We had just had about 5" of snow fall. There’s been very little snow in the NE this winter, so I was excited to get out as much as possible before it melted. This day was supposed to stay right around 32 degrees with off and on snow. I went out to take some photos of falling snow. Well, I got more than I bargained for. The temps. rose to the upper 30’s and down came the rain. I was prepared for rain so I decided to hang in and see what I could capture. I think it paid off.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
It’s interesting how rain and snow can change the environment and give you a composition that you probably wouldn’t take otherwise. I have walked this trail many times and this day I took photos that I had pasted by before. I must say the rain created some challenges. Keeping my lens dry with this type of rain fall was nearly impossible and sometimes I had photos where you couldn’t see the subject. All and all I stayed warm, but not dry. I think I would do it again???
Your stroll in the rain paid off rather nicely and was well worth getting wet for, Donna. I like the B&W treatment and the streaking rain has created some very nice textures in this winter scene; almost looks like a canvas print. I find the image very relaxing and serene and the misty BG only reinforces that mood. Very nicely done!
Well, Donna, when life gives us rain, we make beautiful photos, right? This is indeed a nice capture. I enjoy the textures throughout the entire image. The foreground is very sharp and shows the heavy rain that was falling. It makes me feel as if I were under the umbrella right where you made the photo. The black-and-white edit fits very well with the snowy scene and accentuates the heavy rain. It creates an additional layer to entice the viewer to explore the scene. The two snowy banks in midground keep our attention on the water, which leads us to the hazy background. I really like the overall DOF going from sharp to hazy. The image was a good reward for braving the rain. Now I think I’ll have to get myself a cup of coffee to warm me up. Nicely done, Donna.
This is quite beautiful. I think the crop really accentuates the wide expanse of this stream, and also the low perspective. I really love the rain effect. Congrats!
Really awesome image here Donna! I love the streaking lines from the rain! The comp is quite pleasing for me. I’m not sure I like that little patch of white snow bottom right, but I could be convinced! Otherwise, bravo!
This is quite a magnificent image, Donna. I can feel the rain and the cold. The composition is wonderful and I really like the B&W treatment. Well done.
Very cool shot and it couldn’t be in anything else but black and white. I love how original it looks. As far as what emotion it makes me feel, it makes me want a big bowl of chili when I get home. Is that an emotion? LOL
Gorgeous! Such a beautiful, wintery - and I feel more like I’m looking out the window, warm and cuddly on the inside with that bowl of chilli… (Good one David J.). Rather than you standing out there in the driving rain. Plus, it’s kinda weird that the falling rain really looks like driving snow - which of course is consistent with the scene anyway -just an observation.
Hard to suggest anything here. I suppose you might lighten the shadows/drop the contrast in the darker areas of the lower left, but that’s just a tweak and a personal choice at that.
It is really hard to get a good picture that captures the intensity of a steady rain while still keeping it within the context of its broader landscape. You’ve really done this one very well! I think B&W is definitely the right choice here. I get where @Matt_Payne is coming from with the sno win the LRC, but I actually wish there were a bit more to define that edge of the composition and help lead me upstream through the scene. That, however, is a very minor quibble and the snow you have in that area doesn’t impact my overall enjoyment of the scene.
@Ed_Lowe @ Egídio_Leitão @Mark_Muller@Igor_Doncov@David_Bostock@Lon_Overacker@jefflafrenierre WOW, I didn’t expect so many nice responses. I’ll defiantly have to try this again. Maybe that’s where my talent is . Thanks to everyone for taking their time to comment on my image. You sure have built up some confidence in myself.
@Matt_Payne@David_Johnston Matt, I figured you might talk about that little patch of snow in the RBC I did think about cloning it out, but in some way I thought it showed the viewer that the stream curved around to meet up with the other snow bank. David, yes chili is definitely an emotion. I hope you got your bowl of chili that day. I pulled you out of the group to say that the OOC conference was magnificent!!! I was so pumped up with inspiration that I grabbed my camera the next day and took off. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I wanted to be outdoors with my camera in hand. What a great gift you gave your audience. Be proud!!
Its all in the streaks of rain that make this photograph really sing, and you nailed the shutter speed to get this so perfect. Did you take any other exposures with different shutter speeds? Back in the film days, getting the correct shutter speed when working with water was always the greatest guessing game and many sheets of film were burned to find the right shutter.
Well done! I normally don’t like the rain/snow streaks in images but this one really conveys the feeling of the moment and the action coming from the sky. Fantastic. The little patch of snow in the lower right…my suggestion would be to make that go away, it doesn’t add to the image and somewhat draws attention towards that lower corner.
Well shot!!!
This is such a beautiful scene Donna “dripping” with atmosphere. Again you have chosen a wonderful composition. The shutter speed catches the sheets of rain perfectly.
This is really lovely. The rain/snow streaks are well done. This is hard to get right but I think you’ve pulled it off. This reminds me of several trips to Yosemite Valley during snow storms.
The textures are what makes this image so pleasing. Not only the streaking rain but the water texture and all of the bare branches. This is perfect for B&W. There was likely almost no color in this image anyway and this just speaks B&W.
Donna, I love the streaking rain, feels really cold and wet. For what it’s worth, I like the patch of snow in the bottom right. It triangulates well with the other two bright patches of snow, drawing me into the image and creating a diagonal across the shoal in the foreground. Very nice!
Donna, this is great. It’s a very attractive scene, with the zig-zag river leading into the misty distance. You’ve really nailed the rain and it’s clearly a lot of rain! I’ll bet you had the world to yourself under these conditions.
. Thanks to everyone for taking their time to comment on my image. You sure have built up some confidence in myself.
I did think about cloning it out, but in some way I thought it showed the viewer that the stream curved around to meet up with the other snow bank. David, yes chili is definitely an emotion. I hope you got your bowl of chili that day. I pulled you out of the group to say that the OOC conference was magnificent!!! I was so pumped up with inspiration that I grabbed my camera the next day and took off. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I wanted to be outdoors with my camera in hand. What a great gift you gave your audience. Be proud!!