Critique Style Requested: In-depth
The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
What I like about this picture is that it’s intimate, moody and expressive. What could potentially be improved is of course achieving a sharper / technically more sound result , but given the circumstances, this was highly unlikely to happen.
Creative direction
This image is part of a small portfolio I’m working on, which I named ‘Spring Loading’. Given the plethora of colorful images that are created each spring, I decided to constraint and differentiate to some extent, and aim for a more expressive body of work, hence I chose Black and White. So, conveying the change and anticipation at the start of sprint, when things become alive, without color; just with scene selection and form. I also made a choice to only work with intimate close ups, so documenting the arrival of spring using the macrocosm of a rather plain little forest near my house.
Specific Feedback
I know that technically this and all other photos in this portfolio will suffer, as I simply lack a macro lens, or a dedicated lighting setup for close up work. I only recently purchased a 1.6 macro extender which I pair with my Fujinon 16-80 lens (at tele - otherwise the extender won’t work) to get my shots. I’m not particularly phased by this though, as I am viewing this as an expressive body of work. I am here to embrace the technical challenges and shortcomings, with the belief that technical flows are not that detrimental to expressive photography. Then again, achieving artistic value despite technical shortcomings is not an easy feat. So the feedback I aim for is Aesthetic, Conceptual and Emotional. Does this picture work for you, or does it not? Why does it or does it not?
Technical Details
This shot was taken on a cloudy / rainy day, with a strong breeze that moved the scene around. I had to resort to ISO 3200 to freeze motion.
- Fujifilm X-T4
- Fujinon 16-80mm F4 lens @80mm
- 1.6 macro extender
- f9, 1/280 sec
- ISO 3200
Description
This image was taken on a small forest right out of my house. I almost missed this little fellow that was clinging on a small flower, as it was blown around by the evening breeze. It took me half an hour to get this shot, as I was experimenting with various speeds and angles, and also fighting with the restrictions that the macro extender was imposing on focus. At some point, a strong breeze rotated the whole scene and set it at an angle that I really liked, as the little flower was directly phasing me, while the butterfly was on it’s side, outlining the very nice patterns on it’s wings. I already had chosen black and white for all the images on the portfolio, and the clear and contrasty patter on the wings really suited me. During post process I went for low key for the surroundings, as it conveyed the dark and rainy evening environment I was shooting in.