The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Hiking around Feforvatnet (a lake at Fefor, Norway) late in the afternoon on a winter day, heavy clouds came in as the last sunbeams were filling the landscape with sidelight. The light created a subdued drama with long narrow shadows in the soft snow, rich tonal variations and textures in the side- and backlit trees, and a sky full of intent.
Specific Feedback
I tried to use the narrow shadows as local contrasts in the foreground to move the eye from the bottom and foreground of the image into mid-ground: does that work for you? Suggestions for processing is welcome.
Technical Details
Camera: Nikon D850
Lens: Sigma 85 mm f1.4
Capture: 1/60 sec. at f11, ISO 100
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Vision and Purpose:
Conceptual:
Emotional Impact and Mood:
Composition:
Balance and Visual Weight:
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Color:
Lighting:
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Technical:
Nice, moody image. I like the composition and love the FG shadows. I feel the image is just a little too foreboding looking. Maybe a tad brighter? JMHO
I certainly agree with the moodiness of this image and is somewhat foreboding as @Michael_Lowe mentions. The foreground is very nicely rendered but the upper portion needs a little more light, with the exception of the bright area in the upper right corner; that needs to be brought down a bit.
The image does give the feeling of an approaching storm. Well done.
-P
I’m a sucker for photos like this. The foreground shadows in the snow are not only nice leading lines to drive the eye back to the trees but they also create an interesting combination of patterns that are fun to explore on their own. I agree with Preston that the sky could use a little brighter lights which would give more presence to the top half of the image. Great work!
@Michael_Lowe , @Preston_Birdwell , @Bret_Edge , thank you so much for your comments. Brett, I’ll experiment with brightness, you may well have a point there. Best wishes, Leo
Hi Leo,
Very moody image for sure and I am loving those tree shadows spreading out across the FG snow. The B&W processing has a nice range of tones and the sky is laden with drama. My only suggestion is the already mentioned lightening of the trees. I think that gives just a touch more detail in the treeline.I hope you do not mind, but here is a rework with a subtle dodging of the trees. Just my opinion of course. Very nicely done.
Those shadows in the foreground are to die for. The complex leafless trees are a perfect background for them too.
What I find less appealing is the sky; it just doesn’t have the level of attraction for my personal taste as the rest of the image, especially since it is so much of the real estate. I don’t supose there was the option to include more of the foreground shadows? (I would love to see even more of them because of how special they are.)
Another option would be to try to build a bit more even drama into the sky. Here’s a crude example:
Dear John, thanks for your note on the foreground shadows and the sky. I did think abou the special foreground shadows when I captured the image, but if I had included more foreground, a dirt road would have entered the frame. I’ll keep your comment in mind when I come back to this image.
