Font's Point In Parallel Light

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I wanted to photograph Anza-Borrego’s Font’s Point as morning light scraped across the gullies of the cliffs. The verbena provided a pleasant foreground element. I did not realize until processing that the cliffs below the point also had an echo of verbena.

Specific Feedback

Aside from the slight shadows of the sand texture, the light was pretty flat in the foreground and middle ground. I accentuated the sand texture, and also darkened the brush in right and left to guide the viewer’s eye from the foreground to the cliffs. Really appreciate any suggestions about making the image more impactful or enticing with minimal impact to the desert quietness.
After posting, I see that an overall darkening Curve warms it and has a pleasing effect.

Technical Details

Canon 5D III, f/16, ISO 400
Focus stack of 3 captures. Topaz Sharpen AI helped a lot.


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1 Like

I like very much the layering in this Dick.

I’m really drawn to this image. It’s so simple and straightforward. It’s refreshing to see something that doesn’t scream for attention. There’s nothing wrong with ordinary.

Thank you Igor. I have been looking at a 2017 print of this scene … back when it appears I had fallen in love with the Saturation tool. This is quieter.

@Dick_Knudson, this is a lovely image! Subtly powerful. That sounds like an oxymoron, but the quiet beauty and peacefulness make me want to sit there and take it in, breathe it in. You handled the light well.

I love the peaceful feel of this one Dick. Nice job getting wonderful colors and composition and lighting in all the layers.

Hi Dick, Your image is a quietly elegant and a quite honest depiction of the southwestern landscape. Truly stunning.

Hi Dick,
Thanks for posting this image. I am also attracted to the horisontal, layered composition, but also to the structure of the light and shadow, also moving in the horisontal direction. To me, the color scheme also works very well: the color of the verbena is echoed in the distant cliffs, it is parallel to that of the sand, but the verbena is also nicely separated by the complementary green-yellow bushes in the middle ground. Well done!

I agree with @Igor_Doncov - it is so nice to see an image that isn’t screaming, “Look at me!!” There is a delicacy to this image that draws my eye and more than enough detail to hold it. Lately I have been very focused on building mood through contrast, particularly colour contrast. In this image you have the foreground fuchsia verbena which is almost an exact compliment (on the colour wheel) to the yellow-green of the brush behind and that works beautifully. One suggestion I might make would be to experiment a bit with the final mountain layer by adding (light painting?) a touch of violet/blue violet into the midtones, not too much, just a hint so as to better compliment the golden-yellow butte in front. You might give it a try and see for yourself.

This is my kind of image. The thumbnail immediately jumped out at me and the full image does not disappoint. There are so many things to study here and yet my eye never wants to move out of the frame. The vibrant wildflowers add such a lovely pop of color to the otherwise muted landscape. Nothing but kudos from me.