Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
It was a cold November day along a Lake Michigan Beach. I always look for driftwood along the shore because of the shapes and textures of the wood. I really liked how the afternoon sun brought
out the details in the tree stump.
I used my Nikon D5600 with a Sigma 18-300 Lens.
ISO 200
80MM
F10
1/250
Hand Held
Nicely done. Good composition. Crisp details in the grass and tree.
Perhaps a bit of increase in saturation and density to the sky to eliminate what I perceive as washed-out.
I agree with Bob’s assessment. I also think the horizon line needs to be rotated counter clockwise a bit; otherwise very nice.
I just read @Igor_Doncov comment. His suggestion to square it by removing the right side seems like a good idea. It helps focus on the wonderful root end and remove evidence of the wire fence.
That log has quite a personality doesn’t it? I’m not sure you need the right part of the image. Just a square of all the left. Although who knows. It looks like a giant slug right now to me.
Nicely seen. I think the image would benefit from a slight vignette. B&W conversion might also work here, the log has a wonderful texture for that and it might be possible to get enough separation between the grass and the log by playing with the orange and yellow channels.
Thanks, I do like the idea to adjust the horizon line. I will look into squaring it off but I really like the color of the Dune Grass.
Hi Mike, the way you’ve captured the texture and character of this weathered wood is striking. There’s a storytelling element here, where each line on the driftwood feels like a narrative of the sea’s ebb and flow. The golden hues of the grass complement the wood’s greys and add a lively contrast that’s quite appealing. Your framing gives the sense that this driftwood is a venerable character of the landscape, overseeing the field.
While the subject and its setting are beautifully matched, you might play with the depth of field to bring even more focus to the intricate patterns of the wood. Perhaps a shallower depth could blur the background slightly, adding a layer of mystery and emphasis on the driftwood. As mentioned the horizon line needs a tweak. There is also a grid pattern, perhaps a fence on the right hand side that could easily be removed. A tighter crop could also deal with that.
