The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Living close to Joshua Tree, I am blessed to have a location where I can go year 'round and always find opportunities. In addition to color opportunities from wildflowers and cactus blooms, I must say, no other park has presented me with so many black and white prospects, from closeups to boulder-strewn landscapes. I recommend this park to other shooters and would be happy to suggest target areas. Here, on an early morning in June before the heat kicked in, the bright cactus spines caught my eye and I knew that in B/W, they would convert to white against the dramatic wood grain and branches. Irresistible.
Specific Feedback
I think B/W is all about contrast and visual drama, so it was obvious to crank the contrast and make the cactus the subject here. Not sure whether I should do more to enhance â or de-emphasize â the twisted branches of the dead Manzanita. Comments on composition welcome also. The big branch at center does divide the image.
Technical Details
Olympus EM1 Mark II, ISO250, F11, 1/60th, 22MM.
Hand held â thanks for the IS, Olympus.
Shot in color and converted to B/W.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
James, I like the B&W conversion and the contrast between various portions of the image works well. I agree with your recognition of the division of the image into R and L. I would try a crop to isolate the right side of the image- which is less crowed with the Manzanita. All and all, ,nicely done!
Blessed indeed! JT is a favorite of mine as well, but I live 12 hours away!
I love the contrast youâve achieved, and the tones in the cholla especially. With the contrast all being so strong, the the branches and the cholla, itâs confusing what you consider the main subject in your composition. You could do a simple crop revision to highlight one or the other clumps of cactus, and or downplay the branches with lessened contrast and/or burning the tones darker. OR brighten the highlights in the chollas? So many options! How about a square crop that includes the left or right bunch of cholla, making what is now the center branch the dominant supporting actor? Really great image James.
Thanks much Connie! Yes it is a fortunate capture and happily, provides great opportunity for edits to B/W tone and contrast. Another photographer also commented on the composition. I have tweaked it in different ways and found more than one that works. Like so many of our shots, the ultimate test would be a large print.
James, the Cholla spikes stand out well here. The lines in the Manzanita branches add a good sense of movement as the contrast with the spikes of Cholla. I like the branch coming from the lower left. The R/L division looks good, with the caveat that if there was an end to the Cholla spikes just out of view on the left, it would be nice to not have them cut off.
Hi James. I took the liberty of downloading to try a crop idea I had in mind. I took some off the top/right. It reduced a bit of the space on the right and the UR corner that felt like it wasnât necessary. I like the two âclumpsâ of cholla and all the rich textures in this image. I might suggest toning down the bright piece of wood at the bottom center, however. I agree with @Mark_Seaver about the R/L division, although my crop shifted that a tad. Still the overall impact of this image is strong.
This is one of those subjects that makes it really difficult to find a perfect composition. As soon as you crop out one distracting element you realize you also cut out something you wanted. Or if you add a little bit more of something you want, all of a sudden you introduce another distracting element. How one deals with this depends on how they feel about cloning out elements of a scene in post. I approached my comments on this one assuming no cloning was desired.
In this case I really like the asymmetry. The composition is fairly well balanced, even though there is more cholla on one side and more manzanita on the other. The strong vertical manzanita running right up the middle⌠tough call there, but I personally think itâs OK. To me the overall image is just the tiniest bit âheavyâ on the left side.
One suggestion was to crop some of the negative space on the right, but I really like that lower right branch as a leading line. So I tried cutting off just a tiny bit on the left to avoid having the cholla âpointâ out of the frame. This feels more balanced to me, and also has the advantage of eliminating that little bit of background clutter in the upper left.
In any case, I think itâs a really nice composition of a fairly difficult subject! (I live in Tucson, AZ and Kanab, UT - photographing chollas drives me nuts sometimes.) LOL)
Thanks for this thoughtful evaluation Kevin. I like your subtle crop on the left.
Iâm also going to review the original files of this image and see if there are more expansive possibilities for framing!
A wonderful image, perfect for B/W! For me, there is an issue with the brightness of the branches at the bottom. They should burn down well and/or could be cropped a bit from the bottom. I like @brenda_tharpâs crop top and right. I would just take more off the bottom as well. It would be nice to include a bit more of the cholla on the left if that doesnât bring in other problems, or just do a slight crop there as @kevin_dobo suggested, with a localized burn.
The overall first impression is of a very strong and pleasing image!
One of the things that immediately draws me to this image is the intricate interplay between the stark cactus spines and the rugged wood textures. The contrast is compelling and highlights the resilience of life in the desert.
The framing here is excellent. The way the gnarled branches weave through the composition adds a dynamic element that keeps the eye moving, discovering new details. The perspective chosen captures the complexity and raw beauty of this natural arrangement. The balance between the dark, weathered wood and the bright, almost ethereal appearance of the cactus spines creates a striking visual harmony.
This image tells a story of survival and contrast, showcasing how life and decay coexist in the desert environment. The textures and tones bring out a rugged beauty that is both timeless and captivating.
Don you made my day. Mother Nature gave me this gift, I just pointed my camera at it, although I perhaps deserve some credit for seeing its potential. I do appreciate the critique of both composition and B/W conversion as well as the âdesert message.â
There is another plant out there called a Nolina Yucca, which puts out a flower spike up to 10 feet tall, and half of that stalk is solid blossoms. Looks prehistoric. My next target!
Are you a Desert Rat as well?
