I was trying out my new FujiFilm x100v camera this past September at the edge of a small lake behind our house. I wonder if the algae creates too much chaos. I was trying to capture the impact of algae clogged waters that is an issue all over. What do you think of the composition and the image itself?
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Conceptual: Feedback on the message and story conveyed by the image.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Technical: Feedback on the technical aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, focus and reproduction of colors and details, post-processing, and print quality.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
See above.
Technical Details
FujiFilm x100v, 23mm, f2.0, 1/1000 sec. hand held.
This is very cool, Larry. Nice find. I like the different colors in the algae and how it meanders around the floating limbs and trunks. It’s very peaceful and I really like the overhead perspective. Kind of like a drone shot. Oh, and I love that X100V.
Larry, this is a beautiful image for sure and the “chaos” you mention is actually a good thing! I love the varied colours of the algae, and the added points of colour from the few dropped leaves. The branches and limbs in the image really help to nicely breakup the pattern of the algae so yeah, this is a joy to look at and to study. I also think that the square crop works perfectly here.
That said, I’m struggling to see this as a image depicting the issue of alae clogged waterways. It’s too pretty and abstract for that and to me shows how beautiful algae can be rather than showing it as a problem. Maybe if the algae were shown in context with the larger landscape (i.e. a wider view) the message might come across more freely. That’s my opinion anyways and others might view this differently.
Larry, very interesting because for me, it’s actually the algae that is holding everything together - it’s all the other seemingly random elements that are chaotic! At least in my view.
Yes, I first thought this was a big chaotic. But studying further (giving this a chance,) I see even better potential with a square crop - meaning cropping in from all sides to further emphasize all the elements - with the algae still holding it all together. But I think there’s a better interplay betwen the leaves and the log/sticks. With that crop there would still be some of the dark area in the UL that you could clone away - in other words, you can only crop so far before getting too close to the leaves. And I think it’s that darker patch that is the distracting element.
I can’t say I get the sense that this image portrays a problem of sorts, but could also very well be a natural swampy area, a bog, peat bed… something.
Yeah, I’d lose the dark patch and crop, or not. But this comes together nicely. Good eye and worthy subject.
Nice shot, I agree with others that the texture and pattern of the algae is what pulls you and holds you. At first I thought moss, not algae - so dense!. As @Lon_Overacker says the logs are what maybe are a bit random, and if you find yourself there again you could look for different leading lines. Nice shot.
Thanks @Lon_Overacker and @CharlesV . Lon, I will try your crop / cloning idea retaining the square aspect ratio. Good suggestions – I appreciate them.
