Hoshedar Cooper, QPSA, BPSA
July 2026 - Procession of Light
About the Image(s)
This too was shot in Vietnam. At dusk in northern Vietnam, monks and devotees gather with lotus lanterns before the illuminated Bai Dinh Pagoda, creating a peaceful scene of prayer, light, and spiritual devotion. I loved the play of light, the look of devotion on the faces and the pleasant lotus lamps. Appreciate a frank feedback as to how it can be improved.
Shot on my Nikon Z9, F/9, 1/60, ISO 6400, 55mm on my 28-400 lens.
3 comments posted
Hoshedar,
This is a very strong travel and cultural image with an excellent sense of place and story. The pagoda is absolutely stunning, creating a dramatic and contemplative mood-kudos. The warm golds and cool blues work beautifully together, conveying a sense of ceremony, peace, and spirituality.
You asked for suggestions, and I see two learning opportunities.
First, the title Procession of Light doesn't align with the image. Where's the procession? The pagoda is unequivocally the hero of the image.
Second, and this is really important; the scene lends itself to symmetry, yet the human element is slightly off-center relative to the pagoda. And because the centered Pagoda is so visually powerful, that lack of symmetry was the first thing I noticed.
I wasn't there, but I don't think you had a choice - sometimes we don't get the composition we want, and we have to get creative to compensate.
Compositionally, the eye moves first to the pagoda and then to the participants. Since people are naturally drawn to faces and human activity, I opened the shadows slightly brightening the people and adjacent stonework in my VF. This gave greater prominence to the monks and other participants, and I feel strengthened the storytelling aspect of the image.
This is a compelling photograph that successfully combines atmosphere, culture, and storytelling. Very nicely done.
Posted: 07/01/2026 22:21:03
This is a very strong travel and cultural image with an excellent sense of place and story. The pagoda is absolutely stunning, creating a dramatic and contemplative mood-kudos. The warm golds and cool blues work beautifully together, conveying a sense of ceremony, peace, and spirituality.
You asked for suggestions, and I see two learning opportunities.
First, the title Procession of Light doesn't align with the image. Where's the procession? The pagoda is unequivocally the hero of the image.
Second, and this is really important; the scene lends itself to symmetry, yet the human element is slightly off-center relative to the pagoda. And because the centered Pagoda is so visually powerful, that lack of symmetry was the first thing I noticed.
I wasn't there, but I don't think you had a choice - sometimes we don't get the composition we want, and we have to get creative to compensate.
Compositionally, the eye moves first to the pagoda and then to the participants. Since people are naturally drawn to faces and human activity, I opened the shadows slightly brightening the people and adjacent stonework in my VF. This gave greater prominence to the monks and other participants, and I feel strengthened the storytelling aspect of the image.
This is a compelling photograph that successfully combines atmosphere, culture, and storytelling. Very nicely done.
Posted: 07/01/2026 22:21:03
Thank you for telling us what is going on in the image. I like the crop and that the pagoda is centered. I agree with Butch that the people should be lighter. You made some very good image on the PSA outing to Vietnam. Posted: 07/03/2026 19:24:57
There is something about symmetry in the image: the pagoda, the trees on each side of the alley, but unfortunately, the monks and devotees are not centered.The golden colour of the pagoda against the blue sky is beautiful. The pagoda itself is sharp. There is almost a similarity between the colour of the pagoda and of the lanterns. Posted: 07/06/2026 15:40:16