Making images
Following a horse trail
lost my way today
Type of Critique Requested
Conceptual: Feedback on the message and story conveyed by the image.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Technical: Feedback on the technical aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, focus and reproduction of colors and details, post-processing, and print quality.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
My feeling while making this image was confusing . I didn’t know witch route i should take.
Is this image telling you about my confusion ?
Technical Details
F11, 1/160, -2, Iso 320, lens 24-70 at45mm, handheld, processed in photoshop and TK7.
Yes, Ben, the photo does seem a bit lost. For me, there is no focal point. What was it that caught your attention? The trees? The view? Or the quietness of the place?
It looks like a lovely place for a walk, think, enjoy and take photos.
I don’t know how you do it. How you find these and how you manage to capture such beauty. This is like a story book. I don’t know how else to explain it. The light is sublime and this image just takes me away.
And to where? I don’t know. I’m not confused though. It took me several views to see the path in the woods, but still, I don’t come away with, “not knowing which way to go.” This just takes me there and I just want to be laying there in the grass and absorbing everything about the place and the moment.
No confusion for me. But then, I wasn’t there…
The light, tonality and even the comp, the arrangement of the trees. Just wonderful. That’s it.
@linda_mellor , @Lon_Overacker , Even in these known dunes I can get lost.
I stood there thinking , left of the trees or right or keep following the small horse trail. Not knowing where it should end.
Maybe the word “lost” must have been “confused”, but that’s for the sake of the Haiku.
Still Linda feels the “lost” part. The main attraction to me was the composition the place offered me.
Luckily the light is just there.
Thank you both for these fine reactions
What an absolutely beautiful image with wonderful understated tones. You have done an excellent job with your composition starting with the tangle of logs in the foreground and the two competing paths that the image provides, one down the established horse path, the other following the line of trees up the hill. The other stunning part of this image is the flowing brown grass interspersed with highlights of green. The final part of this picture that draws me in is the mystery of what lies over the hill or down the path. You have a wonderful eye to envision this capture.
I like this image a lot, Ben. I walk many forest trails in my neck of the woods. Some are chaotic & tangled with no direction to go. Some are dense with trees and no direction to go. Some are meadows with trees that are open and free to chose your path. This image represents to me one of the open and free forests where I would feel safe to follow any path to see where I would end up. I find meadows in forests very peaceful and I love to hear the wind rustle through the tree tops. Your image represents a place that I would love to find. I would probably drop my camera backpack and lean it against the plie of logs, pull out my coffee and watch the world go by. You’ve done a great job with the processing. Your Haiku is perfect even for me who doesn’t feel confused. The “lost my way today” for me could represent the fact that I really didn’t have a direction so I was just peacefully lost in my surroundings. Another of my favorite images!
Donna,
I am glad you like this image.
Your environment seems I think a little bit the same as mine. Although the forest here is small, dens, but also with open meadows.And it ends in open dunes who keep the Nordsee out of our low land.(4meters below see level). The highest dune 5 meter
I have plans to go more in those dunes to get different images than just only of trees
Excellent work ,Ben. This is a different direction for you in that your images seldom have much dark to them and have a romantic view of nature. And stronger colors. Actually this is pretty Romantic as well. It just doesn’t have that wistful quality you usually like to give nature. But it has your careful usage of light. What interests me most is the conflict between the jumble of branches at the bottom and the strong and ordered pines above. I find those opposites driving the emotions mostly. But, of course, the emotional reaction to the light and dark is also present. It’s also interesting from a compositional point of view. All in all, it’s one of your best, and it’s new territory (which is always a good sign).
@Lon_Overacker , @Igor_Doncov ,
Lon says, I don’t know how you do it.
Igor says, wistful quality you like to give nature.
I can only say like the famous dutch painter Karel Appel (cobra), “Ik rotzooi maar wat aan” or in English " I just do"
That is a bit how I work. I see a composition and keep an eye on where the light comes from and my camera settings. Most of the time exposing to the right.
Developing in photoshop an TK actions. I try and try until it’s OK in my eyes. all in all nothing special I think.
I stay behind confused.But Just do .
And so very grateful for your comments on my images. And all your time.
Ben, I don’t see confusion here, but that’s just me… I’m thoroughly enjoying how the horizontals of the fallen limbs in the foreground contrast with the vertical trunks. The subtleness of the path invites me to explore further and especially to see what the view from the ridge will be. Looks like a great day to be out exploring…lost and confused or not…
This is a beautiful and fascinating image, Ben! The light, oh wow, I love the light. This truly is like out of a fairy tale. I also love the concept of the image. I, as the viewer, logically want to follow the horse trail, but at the same time, the perfect line of trees from the bottom center to the top right really makes me want to see what’s just over that hill. Decisions, decisions….
Oh, and I enjoyed your haiku as well! I’ve been wanting to pair haikus with some of my nature images for some time but I struggle with the writing – it’s not easy!
@Mark_Seaver , Mark,It’s the beauty of photography that an image always can be interpreted differently .
You have your own feeling about it. And that’s what I like. Thank you.
About the haiku’s just try ! Thank you.