The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Matagouri is a NZ native bush with very sharp spines. It can grow to several metres in height, and because it fixes nitrogen it grows well in nutrient-poor soils especially in hill and high country.
In this image it is entangled amongst soft tussock, giving (to me anyway) a strong yin-yang feeling of sharp/harsh versus flowing/soft. I tried to enhance that feeling by converting the image to monochome.
Specific Feedback
All comments and suggestions are welcome. Hopefuly the yin-yang feeling is conveyed here…is it?
Technical Details
1/250s, f4.5, ISO 400
105mm
Cropped to try and make a balanced composition, converted colour to monochrome in LR.
Hi Phil, this is a really interesting image that I could spend ages looking at. I find myself following the numerous curves and paths of the bush through the image, eventually encountering the sharp spines. I really enjoy how engaging this contrast is within your subject. Having said that, while I don’t think yin-yang would come to my mind immediately, I can definitely understand its representation in your image and I definitely understand the sharp versus soft elements of the image, which monochrome works great for. Thanks for sharing this wonderful image!
I love this! I could come up with several reactions, but the main one is just “fascinating”! The shallow DOF adds to the mystery, revealing enough of the subjects to be intriguing and leaving me roving around to enjoy the more hidden aspects. The monochrome treatment is perfect!!
Wonderful image of a tough composition Phil! I think the monochrome edit works well with the subject. I love the way the soft tussock weaves throughout the frame and leads my eye towards the sharp spines of the other plant. Well seen image Phil!
@Dennis_Plank, @Diane_Miller, @Keenan_Wadsworth, @Alfredo_Mora…thankyou all for your kind words. Initially the image was a tangle in more ways than one and I had difficulty finding a composition, and then a crop, that worked for me.
The original colour version was fairly uninteresting because everything just blended together into a great nothingness, and because the limited colour that was present was all much the same a black and white rendition was fairly blah as well. After trying different tones I settled on this one that seemed to work OK for me. Thanks for cofirming that the choice resonated with you as well. Cheers.
Cheers.
I’d say this is a classic “order from chaos” composition and image. AND I think your choices and processing really enhance that look. The combination of the graceful lines and curves interupted by the sharper spines is captured wonderfully.
The monochrome approach and what looks like some added vignetting really complete this.
One of those scenes too where most everyone else would have steered clear… but you not only saw something, you made it come to life! Kudos for the vision and for the processing and execution of the final image.
Thanks Lon, I appreciate your comments.
I set myself a bit of a challenge with this one actually. As you note, it was initially one of chaos and my challenge was to find some order in it. Fortunately there were enough curving tussock leaves to balance everything OK with an appropriate crop (to my eye anyway!), and the monochrome conversion helped to avoid too much background chaos. Cheers.
