A lone saguaro

Image Critiques Flora Critiques
1

Saguaro c.JPG
Saguaro c.JPG3019×3143 895 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I walked all around this saguaro looking for the best point of view. This was it.

Specific Feedback

It’s an infrared shot. There was a milky sky full of thin clouds. The boundary between the land and the sky was indistinct. I processed the sky and the remainder of the shot separately to achieve as much separation as I could, Is it enough?

I don’t think there’s any time of day when I wouldn’t get some shadows at the top of the saguaro, given how contorted it is. Do they bother you?

Any other comments would be welcome.

Technical Details

ISO 100, 17mm, f/20, .8 sec.

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3 Likes
2

This is quite an amazing specimen – there is a story here suited to Cormack McCarthy, and humor that brings a big smile. I’m certain there is a perfect caption but it eludes me. (I’ll call at 3 am when it hits me.)

The sky and ground blend together very naturally and I wouldn’t have guessed they were processed separately, but there is a softness to where the sky meets the arms. That looks like an impossible selection. I keep hoping someday AI will be able to do pixel-level selections. The shadows feel quite natural. Looking at it closely, there seems to be an interesting glow to the highlights --maybe just because you told me it was IR.

Different, compelling and cool!

3

Thanks, Diane. I’ll be waiting for your 3:00 AM call. :slight_smile:

4

I love your subject and the IR black and white seems to work very well, Don. I think the balance might feel a little more comfortable with a more vertical crop with some canvas taken off the right.

5

Thanks, Dennis.

6

Wow that’s quite a bizarre cactus…very cool. No the shadows don’t bother me what are you going to do? As for separation did you try getting a few shots at wider aperture’s? Surprising there is no hot spot shooting IR at f20. What lens did you have on?

7

Thanks for the comment, Bruce. The lens was a Canon 17-40 L.

8

Don: My first irreverent impression was, “Gumby!” I’ve never ventured into infrared so this is a treat. Nice find and a fine capture and presentation. >=))>

9

I live in saguaro country, so it’s especially fun to see this image. Saguaros tend to live in groups, and it’s not always easy to find an isolated specimen. I think your use of IR was very effective for this setting. I wonder if F/20 affected the sharpness of the image?

10

Thanks, Bill.

Russ, use of f/16 or f/20 can cause a loss of sharpness. There’s a trade-off involved between depth of field and sharpness.

11

Don,

What an amazing specimen you found. It is so contorted and and unique. The shadows on the top do not bother me at all and I think you did a great job in processing, good contrast and separation throughout. Only I think maybe a title change, I would have titled it “Battered But Standing”. Oh congratulations on the EP.

12

Thanks, Youssef. It is a remarkable cactus. Your title aptly describes how I perceived it.

13

I love high key images like this. They have a glow that lends a sense of mystery. I think you did a great job processing this. The shadows don’t bother me at all because they have plenty of detail.

Well done, and congrats on the EP!
-P

14

Thanks, Preston.