Black Sheep

[Martyn]

Over the last few days I've been trawling through my files of just over 3000 pics and I've picked out what I think is the best dozen with the intention of sharing on this forum. This is not a great picture but I keep coming back to it; maybe it's because it was the start of a fantastic day, maybe it's because I love my beer and kept returning here throughout the day. I don't know the answer but when I rejected pictures to get the best, this one kept me wanting to keep it! Please help me to put aside my rose tinted specs, my feeling of nostalgia and fond memories and criticize this pic for its colour, tones, composition etc. You can feel free to be brutal in your criticism, I don't take offence easily. On the other hand, if you like this pic please tell me why, I'd love to know why it has such a hold over me!

 

By the way, this is the beer tent at Sedbergh Folk Festival a few years back.

 

[bugmeister]

Well... there is that unfinished pint on the bar

Seriously, as a photo to hang on the wall.. probably not, there's not that much attraction in a load of barrels, but as a memory picture for you, the fact you keep coming back to it says that it means something in that way.

[colinb]

As 'buggy' above says it is a nice record of an event, a personal memory. But from a third party point of view there is little there of interest.

 

Although I do remember once going into a pub and asking for 2 Black Sheep and a Beastmaster, which was kinda surreal ;-)

[fuzzyedges]

As said above

But I think there are positives to be taken from the image

The perspective of the barrells to the bar make the eye run along the bar

There are mini focal points The carlsberg pump and the two glasses make an intresting shape and center focal point

The far bar man is neatly framed by the stand and pump

If you think an image is taking your eye but overall it dosnt seem that good look for what is the interesting bits because these are what trains you to taking images that stand out

[Martyn]

Thanks for the honest opinions, very much appreciated.

 

.....as a photo to hang on the wall.....

 

That has just struck me; no, I wouldn't hang this on the wall. That will be my new criteria as to what makes a good photograph!

[NannyFerret]

I like it because they were unaware of the camera and carried on doing their thing without posing.

[bugmeister]

Thanks for the honest opinions, very much appreciated.

 

 

 

That has just struck me; no, I wouldn't hang this on the wall. That will be my new criteria as to what makes a good photograph!

Just because you wouldn't hang it on the wall doesn't make it a bad picture. A picture can be valuable to you for the memories without being put up on the wall Think how many people have holiday albums, or even wedding albums, that they are the only people that view them, yet to those people, the pictures matter a great deal.

 

I used to use a tag line "If I like it that's good. If you like it that's even better" which I think sums up (and probably explains why I have perhaps thousands of pictures on my computer that probably nobody will see but they have memories for me of people, places or events)

[NannyFerret]

Just because you wouldn't hang it on the wall doesn't make it a bad picture. A picture can be valuable to you for the memories without being put up on the wall Think how many people have holiday albums, or even wedding albums, that they are the only people that view them, yet to those people, the pictures matter a great deal.

 

I used to use a tag line "If I like it that's good. If you like it that's even better" which I think sums up (and probably explains why I have perhaps thousands of pictures on my computer that probably nobody will see but they have memories for me of people, places or events)

That's the way that I look at it too.

My photo's give me pleasure to shoot and to look at, but even better to be proud when I show them to others.

[Phil]

I'm slowly re-learning how to take 'snaps' without giving a thought to composition etc., far too many images are binned for the sake of it instead of being kept for their sentimental value.

 

It's all been said above, the image has special memories for you. It also takes me back to the late 70's when our village still held its own gala, and is probably the last time I was in a beer tent. I really must get a life! 

[Kobione]

Absolutely agree with the 'it means something to you' aspect. That's the way I work too

[Guest]

there are definitely two types of photos to keep, those that are excellent photos and would go on the wall and those that hold a special memory. Lots of the pictures of peoples kids playing are not prize winning in the technical world but hold such special memories you can ignore the crooked horizon and motion blur if its your child