# Cloud reflections (rework added) **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** landscape\ **Created:** [August 27, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961 "2021-08-27T16:51:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ola\_Jovall](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Ola\_Jovall](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ola_Jovall)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/1 "2021-08-27T16:51:36Z")
ORIGINAL ![Cloud reflections](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/c/a/cacc9e7f272747837a17d480ed669727e641e37c.jpeg) REWORK based on comments ![ssoft reflections 5 red ram](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/1/2/12cf558b9afa41fab024a500312e813552b0a912.jpeg) Earlier this summer during my vacation me and my wife where staying at a really nice place in Småland, Sweden, the Toftaholm Manor. After a really good dinner, I went down to the nearby lake at the sunset bringing my travel camera. The colors of the reflections I found great, but there where no area without reeds so I had to include them in the composition The image is deliberately made soft, and the colors toned down, to increase the mood. ### Specific Feedback Requested Any comments are welcome! ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/125, 42 mm (84 mm equiv.), Olympus pancake lens 14-42 mm, travel camera Olympys PEN E-P7 ###### ---
**Author:** ![Vanessa\_Hill](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/vanessa_hill/32/32524_2.png) [@Vanessa\_Hill](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Vanessa_Hill)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/2 "2021-08-27T21:37:18Z")
This has a very peaceful look to it. I don’t really notice the cloud reflections at first because of all the reeds and lily pads, but I really like the colors the clouds add to the scene, it’s kind of abstract looking. ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Percival](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/chris_percival/32/10244_2.png) [@Chris\_Percival](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Chris_Percival)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 1:07am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/3 "2021-08-28T01:07:57Z")
> [@Ola\_Jovall](#): > I love this type of “seeing through” image. Your treatment of the colors works perfectly, too. Nicely composed too! Chris ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/4 "2021-08-28T02:46:11Z")
Lovely! I don’t mind the clutter at all! Did you use negative Clarity? You might have a look at Nik CEP Classical Soft Focus and Dynamic Skin Softener. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Lowe](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@Ed\_Lowe](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ed_Lowe)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 2:52am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/5 "2021-08-28T02:52:35Z")
Lovely image, Ola. I think you made the right call here not to go bold with this scene as it is really quite peaceful and serene looking. I am glad you couldn’t find an area without the reeds as I actually like this better with their graceful lines. Beautifully done. ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Doncov](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/igor_doncov/32/579_2.png) [@Igor\_Doncov](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Igor_Doncov)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 3:45am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/6 "2021-08-28T03:45:42Z")
This is a beautiful and creative image. One thing that surprises me is how small the pads are compared to the reeds. Perhaps the lily pads in Europe are smaller than what we have here. ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_van\_der\_Sande](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/ben_van_der_sande/32/5511_2.png) [@Ben\_van\_der\_Sande](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ben_van_der_Sande)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/7 "2021-08-28T13:32:07Z")
Ola, What a beautiful mood you captured here with all those soft sunset colors. ---
**Author:** ![Giuseppe\_Guadagno](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/giuseppe_guadagno/32/19438_2.png) [@Giuseppe\_Guadagno](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Giuseppe_Guadagno)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/8 "2021-08-28T18:08:52Z")
The indirect panorama overcomes the floral image. I love the mood and the pictorial look due to luminosity, very low contrast and low saturation. I love the photo Ola. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_McGuirk](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/ed_mcguirk/32/30542_2.png) [@Ed\_McGuirk](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ed_McGuirk)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/9 "2021-08-28T19:15:46Z")
I love the delicate feeling of this image Ola, your choice of soft and gentle processing has worked wonderfully here. I think softening the image (by whatever ever means you used), helps to reduce the complexity level of this relatively chaotic environment. And as such the viewer doesn’t get hung up on the chaos, and is instead allowed to bettter appreciate the soft light and colors. We recently discussed trying to emphasize 1 or 2 things that get at the essence of an image (less is more). I don’t think that concept really applies to this image. My appreciation of this image is more for the gestalt of it, in other words it’s an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts. The way the light and colors are organized in this image, I don’t see any crops that would make it better, and trying to simplify the image would reduce it’s impact. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Richter](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/peter_richter/32/2919_2.png) [@Peter\_Richter](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Peter_Richter)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/10 "2021-08-28T19:54:52Z")
Ola, your image conveys the serene atmosphere of this intimate scene immediately to me. I especially appreciate your careful treatment of the subdued colors. It would also be interesting to me to see the image with the original contrast, as the subtlety of the reeds and their graphic quality might even be emphasized by this in my opinion. My only suggestion would be to remove the reeds at the bottom. Their brighter green is a bit distracting to my eye. But that is only a minor matter for me. I like the image as presented a lot. Thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Doncov](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/igor_doncov/32/579_2.png) [@Igor\_Doncov](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Igor_Doncov)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/11 "2021-08-28T21:37:21Z")
> [@Peter\_Richter](#): > > My only suggestion would be to remove the reeds at the bottom He’s right about that. If removing them is impossible then just darkening them would help. ---
**Author:** ![Harley\_Goldman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/harley_goldman/32/213_2.png) [@Harley\_Goldman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Harley_Goldman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2021, 12:04pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/12 "2021-08-29T12:04:34Z")
This is a beauty, Ola. I would agree about removing the reeds at the bottom. A very tranquil and soothing scene. Very well done. ---
**Author:** ![Ola\_Jovall](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Ola\_Jovall](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ola_Jovall)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2021, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/cloud-reflections-rework-added/23961/13 "2021-08-30T20:35:31Z")
@Ed_McGuirk, @Vanessa_Hill, @Ben_van_der_Sande, @Igor_Doncov, @Ed_Lowe, @Harley_Goldman, @Peter_Richter, @Giuseppe_Guadagno, @Diane_Miller and @Chris_Percival thanks for your kind comments and advice. They are very much appreciated. > [@Diane\_Miller](#): > > Did you use negative Clarity? You might have a look at Nik CEP Classical Soft Focus and Dynamic Skin Softener. I use Luminar AI, and there is a slider called “soft focus”. I have been interested in Nik collection for a while (and then especially Nic Silver Efex for B&W), but it does not work as plug-in to Luminar. > [@Peter\_Richter](#): > > My only suggestion would be to remove the reeds at the bottom. Their brighter green is a bit distracting to my eye. > [@Igor\_Doncov](#): > > He’s right about that. If removing them is impossible then just darkening them would help. > [@Harley\_Goldman](#): > > I would agree about removing the reeds at the bottom. I have tried to erase them, see the rework at the top. Not that easy to get it good, but it improves the image to remove them.