Still trying to master good composition

Hi all,

still playing with simple compositions I took these two at the weekend with the SMC 50mm f1.7.

With this first one I saw the empty snail shell and tried to mix the curves of the shell with the straight lines of the ridges in the leaf and compose using the rule of thirds. Does it work for anyone?
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/IMGP5473.jpg[/IMG]
1/350 iso 400. hand held

In this second one I was just trying to get the fly as it walked in to the shot towards the lower LH rule of thirds point. Again does it work for anyone? is the piece of wood too distracting in the shot?
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/IMGP5511.jpg[/IMG]
1/20 iso 100.

Defo taken with the SMC 50 1.7 hand held
(edited to add exif info)

The wood is a little too distracting for me.

The 1st shot shows alot of promise I think. The dark areas are a little distracting & I'd like to see the parallel lines running diagonally or horizontally through the frame but that's just my preference.

All in my opinion and no sugar coating ...

The snail shell needs to be sharper and I don't think the dark areas help the image much. I would use a tripod for shots like these as it allows low ISO and adds to sharpness.

The wood is distracting and is the focus in the right place?

I wouldn't worry about rule of thirds. If looks right it is right and coincidentally you'll find the rule of thirds sometimes kicks in.

Mike

The first one could be great as others have said just slightly better focus and lose the dark areas.

I think Mike is spot on about 2nd one, wood doesn't add anything and the fly appears to be slightly beyond the focus zone.

It is difficult because good composition is far more than rules, in fact, I think rules get in the way. If you do not get the main subject dead centre then usually going with your own eye will produce an image that some will like and others do not. Main thing is that you should like it.

With the above images it is hard to get past the fact that both are soft throughout. With the first if you had taken a couple of steps to the right so the lines of the leaf ran diagonally across the image and made sure the snail shell was sharp you would have produced IMO a good image. The second does not work for me at all it seems a collection of objects bearing no relationship one to the other.

Would like to say I do not read others opinions before replying in order not to have my thoughts affected so if I have repeated I am sorry. Keep clicking and keep trying but do what you feel is right and what you like as it is difficult to be taught how to use your eye only practise will help with that.

I concur with previous comments. The first image isn't far off being a great shot - just a few small things stopping it, as mentioned above (principally sharpness and the dark corners). Lovely bokeh and I think the thirds rule is working here (though, I agree we shouldn't be bound by it). 2 does nothing for me - too much going on, and none of the fly is sharp enough to command attention. Regarding composition I can see maybe why you have placed the fly where it is - but what about all that stuff in the top right?

that first shot..
one variation I'd try is this:
get the lines in the leaf running diagonally across the frame, and parallel to the sensor to keep it in focus.. the place the shell, at the rule of thirds position as you have done but use slightly harder light for more contrast and texture...

I really like the first shot, maybe some more depth and sharpness would do it good. The rest is very good, colours composition ect.

Second one is not working for me, the wood is distracting and like Jackie said composition is more then rules.

Maybe this might help you link

Thanks for the replies and advice everyone.

Mike,
Suger coating things wont help me imporve honesty will.

As suggested by a few and if I can find another (or the same) snail shell I will re-shoot this weekend with a tripod for deeper DoF and I will try a few different angles to get the lines of the leaf going through different angles and perspectives.

As for being constrained by the rules, I do agree but composition wasn't something I had really given much consideration to previously. I was quite happy to put the subject in the Centre and snap away. But the more I look at other peoples Photographs (both on here and and in books, exhibitions, the web etc) the more I see the need to comprehend the principles of composition. So as a challenge, or a mini project even, I attempting to concously make the effort to compose a picture using these rules and the rule of thirds was the first I chose to tackle.
The idea being to loosely 'learn the rules' so I am aware of them before I started to break them. I dont intend to walk away from a shot if it doesn't fit in with the rules, I just think I need to be more aware of them.

Sorry I didnt intend it to be such a long answer !

Regards
PaulM

EDIT: I forgot to say thanks to Anvh for the link. A good read

You do seem to be heading in the right direction with the right idea about learning. I have found even if I only get a couple of critiques there is always something that will either help or make me think slightly out of the box.

True it is great when everyone likes a piece of your work but it is more helpful when they don't. because photography is subjective and a matter of opinion it is always easier to describe in detail the items you do not like to saying why you really like something