The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Yesterday afternoon I went out to Arches to explore a couple spots that have long been on my radar but that, for some reason, I’ve just kept putting off. The first is an area near Courthouse Towers. I stumbled around, staying on slickrock or in washes to avoid “busting the crust” and found a couple interesting things to photograph. This beautiful old juniper tree is one of them. This side of the towers are usually photographed at sunrise/early morning but I rather liked the way the late afternoon light raked across them, adding some nice dimension. I will go back at sunrise some time too, though. At sunrise more of the foreground landscape would have light on it which could also be interesting.
Specific Feedback
Does this composition work for you? It took a lot of effort to frame Three Gossips and the unnamed shark fin tower on the left within the branches of the juniper without any intersecting lines. Is the image well balanced or does it feel too heavy on one side? Do you think the foreground needs light on it to retain interest?
Technical Details
Sony A7IV
Sigma 14-24 @ 17.5
ISO 100
1/30s @ f/16
Lightroom/Photoshop
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:
Looks like a lot of tripod “shuffling” would have been involved to get that! You pulled it off though, and overall I think it works. The tree, of course, is wonderful too. Those old junipers have such character. I also really like how the light is kissing the Three Gossips.
I had to think about this a bit. I do think the image is balanced, but it does have just a dash of incongruity between the left 2/3s and the right 1/3, a slight bit of a two photos in one feel. In the end though, I don’t think it’s an issue.
In that spirit, it looks like an interesting alternative (not replacement) would be a tighter image of just some of the tree and the Gossips.
@John_Williams Appreciate your feedback. There was a bit of shuffling to get that sucker lined up just right! I wonder if the “2 photos in 1” feeling is due to the fact that the entire foreground is in shade while the Gossips and Organ have light on them? I’m going back out tomorrow morning for sunrise as that will be better light for this scene. It’ll be interesting to see if it resolves the 2-in-1 issue.
Oh my. My wife and I haven’t been to Arches for over 15 years. Lots of wonderful memories here from all the great times when we were in the Moab area. We spent a lot of time in the park looking for “perfect views” like this one.
To the photograph… forgive me but I just keep wanting to see a bit more to the left and perhaps a bit down toward the base of the tree. I know the topmost left branch would then be in an awkward position and I don’t really know what’s down at the base. That’s always the toughest part of commenting on someone else’s photograph. The shape of the sky at the upper right seems kind of a strong negative space and the items in the lower right corner seem not to compensate for the inclusion of the upper corner. That said, I love the interlaced shapes ascending from the towers toward the upper left along with the “V” shape of the composition including the bottom of the tree. I am anxious to see the sunrise version of this scene as there are so many interesting shapes here. I can remember standing out there in the cold trying to decide which way to point the lens and wish we could be back there again. Good luck and keep your fingers warm.
Ooooh! I miss red rock desert! Great shot, captures the feeling of being there. I do think more light on the foreground would help. The tree and tower are competing a bit in this version.
Thank you, @Fred_Lord. I agree that it can be difficult to critique an image without knowing what else was around the subject. In this case, there really wasn’t anything else interesting at the bottom of the tree and if I tiled down, I lost too much of the sky but if I went w/ a wider focal length, it brought in things on the sides that didn’t add to the composition. The struggle is real! I shot it at sunrise this morning and the light was definitely better for it. I’ll post that one soon. I also found another tree I like even better as I think it allowed for a more balanced composition. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
Bret, the image does seem a tad left heavy, probably cause the branches are in shade. Doesn’t keep me from enjoying the image, though. The light on the organ and the top of the 3 gossips is gorgeous. I’m always a sucker for blue skies and white clouds in these desert scenes so might be tempted to pump up the contrast a bit.
Bret, I was sure from the view that you had spent significant time positioning your camera, to get the distant towers between branches. While it does feel a bit like two photos, the Juniper in the foreground adds well to the setting. The original does feel a touch flat, so I think @Michael_Lowe 's added contrast looks good. Looking forward to seeing a sunrise version.
I shot it at sunrise this morning and the light was definitely better for it. I’ll post that one soon. I also found another tree I like even better as I think it allowed for a more balanced composition. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!