The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I’ve been doing volunteer work on our local prairies for 20+ years and in 2019 I was able to photograph a controlled burn. While it was too late in the season for a very successful burn, it was a very interesting experience to photograph.
Mark: If this is considered non-nature, you can remove it.
Specific Feedback
I’m interested in your reaction to the composition. Should I have gotten the base of the flame in the foreground? Eliminated it completely?
Technical Details
Canon 5D III, EF 70-200, F/4 @ 200 mm, hand held, f/11, 1/1600, iso 1000, manual exposure. Minimal processing, full frame.
For me, prairie is nature and burning is part of the life cycle for prairies. Controlled burns of the prairie have been happening for probably well over a thousand years. So I feel it belongs.
This is a great photo and defiantly speaks to me. I love the composition and placement of the fire crew. Just enough space on the left to tell the direction everyone is moving in. I think your WB is spot on. I would expect to see light diffused in the smoke for orange as well as gray in the smoke.
To your question about the flames in the foreground. It might have improved your composition slightly if you had gotten lower and included the base of the flame. But, I don’t feel that it wouldn’t have changed or improved the story.
This is a great story and worthy of a spot on your wall.
Hi Dennis!
This image immediately captured me. My immediate emotions were curiousity and caution. I wasn’t able to tell if this was controlled or not. I really like how you captured the ghostly figures moving through the smoke. Regardless of the circumstances, it’s obvious to me they working under tough conditions.
Regarding your question about the composition, I feel excluding the fire in the foreground would add a stronger element of mystique (if that’s what you’re going for). Both work.
However, in this particular image, your watermark is somewhat of a distraction
Very nice! Wonderful to get close enough to photograph it so well – a good reward for your volunteer work. The workmen are well arranged and the amount of smoke reveals just the right amount of detail. I think the flames in the FG are a good teaser. More might be nice but I can’t find fault with what you were able to get.
Dennis, this tells a great story about controlled burning. The bit of fire at the bottom is a bonus. In spite of my antithesis to cropping, I wonder about a modest crop from the top and the right to remove the smokey “nothing” above the trees. I also think that turning down the brightness on your signature and moving it to the lrc would be good.
