The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Inspired by Matt Payne’s recent podcast with Ian Gaston, I set out to try my hand at more intimate landscapes. I saw this small bush/tree in the middle of standing water and then noticed the reflected clouds.
Specific Feedback
Does this image work or is it one of those that is almost there but not quite? Also, would a polarizer improved this image significantly?
Technical Details
Leica SL2s, 1/125 sec, f/8, ISO 400, 70mm on Leica 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
I like the sense that the bush could be floating in either sky or water. Before I read your comments I wondered what a polarizer would have done. I think it depends on what you want to emphasize, wouldn’t have necessarily made it beter just different.
A polarizer could have been useful if your angle to the sun was correct which is 90 degrees. Given that the reflection here isn’t very strong, the angle probably wouldn’t have mattered since without a polarizer the reflection is all on and a polarizer will reduce that effect. Sometimes I like not using one to be able to see what’s under the water, but since that wasn’t what you’re going for here, I think getting to 90 degrees would have helped. Good seeing this though and I like the symmetry of the photo.
Beautifully seen and photographed. I really like the simple composition and that you’ve isolated this to just the bush and it’s immediate environment. There’s a nice glow of luminosity in the bush itself which I think really adds to the overall scene.
The reflections themselves do add texture and variety which I think works beautifully since I think a uniform background of water would be much less interesting.
As far as using a polarizer, I typically have one on my lens most of the time. The advantage there is that you can simply dial in your options to see what you like best; no reflection, or all reflection and all in between. To be sure, I really like just what you’ve presented here. No nits or suggestions for improvement.
