One of my favorite images from that photo adventure. Mostly because it did not require any tweaking (move, re-arrange, remove leaves, twigs, etc.) before tripping the camera shutter. Pristine throughout the entire capture phase. The ultimate in “Leave No Trace” nirvana.
And as an added bonus, there was no need to “thrash about” (a technical term) in assorted post-processing clone, remove, replace AI (or should I say AG - Artificial Guessing) tools.
[Even the “supporting actor” mushroom in the upper left quadrant of the image deserved to be part of the action.]
Oh, and I almost forgot. It was a beautiful overcast day too. No harsh shadows to grapple with.
Feedback Requests
So what do you think? Too realistic? Not cropped enough? Just right?
Pertinent Technical Details
Shot straight down in order to have all image elements in focus. Camera mounted on a tripod.
1/40 sec @ f11, ISO 64. 105 mm macro.
Shot at a 2:3 aspect ratio. Tried a 1:1 square crop, but it was too tight. Based on a recent YouTube video by Adam Gibbs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCrtHai6gbQ) I tried a 4:5 crop. Which to my eyes was a perfect fit for this composition.
I think this is wonderful!! Great color and detail with lots to explore and the raindrops are such a great feature! The soft tonalities are just right!
I would suggest toning down the partial leaf in the UL corner, to get to an 11/10.
As to the aspect ratio – why choose any other than the one dictated by the image? 4:5 works perfectly here but for your next shot 4.365 x 5 might be the best choice. Or something way different. Just move the edges of the crop frame until you hit it.
I agree with Diane. I seldom worry much about aspect ratios, probably because I’m not expecting to get my photos professionally printed! I like the shot itself to dictate the ratio. I do think a small sliver off the left hand side here might balance the whole better as there’s “nothing much” happening there.
But that’s a quibble, as it’s a wonderful shot as is. I really love the color mix here.
A lovely image with great detail and gorgeous colours. I like your crop. Like Diane and Mike have already mentioned, I tend to let the “crop frame” tell the story.
Regarding toning down the partial leave in the UL corner of my image. [Ditto for the brighter vertical leaf on the right side of the image, the brighter vertical leaf in the LL corner of the image, as well as the rectangular block of dark wood in the LR of the image.]
I’m familiar with the compositional style that is all the rage these days – where visual weight can only be applied to main actors - that are ideally located away from the edges of the image. And as a result, elements along the edges of the image must somehow slip (preferably discretely) into oblivion.
What bothers me is that the vast majority of my small scene images are part of a larger whole – nature in all it’s grandeur so to speak. And deliberately isolating the scene from its natural environment makes the composition feel artificial. “Photoshopped” if you know what I mean.
Including tidbits of the small scene’s surroundings inside the frame helps remind me - and hopefully the viewers of the image - that the small scene is an integral (synergistic?) part of something bigger too. [Sometimes there is more to perspective than just where the camera is positioned….]
The 4:5 aspect ratio that was applied to this image was a fortunate coincidence. Printing is an important part of my photography journey, and when a composition happens to neatly fit inside one of my standard mats, it’s considered a “bonus”. [That is to say, 4:5 is not the only aspect ratio in my toolbox…]
Cheers,
Franz
P.S. By the way, your generous feedback (as well as those from all the other members in the NPN community) on my images is sincerely appreciated. It always encourages me to better articulate what my compositional intuition takes for granted. [This is a good thing!]
A deep bow to your viewpoint about the weighting of elements! I tend to go on too much about ideas that work for “most people” – but (thankfully) none of us is most people. Your images reflect a maturity and intent and I can never remember (or take time to check) who is in that category. Thank you in return for your great attitude!
Franz, this is an excellent look at this forest floor. The mix of colors from the leaves, “shrooms” and debris is very inviting and you’ve got interest spread well throughout the frame.
Franz: What a marvelous find and you took full advantage of the opportunity. I like all of your choices and appreciate you sharing your thought processes. Top notch subject, top notch result.>=))>
