Can't figure out why I both like and hate this photo

I am really struggling with this image. There is something I like about it, but there is something I really hate about it, but I can't figure out what either is. I'll take a full critique on the image. Thank you in advance. Cheers!

To me the thing that jumps out as .. I LIKE .. is the trumpet fish colour .. it is a very vivid yellow.

As a critique of what i don't like about it is the downward rushed feel to the photo. It gives the impression you were moving when taking the shot, maybe chasing or rushing to get the shot ?

So found a great subject .. but maybe rushed the composition a little bit ?

The yellow trumpet fish takes your eye to the bright sponges in the cornor, then your eye follows the striped fish up to the bright upper cornor and out of the frame.

You like it going in and dislike it when it pitches you out!

To me the colors appear over-saturated. ie the red on the darker coral and the really bright yellow in the photo. Sometimes this is caused by post white balancing on something other than white. You've established nice angles with the Trumpet fish but it might look better if the camera was angled up, or at least at the same level as your subject.

hey tri4,

Like Giles said, I like the trumpetfish and it's colors alot.

Like gary said, I like the diagonal angle but the photo was taken looking down on the trumpetfish slightly, it would be better eye-level or angled up. This means getting lower to the ground.

I dislike the background, it's quite distracting, a less cluttered background would also help, imho.

Where did you take the photo? congrats on getting into UW photography

hope this helps,

Scott

Depends on what your goal was in taking the photo. My guess is, it's the Trumpet fish and sponges. In which case, all the other stuff in the frame is a distraction. Getting lower to isolate the Trumpetfish and sponges, with a background of blue water would really snap up the image. At least, that's how I see it. JMHO.

Rand

Thank you all for the comments. I think you all hit my dislikes and likes. Image is in the pointed down and the distracting background.

I am a new to the underwater world, only 25 dives to date, but I am loving it. 10 days in Kona in April...hopefully I will be better after reading everything here on Wet-Pixel.

The photo was taken while diving the wreck Lesleen M. in St. Lucia.

Canon 950 IS

Ikelite housing

no strobes

very slowly saving for a D700 housing and strobes.

Cheers!

James

Curious that no one saw sex in that image but me.

Curious that no one saw sex in that image but me.

Flight that long huh? LOL

Hi!

The overall composition is very busy, which makes it hard to focus the eyes on something. here's what I would improve:

1) Crop to the subject. Remove from the left and the top. The fish subject is swimming away from the center, which is distracting. if you cut left and top, the subject will be more centered.

2) The background disturbs, try to blur it for better subject isolation. For this kind of shot, use a wider open aperture.

3) Try desaturating the background slightly so the vibrant colors of the subject stand out better. Might work, just a hunch.

What I like in this image:

1) overall colors

2) bottom right part over top left.

Cheers,

Simon