Hmm, yeah. That makes sense. But I don't see how that's kind of possible if I want to emphasize how vast or lonely a bench is, I have to get other things in to a frame don't I?
Well, that's where the skill in photography lies. It's relatively easy to say "I want to take a picture of this bench, and what I find interesting is the texture of the wood so I'll just fill the frame with an interesting bit of this bench" but it's harder to say "I want to show how this bench is sitting in the middle of no other benches" and still produce an interesting picture. Because when I say "bring out what you're trying to photograph in your photos" that isn't always as cut and dry as a single object. It may be an object's relationship with another object in size, texture, color, position, proportion, etc., it may be an object's context in its environment, it may be movement (which is somewhat hard to photograph) it may be an emotion, it may be an idea, when I say try and emphasize what you're taking a picture of, fit it into some sort of category.
For the bench, as you said, it's its desolation. So how can you emphasize as much as possible that it's all by itself? I envision, if you're using the same panorama orientation, the bench in the very center of the photo facing it head on, with open space on either side. That's just how I sort of envision it in my mind, the ideal photograph. Of course, it may have not been practically possible to take that sort of photo, but again, that's where the skill comes into play with photography.
Now, I don't know the park you were at and how you could've walked around to compose that shot better, so it's hard for me to give advice specifically on that picture, but it's good to play around with different angles/framing/composition to see which has the most impact.
For example.
http://imgur.com/a/SvElEThose are two pictures that were taken on a class trip, the first was by me and the second was by one of my classmates. Ignoring the fact that mine is edited to bring out texture/contrast in the clouds, I put the entire class in the photo, left equal amount of empty space on both sides, cropped it so the horizon was bolt straight (and I think, I have a hunch, it's on the bottom third). The second one (which I'm in, on the left) wasn't taken with anything in mind, other than just a picture to document the moment. The horizon is lopsided, and above the middle of the photo but not on the upper third. No thought was given to framing everyone in the picture other than just trying to get everyone in. And, the first photo has more impact because all the things I did were done intentionally.
So I guess it's hard to give specific advice, just check out rules of composition (rule of thirds is the most important if you aren't familiar with it) and become familiar with them enough that you don't think about them while you shoot, just do them. And just, I guess, be conscious of what's in the frame before you take the picture. Don't put anything in there that doesn't need to be. For example, even though there were no cars on the road in the bench picture, I don't think the road needs to be in there. It just adds clutter.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
and anyways which photo are you talking about
the island or the twinkie
or both
The island has far more vignette that I can see, and that may because because it's lighter, but the twinky also appears to have some. Just, don't do that much or any. If anyone besides you, or someone that's really, really looking for it can see it, it's far too much. I prefer adding brightness to my subject in post production rather than making the edges darker.
And by satire, I mean to say, the only reason to use that much vignette is to make fun of people that use a lot of vignette.
Sirrus I'd appreciate it if you would give me some feedback on my photography on my thread http://forum.blockland.us/index.php?topic=193939.0 I could use some criticism, tips, well feedback of any sort would be nice.
K I'll post in the thread in a bit.
