The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This image was taken at a workshop I recently attended in Great Smokey Mountain National Park. Actually it was just after the workshop concluded. We’d had a lot of rain that morning, so I headed up to the Foothills Parkway, which has wonderful views of the stacked ridges that the park is famous for. Mist and fog was dancing around the hills.
Specific Feedback
I spent some time on the composition of this image in the field, trying to get the right angle for the stacked ridges to lead the eye through the picture. Does that work?
It was mid-day, so there wasn’t any color to speak of other than the green of the mountains, so I converted to monochrome.
I’ve played a lot with the overall brightness level in the image. In the end, I’ve gone for a darker more moody look. But is it too dark, and is the contrast too low?
Technical Details
Taken with a Sony A7riv with a Tamron 50-400mm lens at 170 mm and f/11. Conversion to monochrome, global and local adjustments in Lightroom (quite a bit of dodging and burning with linear gradients)
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
You have succeeded in creating a nice moody view of the stacked ridges you mention. The repeated clumps of trees, texture, and moody effect of the foggy clouds , and grain (intentional noise) makes the image work for me. I agree that the image is too dark and might be difficult to print. Even though this is a mid-day shot, it might help to see the color version. With creative burning and dodging the color image may surprise you.
I can see what you were trying to accomplish with this photo and the layered ridges do come through, but not as prominently as I have seen of other photos from this location. However, that is not where I think the strength of this photo comes from. What I really like are the subtle tonal variations in the foreground hills and the evident topography with every little bump and the incredible texture that the trees provide. That is really where my attention goes and my eye just frolics in those elements.
The Title and Image fits like a glove. Maybe take yur dodge tool in Photoshop and a few lightening of the clouds and the trees in the light spot. But then again that may take away from this vision and vibe of your image.
I hope to get to the Smokies this fall. Do you live near there. This image works great in B&W. Has that thing I love in B&W photography.
I have a real passion for B&W Photography. I put your image in Photoshop and dodged a few spots. It works but It may not fit what you saw and felt in taking this photo. Sometime I feel it is not always what we see put how does an image make us feel. You were there and felt this view and captured it. That is the real deal. I relate to the feel in this image. I wrote a song Between the Rain. Its about and image and how it makes you relate to something we see and experience. I love the mountains and you captured that emotion of the hills. !!!
It’s a beautiful scene, Will. I like the foreground detail and the softness in the background.
Personally, I find it too dark. I copied it to see how it would look if it were brighter and I liked it better that way. The contrast seems fine to me.
For me, this is a Wow! It’s subtle but elegant and eye-catching. The FG tree-covered undulations have wonderful texture and the larger structure of the receding land forms pulls me back into the lovely sky. For my taste, the darkness is a plus and adds to the mystery. My only nit is to wish for just a bit more sky so the top of the lighter cloud on the left wasn’t right at the edge.
Hi Will,
I love a good B&W and this certainly fills the bill for me. This is dripping with mood and I love the layering with the receding ridgelines as it adds so much depth to the scene as it draws the viewer in. While I quite like this as is, I could also see this with a bit more contrast. I hope you do not mind, but here is a rework with what I was thinking. This is just my opinion of course and may not be your vision for this lovely image. I quite like this!
Thanks all for your replies. It really helps to get a bunch of perspectives. In fact, I have a bunch of perspectives on this image, and have made several variations.
@Larry_Greenbaum . I would certainly brighten this image for printing. I generally have one version of an image for digital display, and a second for printing.
@Youssef_Ismail . Thanks you for your comments. While I was using the stacked ridges as a compositional element, as you point out, this isn’t really a classic stacked ridges image. I have some of those too, but, while I like them, they do end up looking like a lot of images from the Smokies.
@Gill_Vanderlip , I may try some of your suggested dodging and burning. We’re not that close to the Smokies (I live in Maryland near DC), but we did drive down there. It’s about 8 hours. It was a long drive, but it was nice to be able to pack as much equipment as I liked in the car.
@Don_Peters I’m still experimenting with the brightness. I may end up a touch brighter
@Diane_Miller I agree that little more sky would be nice.
@Ed_Lowe I like your edit. In fact, I have one very much like it amongst the variations that I’ve done. I think I need to leave the image alone for a few weeks and then come back to decide which variant I like best
