Do these work?

[bass_junkie83]

These i took last night for a photography course i am currently doing. Each week there is a small task to show you understand what was taught, this week the subject being composition.

The first couple of images are to show the use of the rule of thirds, the final image is meant to show the use of diagonal lines to draw the eye to the subject. But i would quite like to hear your views on all aspects, never really attempted any of these 'set up' shots before but it makes sense if you are stuck indoors with not much else to do.
Of the first two i can't make my mind up which i prefer. First impressions i prefer the first, but i keep thinking the colour cast suits the second.

 

[Keith Fusco]

The first one's quite nice. Not too keen on the colours on the second one though. Composition's nice and pleasing, I think.

For three, I'd have maybe had the knife a little more straight towards you though.

 

[cokebottles]

I would maybe have had the subject slightly closer to the middle, closer to a 'third' line in the first two. I agree with Keith for the second one, Id have maybe had the knife slightly straigher, might help with the effect. Very good effort!

 

[r_enhy]

[I'm no expert, but thought I'd respond]

I agree with the above comments about closer to the middle, I'd also like the head to be alittle higher - so the centre of the head is on the intersection of the top third line and the left third line.

You should be able to crop the image to achieve this.

 

[who?]

I like the first, although the cut off of the body /bum of the statue feels wrong. I dont think it is on a third and I think is better for that. The space around the head works well.

#2 - the colour just doesnt work for me.

#3 doesnt do much for me. The knife draws my attention to the bottom corner.

 

[adrian5127]

I definitely prefer#1 as well, not keen on the colour cast.

I quite #3 as it is

 

[keirik]

to be honest I don't like them, sorry.

The first two feel uncomfortable because the body has been cut off, which in my view is far more important in composition terms than the rule of thirds.

the third one doesn't work becuase the diagonal isn't from the viewpoint to the subject but cuts across the image

all just my opinion, but that's what you asked for

 

[Kerioak]

The first two do not work for me at all in the present format. With the rule of thirds you should be imagining a noughts and crosses board and have the figure on one of the upward lines with, if possible, its eyes at an intersection. I would try a portrait crop rather than the landscape.

The knife and apple is better but I feel you need the knife leading in from the lower corner and lose the line along the bottom. Again maybe change the format to landscape for this one, with the black background you can move things around a little to find the best layout.

 

[bass_junkie83]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I see what you are all saying.

I know the figure is not bang on a third line, that was deliberate. If it was there would have been a tree growing out of it's head, though with how the shallow DOF turned out maybe it wouldn't have mattered. So i decided to move it accross slightly thinking it still in the region of a third line and not dead in the centre or right to one side.
Hight wise i see what you mean, focused too much on getting it right leterally and forgot about height.

The apple and knife shot didn't come out as i had hoped, not like what i had in my head anyway. I only had a spare 15 mins though to play around so i could do with spending a bit more time getting it right. I see what you mean about the knife crossing infront of the apple, it should have come from the left and up to the left of the apple which would look better in landscape.
I'll have to get a larger piece of black cloth to try this, alli had to hand was one of my tshirts.

 

[Slimbert]

Hope you don't mind the edit??!

I think this crop brings the little fella into the thirds a little more but still keeps him to the far left of the frame.............maybe not!!