# A lone saguaro **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** editors-pick, plant-life\ **Created:** [April 22, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358 "2025-04-22T20:57:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/1 "2025-04-22T20:57:36Z")
![Saguaro c.JPG](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/a/7/a70b3a17bd2f696d69d5215ec4ff0690e662a0ca.jpeg) > **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. * * * ### Critique Template Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas. - Vision and Purpose: - Conceptual: - Emotional Impact and Mood: - Composition: - Balance and Visual Weight: - Depth and Dimension: - Color: - Lighting: - Processing: - Technical: ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 3:39am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/2 "2025-04-23T03:39:00Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/3 "2025-04-23T15:11:59Z")
Thanks, Diane. I’ll be waiting for your 3:00 AM call. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/4 "2025-04-23T19:58:49Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/5 "2025-04-24T14:04:37Z")
Thanks, Dennis. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_King](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Bruce\_King](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bruce_King)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 4:10am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/6 "2025-04-25T04:10:10Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2025, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/7 "2025-04-25T13:09:36Z")
Thanks for the comment, Bruce. The lens was a Canon 17-40 L. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Fach](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_fach/32/78290_2.png) [@Bill\_Fach](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Fach)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 2:52am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/8 "2025-04-27T02:52:12Z")
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. \>=))\> ---
**Author:** ![Russell\_Carpenter](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/russell_carpenter/32/77777_2.png) [@Russell\_Carpenter](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Russell_Carpenter)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/9 "2025-04-27T21:59:13Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/10 "2025-04-27T22:45:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Youssef\_Ismail](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/youssef_ismail/32/486_2.png) [@Youssef\_Ismail](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Youssef_Ismail)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 5:03am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/11 "2025-06-14T05:03:17Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 12:16pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/12 "2025-06-14T12:16:50Z")
Thanks, Youssef. It _is_ a remarkable cactus. Your title aptly describes how I perceived it. ---
**Author:** ![Preston\_Birdwell](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/preston_birdwell/32/374_2.png) [@Preston\_Birdwell](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Preston_Birdwell)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/13 "2025-06-14T17:12:50Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Peters](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/don_peters/32/87970_2.png) [@Don\_Peters](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Don_Peters)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/a-lone-saguaro/46358/14 "2025-06-14T18:41:11Z")
Thanks, Preston.