Another from our wander near the Trinity River, in northern California. I find the contrast between the dark, gnarly oak trees and the light, feathery textures of the willows quite captivating. I must admit to being influenced for a long time by Guy Tal’s desert willow and cottonwood photos. It’s only lately, though, that I’ve seen the potential for willow-esque scenes in my neck of the woods.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any critique/comments welcome.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
a73r, 87mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 400, hand held.
Bonnie, this is a wonderful image with all kinds of contrasts between light/dark, heavy/feathery, curves and straight lines. Love the hint of gold that comes in from an angle on the left which adds another dimension to the image. Only element I noticed is the light color twig, about upper center of the oak, seems to draw my eyes. Can it be dodged a bit, or cloned out? Just a thought. Great photo, very nicely seen and executed.
Bonnie, this is excellent. I love the muted colors and kind of delicate branches of willows offset against the strong lines of the oak branches. No suggestions here, this is beautiful.
Just beautiful.
Like you, I enjoy Guy Tal’s willows. In this case, the wavy line of colorful willow branches is the eye-catching part of the show for me. The erect white tree on the right somehow works to keep the eye in the scene; often a white element would draw my attention away but not this time. The dark tree is so strong in its texture, but seemingly fragile in health. By the way, it might be a cottonwood, judging from its elongated bark texture and its habitat along with willows. Like others, I enjoy the muted colors and subtle watercolor texture of the background hills … works like a bokeh.
I tried a subtle freehand vignette that worked for me … seemed to bring out the red in the twigs around the left and right and subdue the white and brown tree bases in the lower edge.
Yes, indeed, you are correct, @Dick_Knudson! Fixed it. And perhaps a bit more vignette would be warranted. Thanks.
Thanks for your comments, @linda_mellor. I left that broken branch in on purpose. I often leave in those little bits of the odd element, thinking that it adds to the story. Perhaps if I wanted to sell prints, I’d make things more “perfect”.
Bonnie, this is a masterpiece of the the subtle beauty of “stick season”. Only at this time of year are the true character of these trees revealed. Autumn may put on a gaudier display, but the subtle beauty of these bare trees is more enduring. I like the muted yellow and green colors. And I think the very different shapes and textures of this trio of trees works very harmoniously together.
I don’t know how you feel about including hand of man. But for an extreme nitpick , there is a tiny bridge or house in the URC. I only noticed it when I opened the large image to appreciate the fine details and textures in the trees. FYI, I don’t find it to be a distraction, just mentioning it in case you prefer “pure nature”.
Beautiful I really like it. At first I thought the old dark limbed tree was a bit too heavy but I was looking at the thumbnail and the texture in the trunk is masked at that scale making the overall appearance a little too solid but happily when viewing the large image the lined texture of the bark becomes very apparent and adds textured relief to the blackness of the trunk, it is much more pleasing to view nicely matching the delicacy of the rest of the image with its gorgeous textural montage and pastel colour palette. I guess then the answer is obvious, it should be printed large for maximum pleasure.
This image has your trademark suggestiveness. In this case the dark tree is threatening over a serene scene of youthful optimism. That’s what makes this image for me, more than the colors and composition. What makes the oak threatening is that the branches look like grasping arms. It’s not your usual display of branches spreading in all directions that many like to shoot.
I’m not averse to including the “hand of man” if it lends to the story. I meant to clone out the house in this one, though, because it’s just a blip in the corner. Just forgot about it - thanks for noticing it.
I like your interpretation, Igor, although I wasn’t thinking threatening or old vs. young. It’s always interesting to hear others ideas on our photos.
@Igor_Doncov, when I saw this, I was thinking explicitly of gnarly dark cottonwood vs. light delicate willows. I didn’t articulate to myself what other ideas gnarly vs. delicate might mean. That is my usual M.O. I see a visual contrast/shape/color/whatever, but don’t sit and contemplate what deeper meaning that may have. Maybe a meaning is there in my subconscious, but it doesn’t make its way out verbally.
It doesn’t make its way out verbally but you act on it in the sense that you made the shot. I am of the opinion that we don’t attribute meaning during processing. We recognize what we knew already. That, at least, is how I view my work. I don’t invent things from thin air after the fact. Of course that’s hard to prove since the subconscious is always hidden. It’s your invisible partner.
