Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This image is a water trough containing a variety of leaves, including recently fallen autumn leaves, broken down and bleached by the huge amounts of algae growing within it. The sunlight exposed the leaves lying just below the water surface. This image aims to portray the magic of decay. Even the bleached leaves have their own eerie feel, like bones or skeletons.
Specific Feedback
There are parts of the image that are quite cloudy due to the large amount of algae in the trough. Does this detract or add to the mystery of the decaying process? I wanted to keep the sharp edges of the top leaf to contrast with the blurred breakdown of the leaves.
Technical Details
Nikon z7 24-70 mm lens
1/40sec; f/8; ISO 100
Focal length 70mm
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
Wow!! This is fantastic – nature’s artistic filters at their best! The cloudiness is the attraction, for me, giving a sense of depth both literally and figuratively. I love the bronze leaves against the greens, and the delicate vegetation is very attractive. The texture is a lovely addition in its own right. I think you could remove the small lighter leaf poking in from the top left.
My only other thought is to possibly lighten the UL corner (just a bit) and possibly do a gradient burn in the LR corner to echo it and give a diagonal lighter area going through the center, suggestive of a light beam. I think this is an exceptional image in any case – very well seen and presented!
I think this is so beautiful! I love the cloudiness as it seems to have a glow with the lighting. Just great. I agree with Diane that the darkness in the top left corner could be lightened just a tad. I also like the sharpness of the leafves contrasted with the softness of the beautiful cloudy water. Great job seeing this and bringing it to life for us.
I love this image for many reasons, some of which you and others have mentioned. I like the composition as is but decided to play with it anyway. I know that green floral at the bottom is beautiful but it does pull you down. Instead, why not make the counterpoint the weeds coming out of the negative space.
Hi Igor,
I do like your rework of my image and will have a play with the original to see what I come up with.
Thank you for your thoughts and time spent on my image.
Cheers
Diny
Hi Diane,
Thank you for your critique and will have a play with your suggestions and those of Igor.
It is such a wonderful feeling when you spot an interesting small scene and the light just makes it more magical.
Thank you
Diny
Well there’s an “outside the box” image. This is just wonderful Diny.
What hits me the most with a first viewing is the contrast between the upper right and lower left if you draw a diagonal from corner to corner. It’s not easy to find a composition where “empty” and “full” compliment each other so well. I love that, and would not crop it because I wouldn’t want to lose that.
A second fave here is the way the “murky” overall textures contrast with how sharp the leaves are that extend out of the water, especially that left red one. That’s another wonderful contrast to enjoy.
My only thought, and it is the nit of all nits, is that little red spot just above center. This image is best appreciated in the large view, and there that little guy keeps grabbing my eye. It’s an easy removal, but if you prefer to not clone another option would be to change the color of it to green.
I like this colourful detail shot of leaves hidden in a galactic swirl of green algae mist very much. I like your original square crop as well. Not least because of the green frond fanning out and upwards from the bottom of the frame. Very appealing and cohesive.
Diny, What an amazing image - you did some great seeing here. The look of decay is the main theme for me. The emerging leaves and color and light with the variations in yellows and greens really make the image speak. The first thing I see in the image is the bright orange leaves. I wonder if you feel they distract from your main message .
“water trough containing a variety of leaves, including recently fallen autumn leaves, broken down and bleached by the huge amounts of algae growing within it. The sunlight exposed the leaves lying just below the water surface. This image aims to portray the magic of decay. Even the bleached leaves have their own eerie feel, like bones or skeletons.”
I tried removing them, but that didn’t work out. What do you think?
Diny,
Wow, speaking of fantasies… this is fantastic! Approaches a mind-bender, but the exposed, and submerged, leaves help ground the image.
But that algae pool really does ADD to the mystery and abstractness of this image. Now this doesn’t really bring out the “magic of decay” for me and I attribute that to my simple lack of knowledge on algae and it’s decaying properties. I simply look at this as a nature abstract with vibrant color and a wonderful mix of detail, and cloudy fuzziness (if that is such a term) The combo of everything has created a wonderful opportunity that you certainly capitalized on. Kudos to you, this is beautifully seen and captured
Hi Larry,
The colour of the orange leaves is certainly attention getting but I felt that these leaves are part of the decaying process: falling from the tree, lying on the water and awaiting the further gradual process of decomposition. I feel that all the leaves are part of that story of decay.
I do thank you for your input and agree that the image could be cropped or the brighter leaves removed to tell just a part of the story.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your thoughts.
Cheers
Diny
Thank you Lon for your kind comments.
I do have a fascination with how nature, through the process of decay, can change one form of matter into another beautiful form. I do find it magical and its excites my curiosity to see nature reworking itself. Hope that doesn’t sound too weird!
Cjheers
Diny
2 Likes
Oh, this is fabulous! I love your crop the way it is - any tighter (off the bottom) and you’d lose the sense of things emanating from the miasma. The cloudiness it what give this such an air of mystery. I might bring up the darks/shadows in the ULC a bit, but that’s a minor nit. Really lovely.
Thank you, Bonnie. I loved the cloudiness illuminated by the sunlight, its what initially attracted me to the water trough.
Cheers
Diny
