City at Dawn

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
1

City at Dawn 864A1887.jpg
City at Dawn 864A1887.jpg2000Ă—1330 1.09 MB

Cathedral at Dawn.jpg
Cathedral at Dawn.jpg2000Ă—1441 1.13 MB

Cathedral at Dawn

20250414_095853.jpg
20250414_095853.jpg1170Ă—2080 1.15 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

In the fall, I found this very interesting tree stump that was part of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in a local park called the Carolina Bay. What keeps drawing me to it is that it looks like a cool little city. I kept going back, but was never happy with what I was getting. Finally, I completely change my angle and decided to only get this one “building” in focus and let the rest fall off. Early in the morning, the light hitting the leaves behind this, I was able to get two very different images on two separate mornings. I’m posting both, because I keep going back and forth between them. The last image is from my phone of my set up and what the “city” looks like.

Specific Feedback

I’m looking for feedback on which image gets your attention more. And if there are things in the frames I need to clean up or change.

Technical Details

Canon R
85mm macro
First image: ISO 400, f/2 at 1/332 sec
Second image: ISO 400, f/2.2 at 1/200 sec

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:
1 Like
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Patrick: Oh this is wonderful! What great vision and conceptualizing to put this together. A unique and singularly marvelous image from a subject most would not give a second glance to. Many kudos. >=))>

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3

Very cool, Patrick. A wonderful find and very well thought out images. My preference is for the second of the two because the stuff on the left in the first has an odd feeling to the bokeh that doesn’t appeal to me. Possibly stopping down just a bit would have alleviated that, but I don’t know for sure.

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@Bill_Fach and @Dennis_Plank thanks for your thoughts. And this is part of why I keep going back and forth between them. They each have things I like. And the second one seems just so vibrant. Thanks again.

5

Patrick,

I like the second one best. The DOF renders the BG “building” better and there is not much blocking the view of the “building” that is in focus and the subject of the photo.

1 Like
6

Hey @Bill_Fach I guess I have you to thank for the EP. Very cool. Thanks.

1 Like