# Grandmother tree **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** landscape\ **Created:** [July 29, 2024, 3:10am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521 "2024-07-29T03:10:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mr1](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mr1/32/68704_2.png) [@mr1](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/mr1)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 3:10am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/1 "2024-07-29T03:10:44Z")
![_MG_7916-2](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/6/d/6dff4173ffec1aed8b433658294ea4bf4b300830.jpeg) In the end I went for colour. I will have a play with the B&W but I think the colour is better on consideratiion. Any feedback about the new image welcome @Leo_Catana@Ed_Lowe@Igor_Doncov@Dick_Knudson@Kerry_Gordon ![_MG_7916_A4_Printed.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/0/4/04a701d046074e7174f06635bbad68ca353f4f54.jpeg) ![_MG_7916.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/f/1/f193e2dcdaf2ece1eaa7d7d6e0bfbdf569f148d4.jpeg) Original Photo > **Critique Style Requested:** _Standard_ > > The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image. ### Description Hi all. I am looking for feedback. I am quite happy with it but I got so much out of the advice on my last photo that I am interested to hear what you have to say. Its a tree I know well and to me it has a lot of presence. I cropped it to try to ground it a bit. What do you think ### Specific Feedback do you think it’s better in B&W? ### Technical Details Canon 5D mk2 on 24 to105 zoom. 105mm. 1/250, f6.3, 1600iso * * * ### Critique Template Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas. - Vision and Purpose: - Conceptual: - Emotional Impact and Mood: - Composition: - Balance and Visual Weight: - Depth and Dimension: - Color: - Lighting: - Processing: - Technical: ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Catana](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/leo_catana/32/80554_2.png) [@Leo\_Catana](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Leo_Catana)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/2 "2024-07-29T16:32:54Z")
Dear Michael Flatt, I certainly like the black and white version, partly because the texture of the tree is highlighted, partly because of the cropping. ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Doncov](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/igor_doncov/32/579_2.png) [@Igor\_Doncov](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Igor_Doncov)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/3 "2024-07-29T18:27:55Z")
> [@mr1](#): > > do you think it’s better in [B&W](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/npn-acronyms-and-terms/12151#black-and-white)? No. This is much better in color. The color gives it an emotional quality. I shouldn’t say no completely because perhaps an alterior processing of b&w could be good. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Lowe](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@Ed\_Lowe](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ed_Lowe)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 2:16am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/4 "2024-07-30T02:16:00Z")
Hi Michael, I like the mood with the color version and the crop of the B&W. The fog seems a little thicker and has more of an air of mystery in the color version while the crop in the B&W simplifies the scene down to just what you need. Nicely done. ---
**Author:** ![Kerry\_Gordon](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/kerry_gordon/32/5610_2.png) [@Kerry\_Gordon](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Kerry_Gordon)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/5 "2024-07-30T18:18:16Z")
I also feel more drawn to the colour version. As Igor notes, it feels far moodier and mysterious. I like the crop used for the B&W but much prefer the moodiness inherent in the subtle blues and greens of the colour version. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Knudson](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dick_knudson/32/60742_2.png) [@Dick\_Knudson](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dick_Knudson)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/6 "2024-08-01T19:15:50Z")
I was drawn to the black and white version of your venerable tree. I appreciated the textures that accentuate its age and tribulations. Maybe you could bring out that texture in the color version, and get the best of both worlds, but I expect I would be drawn more to the BW. The graininess of the background looks like ISO 1600 was pressing the limits of the 5DMk2. I ran the image through a Topaz Noise Reduction process, and found that one can remove as much of the noise as one wants … see if that works for you. Your crop at the bottom works for me. If the curvy tree on the left were cropped out, the feeling of the image changes a little … better? not sure. ---
**Author:** ![brandi](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/brandi/32/68358_2.png) [@brandi](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/brandi)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/7 "2024-08-01T22:26:10Z")
Hi Mr. Michael, They are both strong images, but I am in the Color Camp. It is one of the few times (for me) that color lends more mystery and mood to an image than it’s B&W conterpart. You could go either more saturated and really bring up the color of the moss, or go for a softer ethereal feel and bring it down. If you are more attached to the B&W version, I think bring up the fog more to reduce emphasis on the background by just a smidge and maybe play with the highlights, or even the shadows, on the tree in the foreground to keep pulling out that wonderful texture you captured. ---
**Author:** ![mr1](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mr1/32/68704_2.png) [@mr1](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/mr1)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 10:14am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/8 "2024-08-06T10:14:46Z")
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I will go back and try out these suggestions and post the results. Thank you @Leo_Catana@Igor_Doncov@Kerry_Gordon@Dick_Knudson@Ed_Lowe@brandi ---
**Author:** ![Kerry\_Gordon](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/kerry_gordon/32/5610_2.png) [@Kerry\_Gordon](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Kerry_Gordon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 12:09pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/9 "2024-08-19T12:09:23Z")
I would be inclined to crop less and leave the curved sapling on the left - I’d just do a straigth crop from the top at 8.5x11 ![_MG_7916cropjpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/b/7/b71e046f74a70902de294de82ce2552e1a0a0f5c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![mr1](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mr1/32/68704_2.png) [@mr1](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/mr1)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 12:02pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/10 "2024-09-01T12:02:42Z")
Thanks Kerry. I like your crop. It seems to lighten the image. I still like my crop though. Also can you articulate why you like the curved tree on the left. I left it in in my first version but have since come to prefer it being cropped out. Regards Michael ---
**Author:** ![Kerry\_Gordon](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/kerry_gordon/32/5610_2.png) [@Kerry\_Gordon](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Kerry_Gordon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 1:14pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/grandmother-tree/42521/11 "2024-09-01T13:14:00Z")
I think the curved sapling works well with my longer crop but I’m not sure it would with the shorter crop you prefer. Personally, and coming back to look at this image after a few weeks, I still prefer the longer crop because it allows more of the background, which is so important to the creation of the mood in this image. Now, as to the reasons I like the sapling included in my longer crop : First, I like the way the sapling runs parallel to the angle of the main tree and the little jog in the sapling is just interesting especially since the angle is retained after the jog. Second, the sapling serves to break up the visual mass of the (relatively) bright fog on the left. Third, given the fog, I think the “twisted” sapling adds a touch of the Halloween-like mystery to the already mysterious mood I think you’re building with this image. Hope that helps.