The almost perfectly round puddle on this boulder in a creek caught my eye. I don’t have a story to go with this - it was simply an interesting natural scene.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any comments welcome. I wanted the small puddle to stand out, so the boulder isn’t terribly contrasty. I also wanted those twigs to be fairly prominent, but I didn’t want to lighten the water too much and compete with the little puddle.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
a7r3, 26mm, f/16, 5s, ISO 100. B&W conversion in PS; dodging/burning; a couple of curves; cloned out weird bits in the LRC; added warm tone.
Quite stunning, Bonnie. The B&W treatment really works well. I love the reflection being in focus. Kinda looks like half a face with one eye and the nose down in the lower right. No changes in my opinion. Well seen.
A really nice find here, Bonnie. As David mentioned the B&W treatment works well too. The larger version almost looks like the right open reflection shows what appears to be a Praying Mantis head and body extending downward. An interesting item if it really was…
I love this one.
when I saw the thumbnail my second reaction (the first one was wow !) was to pity about the branch.
As soon i open the image I realize that, probably, the image wouldn’t work for me without the branches.
Very nice, very meditative.
It’s a window to another world. In an ordinary world that we live in there is this opening into something wonderful. All we have to do is step through the opening. And then enter a world of great delights.
The branch in the upper right works for me quite well. I don’t see offhand how to improve this because it’s not an image where processing matters all that much. Even composition is of little importance.
It does look like a nose, and that’s killing me! I didn’t see it at first, then when I did, I couldn’t unsee it. I’m really not in to pareidolia (although I did call it an eye - ). Oh well.
No praying mantis - just the reflection of branches.
@Igor_Doncov do you really think composition isn’t important here? It’s cropped of course, but I did compose it so that the angle of the rock would make a triangle with the branch coming into the frame. For me, there are at least 2 major shapes that give this interest - the triangle formed by the rock-branch-edge of frame and the circle of the puddle.
As far as processing, this does have quite a bit of processing involved to make the puddle stand out, the branch stand out (but not too much), toning, etc.
Well, the large lighter shape coming up from the bottom into the frame where all else is dark is IMO not a great composition. The bright circle, however, so so powerful in both shape and luminosity that it compensates for this.
Yes, I am aware that you processed the eye but further processing to bring out more tonal values doesn’t seem to be fruitful. It’s a fairly dark image outside of the eye and I think it should remain so. These are my gut feelings. Tinkering around with it could uncover possibilities however. The branch is not very prominent and processing it to be more impactful might be productive. I think it’s an important element although secondary. It’s like a second instrument that’s not playing the main theme.
Ps you might crop some off the top bringing the stone shape more into the image. Just a suggestion.
Oh, but I processed the entire thing, not just the eye - that’s what I meant about bringing out the eye - most of the processing involved everything but the eye. The rock was much brighter, so I toned it down. The background water was also bright, and I toned it down.
I really had to look closely at this photo to figure out what I was seeing. Like looking into another world. BW works really well for this photo. Nice shot!
Beautifully seen. This is an image that, I think, distinguishes your vision from other photographers. I might have seen the reflection, but I doubt I would have framed it as well you . I am not sure I understand the comment about being separate from composition and post processing. It seems to me both the composition and post were very carefully thought out to create an unique image.
I will add to the chorus, nice photo. I would consider cropping the top of the image to get rid of some of space and the branches and focus moreon the stone and reflection…simple yet powerful. Thanks for sharing!
I have to admit right off the bat that this image revealed my pedestrian, lack of creativity in my own photography. Hopefully I can explain. Honestly, my first impression was, "Really? who would include an errant branch? It’s too big to clone out… what was she thinking? I mean, how much time have I spent composing and trying to avoid distracting elements? I mean why not just a picture of the rock, cool reflection and a soft bg? That’s pretty standard, right? Pedestrian?. I looked at this as if some photo rule or guideline was broken or something…
But then… I started to “see” what you saw, have created here and how this steps way outside the box. I thought of my own axiom… “If you’re going to include something, include it on purpose…” And clearly you chose, purposefully to include the twiggy branch. I’m starting to see why.
And so I’m starting to understand the brilliance - and many kudos to you for this. This is actually quite inspiring and is a light-bulb moment for me.
So back to the image. Clearly to me now, there is a direct connection between the round reflection (of twiggy branches, go figure) and the included branch. Also, the presence of the branch fills a void, and otherwise creates a direct connection and ties the image together. IMHO, this image is little to do with processing (although I think it’s wonderful as presented,) but it’s really about stepping out of the box and crafting a composition, an image that just speaks volumes on creativity.
I think a lesson learned - definitely for me, but I suspect others. You continue to impress!
So very late to the party here but I echo what Lon is saying. When I saw the thumbnail I thought, “hmm, interesting composition to include the twig in the URC.” Then I opened the image up and it me right between the eyes. That branch, although secondary to the main reflection, is critical for the image to work as well as it does. It gives the reflection meaning, and a sense of place that would otherwise be missing. My only wish is that the rock had less character. I see a couple of things that I can’t unsee now. First, is the eye and the nose. Second, I see a fish jumping out of the water with the mouth being the crack in the ULC of the rock and the eye being the black spot just to the right of the crack/mouth. I have no idea why I’m seeing this but I do. LOL
Maybe dodge the 2 black dots so they don’t stand out so much and also maybe dodge the shadow area (the part of the shadow that actually connects with the water reflection) of the long nose so it’s not so prominent. At any rate, this is very well seen and purposely composed. Kudos
Well, I do have some frames with just the rock, the reflection, and the soft water, so I did try that (this is from more than a year ago, so I’ve sort of forgotten my thought process). I must have been considering the branches coming in though, because I can see the progression in my frames as I moved around to rearrange the scene. And thank you for your encouragement.
Yes, I hear you on the unseeing business. That nose really is annoying. I think I see your fish, now, too - thanks, ha ha. I’ve tried various things to reduce the prominence of the nose, and I haven’t found one I’m satisfied with yet.
). Oh well.