This is a photo of ice forming over the tops of rocks on a river, taken on November 27. The top of that newly formed ice was so smooth, it was incredible. If you look closely at the center of the ice, you can just barely see the reflection of setting sun hitting the trees along the riverbank.
I liked the clarity of the ice, and also the smoothness of waves upstream of the rock.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any comments or critiques are appreciated. Boring? I tried to get quite a bit of DOF, but I still got some out of focus ice in the FG. Does that distract?
Technical Details
Technically, I didn’t do much to the image. I cropped it a little, tried to remove a little noise, and sharpened it.
Canon 5dmk4, 100-400 L +1.4, at 475 mm. ISO 3200 (it was almost dark) at 1/640 sec and f20.
You’ve captured the tones beautifully in this. It’s certainly not boring! The left and right halves of this shot make me feel conflicted. I don’t mean that they are conflicting, but I kind of wish to see more above and below this scene, to decide if I’d like it as two images or one. But it’s an eye-catching shot for sure, and I like it in the end!
Very interesting ice scene here. I have a few minor tweaks in mind that could improve it, and then one overall observation. The little strip of bright water on the top center edge could be darkened or cloned, the left side could be slightly cropped to put more weight on the ice, and I think the overall exposure could be lifted a bit, right now the scene feels sort of dingy. Ice is usually a bright subject since it’s so reflective.
In terms of the scene, I wish it were all in focus, since a significant part of the ice is soft in the bottom right corner. Also, I am not sure the ice’s shape is defined enough. It feels sort of like a blob rather than something significant. It just looks like ice rather than something more than ice if that makes sense. This is not a critique or judgment though, just my opinion in case it resonates with you at all. If not, then just ignore me!
Thank you, Mike, David, and Eric, for your comments.
I have to tell you, my husband found this image quite boring! I pointed out that tiny reflection of the trees in that center bit of ice, and he said, “Well, maybe you could try enlarging just that part and maybe that would make it interesting.”
I also had issues with the balance in the image. I tried cropping it differently, but I didn’t have much room to work with on the left side. Eric, regarding your note that it seems dark, that is exactly how it looked. The sun had actually already gone down behind the mountain, and the only light came from sunshine being reflected off the mountainside behind me, so the ice was quite dark. It never occurred to me to lighten it; good suggestion.
As far as the DOF, yes, I wish it were all in focus. I was using a telephoto and didn’t really have any other option lens-wise. Basically, I was hurting for light!
Eric, regarding you comment on the ice looking being shapeless, I can see how you would say that, but I see lots of substance and texture in it, including the drop of water on the underside, so I’m pretty happy with its shape.
Thanks, guys!
Genny, this is a striking look at both the ice and the water. I like the dramatic tension between the bright ice and the dark water (with it’s ripples and reflections). One thought is to dodge significantly the dark area to the right of the bright ice. In my mind, that would increase the visual left-right tension between the ice and the water. You might also burn-in the brightest oof area in the lower right corner, that will reduce it’s visual impact.
Thank you, Mark. Those are good ideas about dodging the right to help balance the ice/water, and then burn that OOF ice in the FG. I should have tried that… I’m definitely out of practice at this!!
Oh, Genny, I don’t know how I missed this, but it wasn’t because it was boring! Very interesting to have the ice on the rocks and the ripples in the water. As someone else noted, it causes tension. Well seen and captured.
Fascinating study of water and ice. I like this quite a lot. I think also one of those scenes where there are many possibilities. And I agree with others there is a bit of a yin-yang effect between the water and the ice. I like both, but agree maybe some could be taken off the left since I believe the ice formation is what the attraction was. In fact, that ice reminds me of the “Crystal Skulls” from the Indiana Jones movie. Very cool.
I like the tonality and also agree with Eric on tweaking the exposure. With emphasis on the ice formation, I played a bit with alternatives. I didn’t mind the oof ice in the lower right - and in fact that area/shape reminds me of a “Seahawk”. And even though I like the water patterns in the left half, here’s an alternate. I don’t think this is really an improvement though, just an alternate view.
Thank you, Shirley! As I had noted, my husband thought it was boring. But he thinks all my nature photographs are boring unless they have an animal in them!!
I like what you did with it, Mark. The ice is what attracted me the most, but I just didn’t want to get rid of the really nice ripples upstream!! Thanks.
But he thinks all my nature photographs are boring unless they have an animal in them!!