r/PhotographyAdvice • u/Traditional_Main_823 • 1d ago
Which do you think has better composition?
I’m trying to keep just one of these three photos. Which one do you think works best? All three are unedited.
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u/helicoptersound 1d ago
1 feels the cleanest with the placement of the subject and has the best sense of scale which is an important part of what makes the architecture interesting
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u/reborn_183 1d ago
I prefer 2 because her upright position contrasts with the slanted architecture really well.
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u/A-fruity-life 1d ago
I think the best would be 1, but if the person was nicely in the pocket of space between the walls
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u/loisjc 1d ago
I think 1 works better with the placement of the subject + the way the tiles work. We see that the ‘path’ that the subject is on continues, whereas in photograph 2, the ‘path’ that the subject is on ends. That gives the composition less movement, I’d say.
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u/Traditional_Main_823 1d ago
I hadn’t thought about how the path reads differently in the two. Thanks for pointing that out!
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u/Dockland 1d ago
1 and it’s quite obvious.
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u/passtheplugs 1d ago
I agree and I'll be blunt; 1 works well and has drama, both due to the composition and the subjects pose. Where her shadow falls is also of critical importance to the image. 2 works but feels a bit lifeless. 3 is one to delete for me. They should all be in B&W.
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u/Traditional_Main_823 1d ago
I can see what you mean about 1 having more life, and yeah, I guess I was wrong about 3. I don't have many tools for editing, but I'll definitely make these B&W in the future.
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u/Chewser56 1d ago
I agree completely on the importance of the shadow. It makes the picture work in one adding a dark angle.
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u/ChrisB-oz 1d ago
- The figure is more symmetrical and the distracting bright triangle at the top is less large.
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u/AggravatingOrder3324 1d ago
I like 1, but I'd crop that big black space that takes up 1/3 of the image
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u/Traditional_Main_823 1d ago
Thanks all for the votes! I initially preferred 3 because I thought her outfit contrasted well with the architecture, but I can see that the overall composition works better in 1 and 2.
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u/Striking_Finish4957 1d ago edited 1d ago
1… 2 is okay but the line of the figure not being as vertical as in 1 is throwing me out. I feel if you could crop 1 to be as centred as 2 is terms of vertical rule of thirds it would be perfect
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u/Puravida14177 1d ago
Photo people, please tell me: I was wondering about the "do you think" part - isn't composition more or less a measurable factor, which can be good or not, but is not a matter of opinion? I am not talking about the impact the picture makes, but purely a school book composition lecture requirement...
People here say 1 and 2 in similar numbers, or "1 and it's pretty clear why"... could anyone explain? I don't really see much advice here if you don't explain why.
As an amateur I would have preferred 2 pretty clearly, but would like to learn what the "problem" is.
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u/Rotten_Duck 1d ago
1 in terms of composition because wider puts more into frame the geometries and put less emphasis on the subject.
But overall I prefer 2 because the subject position is better and more neutral. In the first one the subject seems touching her hair with the hand, it takes attention. She s also closer to the edge of one geometry and not fully straight like in 2.
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u/Traditional_Main_823 18h ago
Yeah, I can see how her pose could be distracting. For some reason, she kept adjusting her hair while walking.
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u/Sonogroove 1d ago
La 1ere mais j’aurais essayais d’avoir la personne dans l’ouverture (..soit 2 pas après..)
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u/Siris703 1d ago
Start off by saying great shots. I would say 1, leading lines go right to subject. Subject is in the walkway making it more appealing to the eye. Other two look ok it’s just off because of the people for me. Also the top right has just enough of a gap unlike three.
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u/TeneroTattolo 1d ago
1 for me. While the human figure is still central and important.
And 3rd, but in that case the human figure is less important, is more the center of balance many thick masses. But even is central seems to vanish, probably the diagonals distracting more .
I pick both imho.
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u/Traditional_Main_823 1d ago
I hadn’t considered the figure in 3 as a balancing element rather than the main subject. Thanks for the insight!
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u/swinefever 1d ago
First one, the scale of the space really accentuates the presence of the girl. As an aside, I'd love to see this in B&W with really hard light and shadows.
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u/hariskacau 1d ago
1 for the background, 2 for character position, 3 for the character choice. So kinda mixed, but ill go with 2
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u/Dreamer1926 1d ago
I really love 1 because of the large negative black space, but for some reason, in number 2 the silver wall behind the subject pops out a lot more.
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u/erentrueform 1d ago
1st has better use of rule of thirds both walls and Su next are close to the areas not 100% but looks appealing the most
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u/Left-Satisfaction177 1d ago
Think about what you want to illustrate and see which one is best for it.
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u/crazy-bisquit 1d ago
1 by a mile. 2 looks stuck between styles. And 3 it looks like you accidentally took the picture while putting your camera away.
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u/BlueEyedSpiceJunkie 1d ago
The first, but none are particularly interesting as a whole, put together photo. Honestly it would be better without any person at all than people all walking away from you at awkward points in their gait.
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u/Intelligent_Cat_1914 1d ago
When you give people choice, they either have a preference, or worse, get overwhelmed.
If you present your singular vision, you are never wrong; it's your artistic licence.
Have a bit of confidence in yourself.
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u/conga-19 1d ago
I was gonna say 1. But then I saw 3 and I’d think it be the best as it frames her. Maybe somewhat boring idk but I think with editing you could make it way better. Overall idk just choose what you like different people will say different things. Also post processing make an immense difference so edit them and try to emphasize the subject and see what works best. Also as a bw shooter I agree you should make them bw.
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u/gregedit 1d ago
Either 1 with a better placement of the person, or 2 with the sliver of light cropped out. Both need some of the black on the left cropped too.
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u/MinionMel 1d ago
Number 2 is absolutely perfect I like it a lot the first one is too wide and 3 has too much negative space . Nice ☺️
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u/theteethfairy_ 1d ago
Subject matter 3 with 1’s positioning unfortunately. That outfit would look beautiful in a b&w shot. But ultimately 1 works best.
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u/user407415420104 23h ago
even though the others may technically have better compositions, I think 3 is the prettiest.
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u/Mountain-Dragonfly46 23h ago
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But come back to this spot, and persist, it really has potential for better pics.
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u/r3d_d3v1l7 23h ago
Personal opinion, and I guess most agree that 3 just doesn't work, pretty much everything seems off in that one i s e what you were trying to do there. After that 2 just because the subject colors work so well with the background and foreground. Finally 1 is most definitely the best, the colors work, the shadow, the lines leading to her everything works. For future tip, If it was me, id take that shot using burst and try to get her in the negative space so everything thats good about 1 and add pretty much perfect framing by having her in the negative space.
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u/r3d_d3v1l7 23h ago
Also crop 1 so that the top right corner is right where the v from the sky ends and bottom left where the bottom right corner of the black area is.
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u/Traditional_Main_823 17h ago
Thanks for the detailed feedback! My camera’s burst mode is really slow, unfortunately, but a faster burst would’ve helped here. Also, thanks for the crop tip!
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u/Grand-Scheme-22 19h ago
The subject in the third photo in the series is compromised by the dark background.
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u/LM-Edit 17h ago
1, that shadow on the subject sits nicely in the composition. Feels very purposeful and elegant. Lots of parts of the composition work but it’s those small details that make a difference. The lines are clear whereas in 2 the subjects shadow is much more subtle because they aren’t lit properly. 3 feels a bit more haphazard.
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u/This_Grocery_5039 11h ago
I like 2. I prefer the subject in the middle ground. 1 is pretty much the same comp tho.
I would like to see less of the black foreground. It takes up too much of the frame. The biggest thing for me tho is that slice of light at the top. I want that completely overlapped - no gap - or show the full gap like in 3. Gotta commit
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u/cinemkr 11h ago
I would have tried the first one in a landscape with what you have as the center of the photo off to the left side of frame. And the right side of frame being filled with what I assume to be the grey wall continuing on. It would add more angularity and a graphic quality with the lines on the wall It would also draw your eye to the woman and would crop out the little triangle of sky in the upper right corner which I find off-putting as it makes me look there when there is nothing to see. Then the figure would appear to be escaping from this building out into the light and presumably the world outside. It would also increase the contrast of the dark foreground against the light outside with the greys in between.
But I am much more drawn to images shot in landscape and not as much portrait. Try cropping your exiting image and you will see what I am suggesting.
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u/Different_Rope_1396 9h ago
2 easily. The model is standing in a better spot. They are also more aesthetic
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u/leekmapussay 1d ago
1 works best for me