Just before the sun went down completely on the same beach where I shot Fish Shack sunset, there was this greenish blue reflection on Lake Superior that was so strange and eerie with the touches of magenta. This is really the color it was. Several of us remarked on it and boy it was fleeting. There isn’t much to work with for framing or foreground elements, so luckily there’s that line of ice moving on the tide to give some contour and interest in all that water. At least I think it does.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Technical: Feedback on the technical aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, focus and reproduction of colors and details, post-processing, and print quality.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
So this is the best I could do to make it interesting or at least the slightest bit artistic. Too simple? Zzz? Also, the color is very weird and so I wonder if anyone else has seen color like this.
Technical Details
Tripod
Lr for basic s-curve and other processing, with some color work to get it to look like how it was. Also a crop then into Photoshop for some luminosity and color masking to bring up drama and separation.
Sometimes simpler is better for grand scenics like this. It gives me a feeling of vastness and peace. Also, the beauty of the world. The colors are intriguing, even for me.
That line of ice moving in the tide does help to give it an expansive feel. I like it.
I like this for what it is, it shows the mood set by the time of day, and the coldness of the lake.
I like the amount of sky presented, there’s just enough to show the time of day as well as place emphasis on the water and ice.
What I like most (other than the colors) is the line of broken ice at an angle, it shows movement from the rolling swells in the lake. That makes it dynamic in my mind.
I like the FG broken ice and snow and I hope you were standing on an area that looked more stable and safer than what is shown here.
That diagonal line doesn’t lead my attention out of the scene, my attention naturally moves from the FG ice and snow onto the distant shore and horizon.
I have seen colors like this but I can’t exactly remember when or where
Kris,
The scene is obviously cold, but I find it to be very inviting due to the subtle warm light on the broken FG ice. The warm color in the sky also compliments the cold tones in the water beautifully. The diagonal swell of ice adds a little bit of tension to this landscape IMO. No suggestions from me as this is nicely done.
As a general rule, leading lines is probably a good one. But as artists there is no reason to be a slave to a general rule. For me, this photograph is a case in point. That there is a line of ice on the water is fine but for me, at least, it isn’t what makes this picture. What makes this picture is the graphic display of horizontals, the white ice, aqua water, and magenta sky. In that regard I read this almost as an abstract. Between the colours and the graphic horizontal bands, this picture has a lot of power. I am huge fan of Newfoundland landscape photographer, Ned Pratt who is a master of this kind of graphic approach to the pictures he makes - very concerned with colour and line. Check out this link and particularly the first photograph - St. Philip’s Beach, which presents many of the same elements as your picture here.
I love the light on the foreground ice and the sharp shards of ide. I also like that there are several bands of vertical light running up and down the water which leads my eye to the distant, snow covered hill and that sky. The water is interesting in that I have no idea what that line is made up of. I zoomed in and can’t tell what that is so that is fun and interesting to look at. The water and the sky may be a little over saturated for me normally but I also think it’s what makes the image unusual and also interesting so I think you nailed it.
While it looks very cold, it wasn’t actually. Maybe 20s. But a really lovely sunset and we did have some clouds, too.
I appreciate you reminding me, Kerry, that rules can be broken at times and still produce a photo that works. I will check out the website link you gave me and hopefully feel a bit more free with my conceptions on what makes a strong photo. I often simplify things and then think they don’t work because some of the conventions are missing.
The line in the water is ice, David. I don’t know if it was forming or pieces that broke off, but it was floating and looked pretty neat. I have some photos and, more importantly, video of pancake ice forming during the following morning. It was so cool and I wish I could have had another day or two to see how it finished up. I’ve only ever seen and photographed pancake ice one other time.
My favorite so far from your trip. This is outstanding! Simple yes, but complex and powerful at the same time. The weighted balance of the 3 horizontal elements or zones are tied together beautifully with that diagonal line - as well as the verticals of reflected colors.
A little side note for me. I find composing landscape images along the lake or sea shore very difficult. Mostly in those situations where you’re looking up or down the shoreline… All kinds of angles and imbalance come in to play attempting to make balanced compositions. Your previous images were successful due to the strong presence of the ice formations. This perspective and composition is typically scene with your typical sunrise/sunset views looking straight out. These compositions are most often pretty static and unoriginal - on the other hand offer many opportunities to craft something unique and bold - as you have done here.
And thank you Kerry for the reference and link. I was amazed actually how similar in style with the strong horizontals, colors and graphics - how similar to Kris’s image here. So thanks for sharing that.
Beautifully seen and captured Kris. A wall hanger for sure!
Thanks @Igor_Doncov & @Lon_Overacker - it’s interesting that photos we think are our weakest turn out not to be. Second-guessing is my biggest hurdle sometimes. The water, sky and ice were doing crazy things together, but really it’s all just different forms of water and that was running through my head when I took this, but wasn’t sure if the stacked presentation would convey that or be at all interesting. Shucks folks, I wuz wrong.
Funny about those bands of color, Igor, I didn’t notice them at the time because the whole lake was undulating slightly. In the computer I saw them and wondered if they’d be annoying or interesting.
