Critique Welcomed Candle and light

[Aldous Lau]

I've took these 2 photos from another local temple that I have visited couple of months ago. Both photos doesn't like too good to me, so critique welcomed, thanks

[/url] Flickr 上 metalguy_hk 的 L4351552[/IMG]

[/url] Flickr 上 metalguy_hk 的 L4351886[/IMG]

 

[Pete Askew]

I love the colours and tones in them both but I see what you mean with the overall images. I think the first causes problems with the perspective and I would be tempted to correct them in PS. In the second (which is my favourite) I think the two highlights near the edge of the frame distract from the main subject and I would crop them out. I hope you don't mind but maybe something like this:

I used Edit/Transform/Distort and a slight crop in PS.

Crop and a tiny rotation in PS.

 

[Aldous Lau]

Sure I won't mind Pete, and many thanks for your advise and the photos look much better after cropping

 

[Brian Moore]

I agree with Pete about the two highlights in the 2nd one. Instead of cropping, though, I would have been inclined to clone them away, and that would leave a more pleasing (to me, at least) distance from the flame to the top of the image.

Colors in both are very nice. And I like Pete's crop of the first one.

 

[Aldous Lau]

Thanks Brain

 

[Beth Carter]

the first one feels cramped, like you've tried to show too much and didn't give it enough space. try using a wider angle lens (or stepping back a little or try a horizontal pano technique if you don't have a wider lens) and show some floor. photos like this usually need to have some floor in the foreground to keep things grounded.

i would crop the top and right of the second. it would get rid of the highlights and also move the flame out of the center. use the rule of thirds when you can for these types shots.

 

[Aldous Lau]

Thanks for your comments Beth. Actually I was using 35mm len with M9P, in this case maybe using 21mm will be better. I will try to shot this again with some floor shown with 21mm len