Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
Initial thoughts on the composition and the post processing. Thoughts on shutter speed for the blurred water. Thoughts on overall color balance and exposure. Is the top of the image too bright? Is the boulder in the bottom right corner too imposing? Any additional thoughts or comments?
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
This image is Dark Hollow Falls, Shenandoah National Park. The image was taken late in the afternoon as the sun was starting to set.
Technical Details
Camera settings, 24mm, f9, 1/5 sec, ISO 160. Post processed in Adobe LR for basic adjustments, and PS for contrast balance, and minor clean-up.
Specific Feedback
Any input as to the composition, shutter speed for the blur of the water, overall color balance, overall exposure?
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Hi Stephen, What a lovely waterfall image you have shared with us! You have really captured the essence of this fine scene. The trees above the gorge are an example of what is a constant struggle for those of us who love to make waterfall images, In order to get enough light to nicely render the detail in the gorge the dynamic range to the trees on top is a challenge. I think you have handled it quite well, could it be brought down a bit more? Maybe. But I wonder if you might like it more by slightly opening the shadows to improve the balance instead… I really like the character of the foreground boulder, you have caught so much really nice detail in it. It too would feel a bit less strong against the more open shadows. I think the shutter speed is fine to give a sense of flow with energy. Overall I think you should be really pleased with the image. It is really well seen.
Fantastic composition. Everything is well balanced from the heavy rock in the FG to the bright trees in the BG. The brightness of the trees is balanced nicely with the brightness of the water. The water works perfectly to guide the eye through the scene. Nothing is over or under exposed, but the tonalities are great. No single element seems to dominate the attention but on the whole the photo holds my attention. Really well done.
Guy, thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions. I appreciate you taking the time to provide your input. I will revisit this image and maybe reduce the blacks in the top of image. Once again, thanks for your input.
This is a lovely fall waterfall image. The water looks so wonderful, and the waterfall has different levels or tiers that make the image so compelling. I think you might want to experiment with color tones to enhance the colors that already look vibrant in this image. Perhaps a tad of shadow-lifting of the darker rocks, and a slightly darker top , would enhance this fine image even further. Quite excellent as is, though…
This is a lovely image using a foreground object. The background is so compelling that I might consider making a 4x5 horizontal of just the background. Having equal weight on the fgand bg often creates competition. That might be happening here to a degree. I think the brightness at the very top draws you away from the fg as well.
The midground and background of this picture is wonderful. The use of colour and light gives it a magical, almost fairy-like feel that has a gentleness that is incredibly compelling. This is a place of invitation - to sit, rest, and contemplate. You really haven’t shared your intention for this picture, so I can only give my impression. I find the foreground rock very much out of place. It feels almost like a fist, like a sledge hammer in the midst of blown glass. Now maybe that is your intention - a juxtaposition between the delicate and the firm but, for me at least, a square crop would give this image a more coherent sense of flow.
Kerry, thank you for your comments and providing the square crop. The big boulder in the foreground was problematic for me, but I didn’t notice it on the back of the camera. Looking back, I’m not sure how I would have composed it differently without getting in the stream which really wasn’t an option for me. Again, I appreciate you taking time to provide your ideas.
Steven, this is such a nice place to contemplate. Nice colors and nice intimate falls to enjoy. I like @Kerry_Gordon’s suggested crop, but I think I would leave just a bit of the darker water below the whitewater at the side of the rock. Maybe crop just below the curve on the bottom of the rock? Thank you for sharing this with us.
First impression - the glow of the distant trees invites me; the water spills beautifully over an entrancing staircase; and yep, the vertical face of that LRC rock is a bit too prominent – maybe burn it (moreso the bottom right).
After reading your comments and those of others, I wondered if my absolute lack of shame would let me wade into the stream and keep most of that big rock, but move it rightward.
