Hidden pond

This was a gloomy flat gray day in the Smoky Mountains.

Specific Feedback Requested

I tend to like dark moody images but is the foliage too dark?

Technical Details

Canon 5DM4 ISO 100; 67mm; f/11; 0.6 sec
2 image blend

7 Likes

Love the composition. I do feel like there is a spotlight on the falls however but at the same time I like the mood overall

1 Like

Your image has a feel of an enchanted forest. I think the dark foliage helps highlight the falls.

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No problem with the dark foliage. I agee with the previous 2 posters.
Nice image, and I like the shutter speed that you selected. The water is moving, but not too milky.

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I like the image very much. Gloomy flat days are the perfect days to photograph these kinds of scenes . I do think the image is overall a bit too dark. I did a little playing trying to maintain the overall dark mood, but provide some amount of light to the water and the pond. Here’s the result. Maybe too far for your desires, but just an option to push it some.

5 Likes

Hi John, this is a terrific intimate composition. And the moodiness is great too. I agree that it might be a little dark…maybe somewhere between your image and @Keith_Bauer’s versions.

This one is a keeper for sure.

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Oh, wow, this is gorgeous! I love the dark mood and wouldn’t lighten it at all. Keith’s version is nice, but I prefer the less explicit scene. Your use of those red tones to frame the lighted falls is outstanding. Just wow.

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Thanks everyone for the comments. I appreciate the time spent to give me feedback and suggestions. Out of all the pictures I shot I was lucky and came away from this trip with several images I really liked.

I’ll echo what the above have said that this is a wonderful composition of a charming little scene, and your touch of light on the falls works very well.

I tend to lean towards @Keith_Bauer’s version. I think the darker version would work better as a print, where rich black can really sing, but when viewing on a monitor those touches of detail in the shadow can be appealing.

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I absolutely love this image. It has all of the qualities of a great black and white yet the color makes it better than had it remained a b&w. The moderators got it right with awarding this image. It really stands out.

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I got behind here and just now saw this and just have to add a WOW!! This is a magic forest and a very special image. My vote goes to the dark version. My only suggestion would be to darken the brighter BG leaves in the UL as they pull my eye away from the falls a bit. The similar area on the top right doesn’t bother me as it fits the flow from the LL toward the UR, and is smaller.

Fantastic image John.
It immediately grabbed my attention.
I like how you have the red zig zag line running parallel to the flow of the water.
Great suggestions from the others, the only addition I would make is to reduce the contrast on the speckled rocks. Since it has a high contrast pattern to it I find it pulls my eye away from the falls.
It’s a minor thing though and with or without the edit I love the image.

2 Likes