The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
I arrived at the falls shortly after it stopped raining and it was still cloudy. I’m particularly interested in your thoughts on the overall composition, tonal balance, and whether the surrounding vegetation and rocks complement the falls or compete with them. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Feedback Requested
I’d appreciate comments on the composition and processing.
Technical Details
Camera: Canon EOS R5 - tripod used and bracketing of images was used
Lens: RF15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM
Focal length: 22mm
Shutter speed: 1/2s
Aperture: f/14
ISO: 125
Short exposure images were needed to fill in a few places in the falls that were blown out. Also, a small dead tree was removed from the upper falls.
Nice shot. The landscape surrounding the falls is kinda busy, but hey that’s nature. What can you do about it. It still showcases the falls quite nicely and I don’t think competes with it. It would be nice if the large brown rock face on the left was covered in that beautiful green moss, but again, that’s nature for ya. I like the composition except for the intruding rock in the LRC. If you’re not averse to it I would remove it. I like the processing. Shutter speed is perfect. Alexander, in the future it would be helpful to post a larger image at least 2000pixels on long edge for people to properly critique it. That way people can judge sharpness, shadows, tonal variations, etc. It becomes too pixelated when blown up.
The falls look very nice, and I like your choice of shutter speed. The surrounding looks nicely detailed as do the rocks at the top of the main fall. The level of saturation works, as well. I wonder if you might be able to pull more detail out of the deep shadows of the rock on the left and the rock lower right.
This is a nice image, and with some refinements it would really sing. Good job!
-P
Exquisite shot of these falls that includes is environment nicely. I agree with @Michael_Lowe - the distraction or rock in LRC has to go. While you’re at it, I’d use a remove tool and get rid of the three tiny white spots on the top margin of the image. Continue around the edges to see if there are any other spots to remove. This may seem fussy , but it’s edge patrol like this that makes good images great.
Willem, the falls is lovely especially with the variety of greens surrounding it. You shutter speed lets the falling water show up very well, with a nice sense of splashing in the plunge pool. I do think that a somewhat tighter crop would work well also, removing most (or even all) of the rock at the bottom, some of the bright sky through the trees at the top and maybe that leaning tree in the upper left. Here’s what I’m thinking, with a small bit of cloning in the lower right corner to remove the top of that rock.
Composition - I think is wonderful as you’ve presented. No, I don’t think the surrounding environs compete with the falls. I’d say that the falls are framed beautifully. Often times it’s not just about the main subject, the falls in this case, but it’s the location, the context and the story of the falls; the geology, the vegetation, all of it that combine to tell a nature story. This works very well in that way.
Processing - excellent! I always find the greens and yellow/greens the hardest to get just right. Too much sat and images look “photoshopped”. Color/sat subdued too much and it looks like one is posting the RAW image. There’s a beautiful and believable balance - and I think you’ve created that. Kudos.
The only nit I have has been mentioned and dealt with by others. But I would crop/clone or however remove that intruding piece in the LRC.
Oh, great job with the falls. You mentioned blending in some other pieces to “fix” some areas in the cascades. Well done!
This is certainly a lovely waterfall framed beautifully with all those lush greens of the surrounding vegetation. I also think your chosen SS works quite well here as does your blending of exposures for the water. My only suggestion; removing that rock in the LRC; has already been mentioned by my brother @Michael_Lowe. I am also enjoying the crop proposed by @Mark_Seaver Very nicely done.
Willem: What a marvelous scene; makes me want to go there! I don’t have much to add and do agree about removing the rock in the LRC but that’s pretty trivial and an easy fix. I’m also OK with the tiny glimpses of sky although making them go away would do no violence to the finished product. Is this in the Columbia River Gorge? I usually see images of falls like this coming from the Oregon side and was surprised to see that it’s in Washington. Oh well, another reason for me to get back there with a camera. Nicely done. >=))>
@Bill_Fach this beautiful waterfall is about 30 minutes north of the Columbia River in Washington. My son and I camped in the town of Trout Lake and drove an hour and a half to the Lower Falls Creek Falls trailhead. The trail is pretty easy. It is about 3.7 miles out and back.
