Some walking around images from around town. Please comment or criticize

[dr.devious]

#1

#2 Someone's Book at the Park

#3 Something from the railyard

#4

 

[ChrisA]

Informal compositions of everyday objects is about the hardest genre of photography. The images have to "work" as abstract art to be good. Most people don't even try.

It's like trying to re-create Edward Westin's green pepper series, harder than it looks.

I think the book and the two trees work. The text on the yellow engine is just documentary and the bench I can't figure out.

 

[compuwar]

#1

What's this image supposed to be showing me? What's it supposed to say? Where are my eyes supposed to be led? I'm seeing a blurry bolt with a few lines in focus and I'm not getting anything of interest,
#2 Someone's Book at the Park

Again, nothing interesting in the composition, the book is upside-down, the shadows detract, the blown highlights draw the eye, but there's nothing there to see. The leading lines lead the eye out of the frame on the right, the bench isn't compelling, the background is cluttered and boring. The book is too close to the edge of the bench to have been put down due to interruption, so there's no real "story" as to why the book is there. The deep shadow of the book is potentially interesting, but there's too much other clutter in the background for it to work as it is, and the dark patch on the right blows it away due to size.

#3 Something from the railyard

This had the most potential, but the angle doesn't work well, and you can't see enough of the engine to know what it is- which is too abstract for the message text. The chrome rail draws the eye, but leads it off out of the frame, not to something to bring the eye back around.

#4

Washed out mid-day light, nothing of interest in the entire left side of the frame, wires leading the eye nowhere, an interesting splash of red at the top right, but nothing there to look at and no really deep colors to offset it elsewhere in the image.

 

[rouxeny]

For me, a good photo has to answer the "Why?" question, specifically, why should I care about this picture? Is it technically unique? Is the subject something very dramatic? Does it elicit some emotion in me? Is there a story that the picture can immediately convey? These aren't easy questions to answer, and even harder to answer well.

Of your four pictures, the one that comes the closest for me is actually the book on the bench. I'm sure the subject of the book was choosen intentionally, however, there needs to be another element in the shot to really complete the story. I'm not entirely sure what that would be, without being too contrived or awkward. The way it is right now though, it's just an upside down book on a bench.

Keep shooting!

 

[TheSVD]

see, its things like that first one which beginners like, because of the nice depth of field - which yeah, the DOF does look very good there!
but, alas it is a bit of a pointless photo
you definetley have good potential there though