Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Walking along the wooded paths around a small lake I spotted this composition between the bushes.
Specific Feedback
This was a tricky scene to photograph - I had to be careful about the highlights as it was quite a bright day and I used a polariser to try to dampen some of the reflections and upped the ISO a little bit to get a fast enough shutter to freeze the motion in the leaves.
It was very tricky to edit, I’ve tried to retain the overall feel while bringing out some of the details. I think I need to let this one sit for a while, and I’m sure when I do I’ll spot areas that need some attention and maybe end up completely re-editing it.
I’m interested in what others think - does this photograph ‘work’ for you and would you approach the edit differently?
Technical Details
GFX 50S II
35-70mm
F16
ISO 640
1/6sec
Polariser
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Dom, I can see what you mean by tricky. I see several interesting crops that emphasize areas of the composition and draw attention to its beauty. Have you tried using the crop tool to isolate different areas? I tried it, and this is just one of the parts of this fascinating scene that caught my eye. There were more. I cropped and then burned some of the bright areas around the borders and applied a vignette. It’s just a way to play with what you have seen in nature’s riches. I might also used the remove tool in PS to eliminate some of the bright areas and simplify the compostion just a bit.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks very much for this. Yes, there are a few other versions I’ve been playing with where I’ve cropped down to sections of the image. For instance, I really like the tree branches running right to left in the top third and have tried a pano of those, which looks quite nice.
It’s such a complex scene, I think I need to let it sit for a while. I think the edit I shared here is a bit over-done in some areas and under baked in others!
Thanks for your input!
Dom, I was drawn to these branches as well.
I think that’s one of the issues. You have a busy composition made busier by specks of bright light scattered throughout. I have seen paintings where the whole point is the dappled light but that’s not the case here.
Sometimes you can use the dappled light to your advantage and make it part of your composition.
Thanks.
It’s a very complex scene, maybe I’ll try it again the winter when things have died back a bit. And hopefully in some softer light.
Dom, you’ve done a good job of capturing the nature of this dense, wet forest. I like the right ~80%. The leaning branches from the right and the line of green plants near the left do a good job of creating a sense of depth. However, the bright areas along the left side pull my eyes away from the depth. I also wonder if how this scene would have looked with you squatting down. That might let the middle ground play a stronger role in the view.
Thanks Mark. I was stood on a steep bank down into the pond but maybe next time I can try just having the tripod shorter. I don’t currently have a lens that will let me get much tighter but I’ll have a play the next time I’m there and I can always crop in a bit.
