On my first trip to a national park with the focus on photography brought some apprehension. Would I be able to make any good images? Would I be able to see beyond the icons? Would it be a waste from a photography standpoint? I booked the trip 50% because I wanted to, and 50% to test myself. Sometimes I hear people knock going to national parks because they seem to associate it with redundant images, things we have all seen. I hope this image shows you can visit the most iconic places in America and still walk out with something completely unique. This stream, if you can call it that, lasted for a super short time while it was raining. I went back 24 hours later and it was gone. Glad I shot it when I did…bonus points if you can name the park!
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Conceptual: Feedback on the message and story conveyed by the image.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Technical: Feedback on the technical aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, focus and reproduction of colors and details, post-processing, and print quality.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
I enjoy the shape of the water. I’m always interested in if I have the colors, saturation, and tones sorted. Main concerns would be the small red/pink rock on the right edge and the large rock at the bottom being too dominant, not sure if those stand out to others…
Sure looks like Acadia to me, David. This intimate landscape works well and I love the array of colors in the granite stones. Reminds me of something I might see on Cobble Beach or Little Hunters Beach. I would say that you succeeded in seeing beyond the icons IMO.
Wonderful intimate scene, David. I think this is framed quite nicely with just enough shutter speed to blur the water but still leave some detail. I can’t guess the park so won’t try. I’ll just enjoy the non-iconic splendor of your image.
I like it. Nice find and the X of the water flow and the rocks makes a great focal point. It seems a bit cyan in cast to me. Shiny rocks have such texture and I can almost feel how cold they are.
David B. stole my words as I too wanted to say this is a wonderful, intimate scene. Love the variety of colors and in this case I think the sheen on the rocks is a plus (assuming little or no polarization?) The texture in the water is just right.
I can’t see much that I would change - although I’m not a big fan of the tall vertical and I think cropping a little from that bigger rock at the bottom, while still retaining the position of “anchor” , I think the crop brings the water and the “X” in to more prominence. But as is often discussed, it’s really a personal choice.
100% true! Sure, easy to get caught up in iconic views - especially if you have one and only one visit to an iconic place… but regardless you can find photo opportunities with unique and different subjects; Iconic locations or not.
@Lon_Overacker Right after I posted it, I went back and cropped to a 4x5 to play with it and desaturated the warm colors just a touch as they seemed a bit to present. Posting it again.
@Kris_Smith Good catch, I pulled out a few points of both green and cyan!
Oh that works - the new aspect ratio suits the subject so much more than the native one. The rocks have more weight and presence and I think the colors are truer as well with the slight change in wb. Super.
And yeah, iconic locations can be nerve-wracking, but rounding out you portfolio of images like this one is a way to combat those butterfly feelings. When I was up on Lake Superior last month I felt some of this, especially at Split Rock Lighthouse, but I let it go. That scene has been photographed to death and all basically the same way since compositions are limited. So I did something slightly original and felt fine about it since repeating everyone else’s work wasn’t important to me. I wasn’t going to add to the sum total of the artistic works depicting Split Rock Lighthouse and it didn’t bother me. I have an image I like that shows I was there, but it was really taking the pressure off myself in creating it that makes it satisfying.
