The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This is an image I thought had been lost on my hard drive. It was made with a 6 mp Canon point and shoot camera in 2015. There was a fresh blanket of snow at Silver Lake and I found a single Aspen leaf floating on the surface of the lake. I used an angle that would ensure a pure black background with the leaf and a few drops of water on it seeming to float in mid-air. It’s a fuzzy image, I know. Today, with better equipment and technique it would be tack sharp. However, for all its faults, it is still one of my favorite images.
Specific Feedback
Composition, exposure.
Technical Details
Canon PowerShot iS. Unsure of shutter speed or aperture. This was a point and shoot camera.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I love this composition. The contrast that you achieved between the background and the colors of the leaf are outstanding. I also like the serrated edges of the leaf and the pink/orange in the leaf. For reasons mentioned it struggles when you enlarge the image. I can easily see why it is one of your favorite images!
Paul this is a lovely look at this leaf as it contrasts well against the dark background. I don’t think the softness is due to the camera, since nothing is sharp but every things looks similar in sharpness, I suspect that your shutter speed was too slow. (6 megapixel image files have made many fine large, sharp prints.) BTW, I see that your upload is 4000 pixels on a side, the NPN guidelines suggest 2000 pixels long axis (but those are designed for today’s much larger files) to keep load times for viewing under control.
Hi, I’m impressed you have seen this little tiny leaf with water drop in a middle of a lake and probably a larger landscape: nice catch. I really like the contrast of color, the square composition is great. I like you didn’t push too much on the black background. Not sure if it’s because of the brightness of the leaf of the sharpness, but I would like to see a bit more of the texture of the leaf. This is really great image.
This is a visually pleasing and thoughtful photograph. The strong contrast and minimalist approach make it impactful, and with some refinements to sharpness and background cleanliness, it could be elevated to an even more polished artistic piece.
Strengths:
Minimalism:
The simplicity of the single leaf floating against a dark, uncluttered background draws full attention to the subject and creates a dramatic effect.
Color Contrast:
The vibrant yellow-orange hues of the leaf stand out beautifully against the black background, enhancing its visual impact.
The soft gradient from yellow to reddish tones adds depth and warmth.
Water Droplets:
The droplets on the leaf add texture and dimension, making the composition more dynamic and engaging.
The droplets reflect light subtly, enhancing the image’s delicate and natural feel.
Composition:
The leaf is centered, creating a clean and balanced composition that works well with the minimalist theme.
The thin stem adds a sense of fragility and elegance to the image.
Areas for Improvement:
Sharpness and Focus:
The image appears slightly soft or grainy, especially around the edges of the leaf and the water droplets. A higher resolution or sharper focus would enhance the details.
Ensuring that the droplets are crisp and sharp could make the image even more compelling.
Lighting:
While the lighting highlights the leaf well, there’s a slight unevenness in the illumination that could be smoothed out in post-processing to create a more consistent glow.
Background Noise:
The black background works well, but there appears to be some faint noise or texture in the darkness. Cleaning up the background in editing would make it even more polished.
Suggestions:
Post-Processing:
Use editing tools to sharpen the details, particularly the droplets, and reduce noise in the background.
Enhance the saturation slightly to make the colors of the leaf even more vibrant.
Experiment with Angles:
A slightly angled perspective or a closer crop could add variety while maintaining the minimalist approach.
Lighting Control:
Using diffused light or controlled studio lighting could create more uniform illumination, enhancing the leaf’s natural beauty.
Potentially very nice! I’m assuming it was a JPEG capture? Have you tried some of the newer NR programs? Then possibly some careful “sharpening” could be in order. Topaz Sharpen has several algorithms that can sometimes do a lot.
