Flipped, shadow lines muted, desaturated select areas of red:
Original:
Critique Style Requested: Initial Reaction
Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
What is your first impression? I have a better title for this, but I don’t want to influence anyone’s reaction with what I think it looks like.
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
This is a single-frame ICM image. Basically a sideways swipe.
Technical Details
Exposure and contrast adjustments in ACR; dodging/burning in PS , plus a slight curve and a bit of Orton effect for the edges of things.
Specific Feedback
I’m really looking for what else you see, beyond swooshy leaves. Any technical/aesthetic comments always welcome.
Also, I’m going to print this for a show (I think), so any comments on possible printing issues are welcome. I’m thinking the reds may need to be dialed back for printing.
First reaction: I can’t make up my mind if it’s rolls of fabric or some kind of unknown holiday treat, Bonnie. Pretty cool, but if it’s fabric, I can’t see myself wearing a shirt made out of it 
Composition and other stuff: The shadow lines running parallel to the joints seem rather strong and tend to catch my eye and keep it from moving through the frame. The way the second segment gets wider at the top makes it feel a bit awkward to me-like it’s going to fall over or come out of the image-maybe that’s intentional? I do like the way the leaves play across the trunks (or what look like trunks). A very interesting composition and effect.
Thanks, @Dennis_Plank. You got it. 
I’m sure you could pull off a shirt like this - lol.
You’re right about the shadow lines and the widening segment. My husband and I had a “discussion” about the orientation of this, and he really liked the widening at the top version, while I preferred the flip. I posted the widening version to see what others thought. I don’t necessarily want this to have a lot of tension.
I posted a rework with a flip and the shadow lines muted (as best I could). Thanks for the comments.
The rework works much better for my taste, Bonnie. It ow looks like rolls of something lying down rather than being about to fall over on me. The other adjustments look very good.
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Excellent Bonnie! I like the flipped version. It sort of looks like a hillside somewhere in the west. Perhaps the painted hills or in White Pocket. Folded drapery or rugs also pop in my head. Quite an intriguing image Bonnie!
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First impression is 4 rolls of christmas gift wrapping paper with an overlay of some fall colored trees. I love the colors in this ans also the arrangement you came up with. The roll on the left has some large blank spots which pull my eye in the original but for some reason, in the flipped version it doesn’t as much so I prefer the flipped version. Now off to read your comments and others.
Ok, I’m reading the blurred section but it doesn’t reveal what this is. I do see that it is only one image so i was wrong about that.
Ok, now im off to read others comments.
I see that you answered the question in @Dennis_Plank post. Great guess Dennis. Now that I know what it is, I can see it. Well done Bonnie.
Thanks, @David_Haynes. Rolls of Christmas wrap is a good interpretation. I was thinking rolls of fabric, but wrapping paper works, too.
Sorry - should have explained it better. A one-image swipe looking at a colorful small tree.
Bonnie,
First impression? 19th century drapery. Change the hue to a flat green and I could see the Von Trapp family singers… (“Sound of Music” for those too young to remember… otherise, you’ll get it.)
I do prefer the flipped version as it come closer to my impression. I almost don’t want to reveal the truth, but it’s pretty clear once I turn off the imagination . In other words, I didn’t and still don’t really see or associate with the origins, which makes this even more fanciful for me. And I was trying to figure out if this was a 2-image composite… at least that’s where you had me going.
Great job! Very unique and engaging. Love it.
Thanks, @Lon_Overacker! 19th century drapery is perfect. 
