Blue Skies over the Marsh

I shot this scene many times over a period of about three years or so until I finally got the conditions I wanted. Shot this back in 2006 but wasn’t real happy with it, so I re-processed it today, and would appreciate your thoughts, suggestions, and critiques. This shot was taken Santa Rosa Island, just right down the road from Pensacola Beach, FL.

What technical feedback would you like if any?

Any and all

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

Any and all

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Single frame

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simplynatureart

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I really like this version of it. The color palette has been simplified it seems to me and that makes the composition strong. It’s funny, but when I look at this I’m transferred to Madagascar or some exotic place like that. That tree on the right is amazing. And the others seem to follow. This is a really fine image, Bill. Even without the water it’s an excellent image. See the light area to the left of the shadow in the llc? I thought it might be good to crop from the left to remove it. In the end I decided that the complexity of that shadow and even the tree reflection at the bottom all contribute to the image. I can’t think of a thing to change…

here’s what I had in mind.

@Igor_Doncov, I like your crop from the left, but I agree the upper tree reflections are important to the image. I’m sure I will crop a bit off the left before printing. Thanks for your thoughts.

WOW Bill. The gold tones are stunning. The light is captivating. Whatever kind of trees those are they are amazing looking particularly the larger tree on the right. It balances the rest of the image side to side and top to bottom. I think you need the reflections along the bottom as it anchors and balances the image and all of the other trees have their reflection in the water and it feels lopsided without it. If this was my image, I’d print this big and hang it. This is one of the best and most unique posts I’ve seen in awhile. Just beautiful.

Bill,

What a wonderful landscape image! Love this. Those clouds seem to mimick the tree tops. Very, very, cool.

I love this as presented. I would agree however to somehow mitigate those brighter grasses in the LLC. Not a huge deal,but one of those finer points if you decide to print this one.

Lon

Same thoughts as Igor, Madagascar. That dappled blue/white cloud pattern against the golden grasses couldn’t be more perfect. I do like Igors crop I don’t think the reflection of the tree is that important to the image as it stands easily on its own without the darkness of the reflected tree which could be viewed as a distracting element.

@David_Haynes, @Lon_Overacker, @Ian_Cameron - Thank you all for your comments, I truly appreciate them.

Bill, I absolutely love this image, awesome clouds and awesome trees, this can’t be beat. I love the warm colors that you have in the trees and especially the grass, the light is really nice.

This is such a nice image, I almost hate to offer any suggestions, but one of my personal “things” is having left to right flow in compositions. And I think a stronger vignette would help too. Here is a rework reflecting my comments. Sorry I did not attempt to flip your watermark…

Bill, the colors and especially the tree shapes are wonderful. I also really like the triangle comp. with the river and trees coming to a vanishing point on the left.

I like the way the shapes of the tree tops match the shapes of the clouds.

@Ed_McGuirk, thank you for your comments and your suggestion. @Mark_Seaver and @Michael_Schertzberg, thank you both as well for your comments.

This is simply stunning Bill. No nits from me. The blue and gold nicely compliment each other.

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@Eva_McDermott, Thanks so much. Hope you are safe and healthy in this current lockdown mess.

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