during early hours of the morning. The moon was humongous and round. The bay I was at was really calm as well. I wanted to somehow convey this in the photo.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonytse/4564058241/" title="_1030332.jpg by ttse007, on Flickr"> View attachment 144062 "375" height="500" alt="_1030332.jpg" /></a>

My dad shot me down (as well as a lot of my other photos), and asked me what story am I trying to tell? That was harsh, but I agree...! A lot of times I have an idea in mind but it often doesn't come across in the photo. If you didn't read my description, would you have gotten my idea? How should I improve this one in particular?

One thing could have been using a wider lens in landscape, but I only had my tele lens with me. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

 

[Streetshooter]

A few things to hopefully help....
1st...join the Straight Talk Discussion Group.....
https://www.mu-43.com/groups/straight-talk-image-discussion-group/

2nd... Start doing the Image Quest. Do the old ones and compare your work with the other members, then the new ones and watch how your work improves...
https://www.mu-43.com/f64/week-long-image-quest-caught-act-ends-may-2-2010-a-2567/

3rd... I SEE what you were after. You need to have a punch in the image...maybe increase contrast....convert to B&W...

Take it up to the group......see what happens...
shooter

 

[Ian_Holmes]

You say that the moon was humongous and round. In this shot "humongous" doesn't come over to me. The moon would need to be more dominant in the picture. Perhaps a longer focal length lens to compress the perspective would have helped? I also think that maybe the moon should be lower in the sky as well. As it is it's just sat in the top quarter of the picture not really relating to anything else in the scene.
Just a couple of thoughts

 

[BBW]

I, too, see what you were after and I think when I looked at in on Flicker in the largest size it works much better, and I can appreciate it fullness much more.

Don, AKA Streetshooter, has made some good suggestions.

I wouldn't discount this shot at all - perhaps just cropping it down from the top a bit would help focus it in on the moon and the quiet of the harbor. Sometimes you do wish you'd had a wider angle but sometimes you have to work with what you've got.

 

[hmpws]

I have increased the contrast, and tuned the luminance of the blue a bit. I think it is a little bit better... Not sure I like the crop though. I do wish the moon is lower as I was playing around to fit it in the picture!

P.S. Should I take this thread to the group instead?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonytse/4564135775/" title="_1030332-2.jpg by ttse007, on Flickr"> View attachment 144063 "333" height="500" alt="_1030332-2.jpg" /></a>

 

[BBW]

You do not have to take the photograph to the group however you certainly can and might want to. Image Works is also a place for getting feedback, but Don's suggestions are also very good ones.

It's pretty late here in the states, and others in different parts of the world are either asleep or waking up... You might give it some time here, if you want.

I'd also suggest you read this thread: https://www.mu-43.com/f77/you-ok-others-editing-reposting-your-images-2504/ which goes into whether or not you would like to globally grant others the right to edit your images...or if you want to just agree to it for this one photo. You don't have to do either one, but I want to point this out to you so you understand your options. We're very big here on making sure people give their OK to having their images edited by others. You can also just ask for suggestions...as you have been.

I agree that it doesn't work as well with the crop down from the top. I like your photo, but I think you wish you'd been able to take it at a wider angle.

Afraid I have to say good night now...but I am sure others will post within the next 12 to 24 hours.

 

[LisaO]

A wide angle lens would have made the moon smaller. I think a super telephoto would work to make the moon look humongous. Also it is sort of hard to tell that it is a moon so more detail in the moon would help to and perhaps a bit darker in the sky for contrast.

 

[hmpws]

A wide angle lens would have made the moon smaller. I think a super telephoto would work to make the moon look humongous. Also it is sort of hard to tell that it is a moon so more detail in the moon would help to and perhaps a bit darker in the sky for contrast.

Thanks for your advice, I will look into it some time. I have nearly no experience with PP so it will take me a while!

 

[dannat]

what i prefer to do for moon shots is to take a nice wide (40mm)- then combine it by deleting the moon & adding in a telephoto moon(200mm) which has more detail..that way you can slightly manipulate the moon size - to accentuate the moon if you wish, reduce the 200mm shot down to the size you want & paste it into your original wide angle shot.

I also find trying to get the lunar reflection can add something to the shot also

 

[igi]

Color is one of the keys for mood setting. I see nothing wrong with the photo... just a bit of cropping to put the moon on the exact center I guess, but play with the colors to until you visualize, for example, the word "calm" in the photo.

As for the story, it doesn't need to be something deep or like "a story you're dying to tell" type in my opinion. In some photos like this one, sending the viewer the sense of beauty or tranquility etc. of the scene is more important.