(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
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Equipment: Nikon D3400 with an 18-55 MM kit lens and a high definition 2.2X telephoto converter lens
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This is a lovely image, Laura. The crow adds nice interest to the image as does the snow on the ground. I took the liberty to crop a bit from the top and also clone out the white rectangular marks in the middle at the edge of the trees. The one on the right is larger than the speck-like one left of it. I also notice what looks like blue chromatic aberration on the LL that moves up the left edge of the image. These are minor picky nits that do not diminish the nice image you have created. Larry
Why thank you Larry, I sincerely appreciate the adjustments to the original image, very helpful, and thanks, I photograph in the area often, it’s very helpful to have feedback and see what a few edits could do for the overall image.
I really like the “wildness” of the image. If this is Humphrey’s peak of Flagstaff, I love that area alot.
I have some suggestions related to framing or cropping this image. I really like this scene cropped to 16:9 ratio with removing some of the foreground as it is distracting to me. I added some Midtones curve adjustment layer using the TK Panel in Photoshop. (See @David_Kingham’s mini tutorial with another critique: Mt. McGown - Sawtooths - #3 by David_Kingham). I also used the Spot Healing tool to remove the pole in the Middle Left side of image and a few other dots of distraction.
Overall, I love the vision and hope these ideas help.
Michael, Thank you, I appreciate your suggestions and tips. I will read David Kingham’s tutorial, I have Photoshop, I am a bit overwhelmed with the enormity of it, so I haven’t used it to its capacity. Yes, this is Humphrey’s Peak, I live within walking distance of one of the 3 wetlands in Arizona, I too love the wildness of the area, for me it is a magical place to be, sometimes when I go I am there alone, which makes it even better. I read your summary and saw that you were a fellow resident. If you’re interested, there is a landscape photographer out of Prescott, Michael Wilson that I’ve followed for years, he has been featured in Arizona Highways. Cheers, and again thank you for your feedback.
This is a lovely, pastoral winter landscape. The raven adds a lot to the image (almost could be a hawk?) Even though I’m just seeing the image sitting here at my desk… this does present a feeling of a cold and crisp morning… where the air is fresh and clean and one could just stand there using all the senses…
Technically, I agree with most all the comments, suggestions. I’d clone out the white object and I like the more narrow crop. One thing the crop does is bring the soaring bird in to more prominence.
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but the image is soft overall. You didn’t mention if you used a tripod or what the f-stop/shutter speeds were, but I suspect hand holding with either a fairly wide (shallow depth of field) and/or a slower shutter speed. Image is still quite enjoyable, just think it could be a little better technically. Don’t know about the kit lens, but including the teleconverter in the mix probably didn’t make things sharper…
Lom, thank you so much, I appreciate your insight and expertise, that is exactly what I need to refine my approach to landscape photography. It was a cold, crisp day, I live in an area where nature is predominant so the air is so very clean, thank you for the mention, it was my intention to convey that.
I am rather new at capturing landscapes, this is approaching my third year. I do have a tripod, I didn’t use it on this occasion, the path that surrounds the area is quite narrow primarily for walking and biking, with sloping sides, so I am working on adjusting to those limitations. The shutter speed was set at 1/2500 of a second, I am sure the softness was the tele-converter lens I used which tends to reduce clarity.
Again thank you, these comments are such helpful learning tools as I move into my eighth year in nature photography.
Laura, it is a lovely country scene, with the Raven being the icing on the cake of a nice day. I agree with Lon that adding a 2.2X converter to a kit lens is likely to reduce the sharpness. The two parallel ridges in the foreground add some good interest to the foreground. I don’t see a fence, so taking a few steps to the right would let you avoid the diagonal ridge in the lower left corner.
Mark, thank you, I sincerely appreciate your comments and suggestions. Actually I am going to be getting a new camera sometime in 2020, with better lenses so the end result will be more in line with the composition I am working so hard to create. That teleconverter lens is great with macro photos but anything other than that is pretty awful. Thanks again.
@anon94330616 I have seen Michael Wilson come up in AZ Photography a few times! I might have to see if I can meet the guy, buy him beer, and pick his brain on vision and ideas. I love Arizona Highways magazine and look forward to each issue.
Laura, that teleconverter has the same effect on sharpness in macro that it does in landscape. For a comparison, I suggest that you try to borrow or rent a true macro lens (one that will focus to 1:2 or even better, 1:1).
Laura, what a stroke of luck to get the bird in the scene. From it’s wingtips, it looks like it might be a hawk or other raptor instead of a raven. I think you have gotten some useful suggestions for improvements here from everyone. A lot of the comments and reworks center around “less is more”, and how simplification of an image can add value. In this case using a longer focal length (and avoiding the use of the 2.2x converter) would have achieved more simplification, and a sharper image.
Tripods can be a pain to use, but disciplining myself to use one religiously was one of the best things I ever did for my landscape photography. They not only give you sharper images, but they force you to slow down and think harder about your compositions, which can also be a benefit.
If you are planning to upgrade your equipment, and your budget can handle it, it makes sense to consider having both a wide angle zoom and a telephoto zoom in your kit. Something like a 70-200mm, or 70-300mm zoom lens comes in handy even for landscapes, it allows you to extract parts of the landscape and simplify your compositions. If you can afford both a 16-35mm and a 70-200mm lens, you would have a nice combo for landscapes.
Yeah, Michael Wilson is a wonderful photographer, good luck, he would be the person to get loads of ideas, tips and advice from. Before I returned to Arizona, I had “liked” Arizona Highways on FB, I sure did miss that magazine when I lived on the east coast.
Ed, thanks to all of the supporting photographers, I am becoming wiser and more aware of the technical side of photography. I will certainly avoid the teleconverter going forward, and I will put the tripod in my camera backpack when I go out, I am sure I will figure out a way to use it without interfering with other visitors to the area.
Admittedly I was nervous to submit photos to the critique forum, I’d had a rather negative experience earlier in my photography career, but this has been the best experience for me. I was so happy when I found the website and even happier when I read the way the community is, I feel encouraged and surrounded by people who know and understand each person’s unique style.
I will keep the lens information under advisement, I appreciate the suggestions. Thank you Ed.
Kudos to you in your approach. There’s the age old theory that the person makes the photograph, not the equipment - or something like that. Yes, following great technique one can achieve higher quality images, but if you start with a “crappy” composition, it won’t matter how good your equipment or technique is. What I’m getting at, that at this point in the process for you, the finer technical points (ie. a teleconverter may soften, degrade quality…) is ONLY important for OTHER people - in other words, if you’re going to make a large print for someone… or submit to a contest, show prints in a gallery etc. - then some of the technical issues can make a difference. But in the process of things, converting your joy and experience of nature and your surroundings in to images, memories, that’s what you’re working on now. Composition, light, those types of things are just as important, if not more so, than whether or not you have a great lens…
So… sure sounds to me like you’re on a good path - and over time no doubt you will see improvements in your work.
