Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
The roots of a bristlecone pine tree in Great Basin National Park. The color contrast and the abstractness of it.
Which version do you feel works best for impact and other thoughts on processing
F16, 0,8 sec ISO 100, 105mm
Hi David, I love this image. For me I prefer the portrait version - the dark areas at the bottom right and top left might be a little distracting in the landscape version. Have you tried upping the contrast just a smidgen to see if it enhances the beautiful patterns in the wood even more? Maybe wouldn’t add anything, but I’d be tempted to take a look. Well captured photograph of a great subject - good job 
A wonderful find, David, and beautifully photographed. I like both as presented, but could see a vertical taken from the first just accenting the center. The vertical you posted has more of the gray surface at the bottom and I think for the intention you expressed in the title, a crop of the horizontal would get more of that lovely fire-toned wood in the image.
David: I love images like this and these of yours in particular. As presented I like the landscape for the tighter crop. I wanted to do a direct comparison so I imported both and flipped the portrait to landscape. What I found interesting is that if both were in landscape I preferred the tighter crop but with both in portrait I liked the wider view just a bit more. In the tighter crop, no matter the orientation, the trapped rock is a more decisive secondary element and I like how it stands out in the midst of all the swirls and grains. Really well seen and I could imagine spending lots of time exploring this marvelous subject.>=))>
Hi David,
These caught my eye immediately, and I’ve been waiting until I could look at them properly and think through cropping options as well as orientations. I tried a square crop on the landscape image, and it was too tight, lost too much.
I think potentially 4x5 (in whatever orientation you like best), might be the ticket. In the landscape version, the large dark areas top left and center right edge distract a bit. I did a quickie crop, just to show what I find most interesting, but you might have a favorite swirl I missed. I think the dark areas are necessary for the other shapes to shine, but reducing them a bit would make the image more compelling and the rock (as Bill noted) stand out a bit more.
Really wonderful subject and beautifully rendered here.
ML
David,
I like the horizontal version better and without any crop just as you presented it. I think the dark area provide a dynamic feel to the rest of the wood, making the wood jump off the screen. Without the dark areas, the photograph seems to flat.
David, this one is terrific. I prefer the landscape orientation.
You might consider brightening the darkest shadows just enough to bring out a little detail.
This is such a great image David. I actually prefer the landscape version here. The corners in the frame look better to my eye than the portrait version. And the whole shot reminds me of flames from a campfire. I might want to darken the outer edges of the frame to drive the eye more to the center. But this is really well done.
A striking image, David, well seen and photographed. I, too, am partial to the landscape orientation. Congrats on well deserved EP.
Allen, what is an EP? I’m still not well orientated to things on this site.
Congratulations. EP is a weekly Editor’s Pick, which places it more prominently and for longer on a banner above the rest of the web site.
ML
What a gorgeous piece of wood! I could just go on and on looking at all the textures, lines, and details. Wonderful contrast of blue and orange tones in the wood. I can see any number of small vignettes in this piece of wood. Personally, I think a crop somewhere between the two would be my preference, bringing in the L and R sides of the horizonal version as you’ve done in the vertical version, but not cropping any from the top or bottom.
Chris, the vertical version is a straight rotation without any cropping.
I really like this abstract photograph and I like both versions… if I had to pick I’d say that would depend on how large the print was. Small the horizontal would be my first select but large the portrait would likely more catch my eye because it’s outside most landscape photograph ratios. Just my two cents though.
Love this abstract image, the textures and colours are amazing. I prefer the horizontal version. The vertical somehow is making my eye exit the frame sooner than the horizontal version.
