click photos to enlarge
Don't worry, I haven't taken leave of my senses, I'm not agonising over which Jaguar to buy. My views on sports cars (and 4X4s) remain as they always have done: I think they are silly forms of transport, that say something about their owners (and not what they think they say). No, today's piece is about choosing photographs to display.Evidence that many find this a difficult task is well illustrated on virtually every photographic forum. People find it hard to select a single, best image to represent their labours, and end up posting too many. But it shouldn't be quite the problem that it seems. Once you've filtered your photographs for technical quality (sharpness, noise, light etc) you look at composition and the other "artistic" aspects of picture making. That, for most people (the odd photographic genius excepted), reduces the number down to a manageable few, and then it's a matter of taste. During my few hours spent at the Bicker Steam Threshing country fair I took several photographs of some of the veteran and vintage cars that were on display. This Jaguar 3.8 Mk II (helpfully labelled or I'd know little about it) presented a few interesting details for the passing photographer (yes, even one who has no time for sports cars can find visual interest in them), and I took several shots. The only two that I thought worth anything as pictures were these of the radiator, badge and mascot. I present them both because each has a different quality that appeals to me. The bigger image is the more conventional, showing off the colour and details best. I think its composition, though similar to the other, is slightly better. The smaller shot appeals because of the subdued reds, and the clouds and light that enliven the bonnet.
I've photographed Jaguars of this era before. See here and especially here for a very similar composition (and better photograph), though a different colour. And if you are remotely interested in my views on why I find sports cars and 4X4s risible and ridiculous, those posts say more.
photographs and texts (c) T. Boughen
Photo 1 (Photo 2)
Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 86mm (172mm/35mm equiv.) (79mm (158mm/35mm equiv.))
F No: f4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/1000
ISO: 100 (100)
Exposure Compensation: -0.7 EV
Image Stabilisation: On
