Do You Reed Me?

This could also have been posted under flora critiques, but my intent was more about the intimate landscape. I was out yesterday near my home to see what might show up in my 70-200 mm lens.

What technical feedback would you like if any?

Any

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

Any

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Nikon D750, 70-200 mm at 200mm, f11, 1/20 sec, ISO 100
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)

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Larry, I like this image a lot. The soft, even light brings out the delicate colors of the reeds. The colors look vibrant, even on an overcast day. And I think you included a good amount of the darker area at the top to define the row of cattails.
The up and down pattern of the cattails reminds me of musical notes on a page of sheet music.
I thought it might be interesting to emphasize them even further by trying an alternate crop.

I quite like this, Larry. Real nice layering in both lines and color. I went back and forth with Ed’s crop suggestion and I prefer it as posted. No suggestions here.

Yesterday I looked at this and decided I didn’t like it too much and didn’t leave a comment. I tried @Ed_McGuirk’s crop and it didn’t do it for me. But now, seeing his crop I changed my mind. The objection was all those reeds at the bottom that went halter skelter and caused confusion to the eye. Yet today there really is some order to them and they do form their own layer. Actually, it’s an interesting crop in that it has reduced the business with a crop that preserves the more structured elements in the disorder, the horizontal reeds. And yes, it does look like music sheet notes.

I like this a lot, Matthew. Beautiful color and the horizontal format of vertical stalks works wonderfully for me. I prefer your original crop to Ed’s revision. It’s not that I don’t like Ed’s, but I prefer yours. The only sticking point with me is the stalks sticking through the upper edge. I’m one of those OCD types that kinda goes nuts over that, especially when it’s so easy to fix. I also added just a miniscule amount of curves to it.

This is a pretty cool image! It’s busy but here it definitely works.

First i noticed the wonderful colors and texture of the reeds against the background. I agree with @Igor_Doncov about the crop, definitely like it better and also like the “curve” adjustments @Bill_Chambers applied. For me this a great photo of a simple - usually not even noticed - field, but very nicely captured Larry.

@Ed_McGuirk, @Harley_Goldman, @Bill_Chambers, @Igor_Doncov, @Tom_Nevesely, and @linda_mellor thanks for your most helpful responses on this image. I like Ed’s crop, and yet also wanted to show the lingering snow. For sure, there are at least two images here - my original and the crop as you’ve indicated. Bill, I like your removal of the cattail in the URC. I left it in because I thought it was part of the horizontal sequence of cattails. I can see it both ways. Linda, I am with you; I was going for simplicity with the image. I really appreciate all of your excellent input and your compliments on the image.

Here is my revision that incorporates all of your suggestions. Thanks, again.