Critique Style Requested: Initial Reaction
Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
Does it give a sense of isolation? Wildness? Winter survival?
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
I began to realize I enjoy wildlife images most when they show the animal in the context of its environment. This was my attempt at a Buffalo Environmental Portrait.
Technical Details
1/2500, f/8, ISO 400, 300mm
Specific Feedback
Really looking to see if the story of this mom & baby buffalo living through a harsh winter comes through
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:
Connie, this feels chilly along with being nicely minimalist. I like how the stream moves through the frame and the somewhat obscure hump near the top. Having seen Bison under similar conditions, I do think the color in the Bison and the grass is too warm. Cooling the browns would also add to the chilly feeling.
Connie, this is an excellent representation of wildlife in its natural habitat. The simplicity and contrasting elements work together to create a compelling visual narrative. With minor adjustments, it could be even more impactful, especially for showcasing the resilience of nature in extreme conditions.
Strengths:
- Contrast and Composition: The warm tones of the bison stand out vividly against the cold, white snow, creating a striking contrast. The placement of the bison near the left third of the frame and the stream on the right provides a balanced yet dynamic composition.
- Storytelling: The image evokes a sense of resilience and survival as the bison navigate through a harsh winter environment.
- Leading Lines: The winding stream acts as a natural leading line, drawing the viewer’s eye through the frame and enhancing depth.
- Minimalism: The expanse of snow creates a minimalist aesthetic that highlights the subjects and emphasizes the isolation of the scene.
Suggestions for Improvement:
- Foreground Interest: Including slightly more detail or texture in the snow could add depth and prevent the lower portion from feeling too flat.
- Lighting Adjustments: Contrary to Mark’s view, I think that slightly enhancing the warmth and vibrancy of the bison while maintaining the cool tones of the snow might further emphasize the contrast.
I try with these initial reaction critiques to focus on the emotion I have of the scene, but sadly my child-like attention is often way to easily distracted. I do think this gives a sense of isolation and wild, but to me the vegetation on the right robs from it. Even though it is complementary in color, it changes the feel of the image for me.
Running with that, I wondered what this would look like without it, and came up with the following. I realize the image was likely level to begin with, but after cropping it felt tilted some and I also played with rotating it.
Pieter your critiques are always so thorough and enlightening (would this be a critique of the Critique? ;<). I do appreciate your insights! Not sure there was any detail in the foreground snow as I had to overexpose to get the buffies right, but I shall take a look. -Connie
Wow. Now THAT’S different John. Never would have thought of doing that. Interesting. It definitely changes the feel of it for me - less distance, less sense of place, more sense of the animals. I’ll sit with that for a bit. Thank you for your time on playing around with this!
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Thank you Mark. I’m heading into Lr to mess with it right now! And, as my cute boyfriend (husband) says, See what happens….
