Frozen tarn at dawn

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
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valley058.jpg
valley058.jpg2235×2794 2.48 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

This image was taken in Tasmania’s central highlands, on a clear morning with fresh snow. The scene follows a partially frozen tarn into a snowy field, with a forest of snowgums in the distance. There is also a mountain partially visible from a different angle at this location, although it was shrouded by mist.
While the mountain could have made for a grand scene, I chose to focus my composition on trying to create a window into my experience at the time- feeling welcomed into the open field, being at peace with the quiet beauty of the landscape, and the stillness of the morning. As such, I tried to show the landscape simply as it is.

Specific Feedback

Any and all feedback is appreciated! I feel like the scene may lack depth, or a point of interest beyond the tarn, as well as being a bit unbalanced towards the right, but I would be curious to hear others’ thoughts on this :slight_smile: Thanks!

Technical Details

Taken on 4x5 Ektachrome E100, at 90mm, f/32 and exposure was around 3 seconds if I remember correctly.

Critique Template

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  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
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  • Composition:
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  • Depth and Dimension:
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2

Keenan, the fresh snow and the stillness of the tarn are indeed very peaceful. It’s been many years since I scanned slides, but I remember how challenging it was to get the colors “right”. I’m thinking that there’s too much blue and magenta here, since our brains want the snow to be white. This is supposed to be twilight, which can also influence the colors. Without knowing what’s lurking on the right, I find myself wondering about a horizontal view, without the featureless sky showing the entire tarn.

3

Very nice. I’m wondering how it would look as a B&W…

1 Like
4

This is a beautiful, very cold looking scene Keenan. I really like the pale purple color in this washing over the soft whites of the snowy ground.

5

Hi Mark, thank you for the feedback! I see what you are saying about the colours and I will try a rescan and upload the results once done. I also see what you are saying about the composition, I think a horizontal composition could have worked well, and this is something I will keep in mind for next time, as I find myself shooting mainly in vertical when using large format. Thanks again! :slight_smile:

6

Thank you Ed!

7

Thank you Dave! I’ll have to experiment with black and white.

8

Hi Keenan,
This image captures a wonderful mood with the freshly fallen snow. Did you happen to shoot any horizontals capturing the right side of the pond? The vertical format is quite nice as is, but FWIW I think a horizontal would work a little better. Just my opinion of course.

9

Hi Ed, Thank you for the feedback! Unfortunately I was running low on film at this stage of the trip, so I only took the one vertical composition. I think I have realized that I should explore both orientations when shooting large format, as I find I tend to lean towards portrait subconsciously.