Forest alarm

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
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Critique Style Requested: In-depth

The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.

Self Critique

I really enjoy the glistening of the mist and water interacting with the leaves, which creates a very , kind of ordered chaos , feeling to the forest photo
I would like to emphasize that a bit more though, to make the details a more impactful part of the photo
but I don’t want to lose the effect of the light if I crop in to the center

Creative direction

I want the photo to evoke a sense of serenity , but at the same time, get the viewer to really engage with the intricate details of the plant-life and feel awed

Specific Feedback

Aesthetically, perhaps should the cropping be different?

Does the photo evoke both serenity and awe? if not, are those emotions just too opposing?or what might I do differently?

Technical Details

SONY ILCE-6500
f/16.0• 58 sec exposure• 38.00mm ISO100

Description

I ventured into the forest when I expected there to be fog. On the outskirts I noticed the fog wasn’t very dense, but the subtle moisture and the fact that the sunrise was casting light, made the interactions really beautiful

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Waseh,

First of all, welcome to NPN! Great to have you here and so glad you decided to post an image for critique! This is a wonderful first post.

I quite like this capture and image very much. I think you have succeeded and accomplished what you were hoping to create and present. Yes, I do feel a sense of serenity - peace and quiet, yet at the same time I want to explore the details of the scene you have captured.

The composition is quite pleasant, and I thought of being “self contained.” I’ve not used that term ever before, but what I’m thinking is that ALL the elements contained in the frame contribute; the distribution of trees/trunks are nicely balanced throughout the frame allowing the eye to explore the detailed vegetation.

I wouldn’t normaly offer an edit to a first post, but I think the only way to illustrate my suggestions. Again, as a whole, I enjoy this very much as presented; the faint presence of fog does help in creating a quiet, almost mysterious mood.

My edits are superficial, but go along with the concept of “making the image the best it can be.” (Credit to Tony Kuyper, aka TK…) Anyway, thought there were a number of things around the edges that could be cleaned up. Now, these little things don’t necessarily ruin the image, but IMHO, the fine details can matter, especially if you want to print this.

So a few things. Content Aware cloned the browns along the LR, lower right edge. Also reduced the reds in some of the non-green vegetation. These areas drawing the eye. Same for the brighter greens along the left edge. I also cropped a very small slice off the top to make it a little cleaner. Lastly, and I expect most notably, I warmed up the colors a bit. This of course is personal preference. In fact, the cooler white balance of your original, might depict the scene emotionally better for you as the creator… but I thought I would warm it up a bit. I also made sure to retain that foggy/misty atmosphere.

So hopefully I didn’t alter your original too much… but hopefully was able to tweak a few things.

Glad to have you here and we look forward to more of your images and your participation in the galleries and forums! Welcome!

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edit: Forgot to mention, but this is a great example of creating “order out of chaos” (classic challenge in forest imagery.)

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Hi Waseh,
I like how you achieved a sense of serenity in this woodland scene. It’s often quite a challenge to do so, as I know from experience. So, yes, you really achieved that. I don’t feel so much awe, as this scene is maybe too nice and gentle for that? But I can certainly image being there and feeling at home. I like how you have created depth by photographing the spacing of the trees. And also the lighter parts in the leaves, it creates interest and a bit of playfulness in the photo.
Lon’s edit is good I think in that the lighter edit enhances the sense of serenity.

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Welcome to NPN, Waseh! This is a wonderful forest scene, but i did feel the original was a bit heavy. @Lon_Overacker has found a good balance of both light and color that retains the foggy look but lets a little more light in.

I look forward to your images and participation!

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Lon, thank you so much for your thoughtful response! It actually is an image that i hop to print. I didn’t even notice the reds in the bottom, but after i read your reply, i couldn’t unsee it, very nice catch!

the warm colors are an interesting touch. I feel a lot of my edits reflect both the mood i felt when i see the scene, as well as the mood i feel when i am processing the photo. it’s actually helpful i think, in drawing out some of the details in the vegetation.

Thanks again! ill definitely take some more time to digest everything you’ve said

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thank you judith!
I appreciate your honesty about not feeling awe when seeing the photo. perhaps my evaluation of my own emotions also needs a bit of work :sweat_smile: instead of awe, maybe i was referring to “a feeling of submission” to how wonderful nature can be … :thinking:

I agree, Lon’s lighter edit definitely helps with the serenity! I wonder though if i go too much towards serenity, if it would make the feeling much too calm rather than calm, with a bit of wonder ?

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Don’t worry about going to far towards serenity, for me that is wonderful! I recognize the feeling you describe about the submission to how wonderful nature can be, the awe one can feel when actually being in nature. I haven’t figured out a surefire way of transmitting that to photo’s. Sometimes I really like a photo I made but get very little response from others. Other times I post a photo on facebook or insta that I am not so keen on and others like it a lot. I guess that there will always be a discrepancy between how we perceive nature when we are in it and how photographs are perceived.

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that’s definitely true! it’s incredibly hard to convince someone who just isn’t interested :sweat_smile:
but i guess it’s more for those few who do want to be engaged more and more, or for others who have brief moments of deep connections with nature and the photo