Specific Feedback Requested
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! I’ve always wondered whether this image is too boring. Is there enough in the textures and composition to make it interesting?
Technical Details
1/10 sec, f5.6, ISO 100, 55mm
Amy
I do apologize for the delayed response with your image. It’s been busy over here the past few days 
I don’t think the image is necessarily boring as you have fair amount of texture and smoothness to make this work as a nice intimate scene. For me, the issue lies with the processing. There is a color cast, and every thing feels very monochromatic. The transitions of the tones and colors feel abrupt. Im not sure where to go with this one. Without seeing the unedited version, it’s hard where to gauge the direction the image could possibly go.
If you have any questions, or would like to share the raw file with me, when can break this down even further, and see where the image could go early with the processing, feel free to reach out to me privately or back here in the thread.
DT
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Hi @Amy_Aiken
How nice it is, when I see people posting great images here, doubting how great they really are ! So refreshing compared to the social media realm where mediocre images are posted in the hunt for likes… Anyway, I digress 
. Back to this one, I really like your take here, and in particular:
- I find the choice of square format interesting, as it kind of disects this vertical flow of water, really making us focus. I would still be interested to see the original picture, and whether a composition that allows more vertical space would work, but in any case I really like the crop you went for.
- I also like the choice of 1/10s speed, as it still shows some movement in the flow of water.
- The green patches add another element to this composition that really works, and makes it more interesting imo.
… great minimalist work, the contrary to boring for sure 
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This is a very nice subject, but, for me, the flow of the water makes a vertical composition more pleasing, with more canvas above and below, if there were not unattractive elements there. You don’t say anything about the acquisition or processing, which is really needed for helpful comments.
If this was a raw file, you can have a look at various tweaks of color balance – the slightly reddish-magenta cast here is unusual for the subject. Finding the best balance for the color channels will bring out some interest. (The starting place is neutralizing the grays.) The contrast is a bit harsh – the image could be softened by bringing down highlights a bit and bringing up shadows. Don’t use auto settings – look at the histogram.
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Thank you, David, Nikos, and Diane, for your feedback! Here is the raw file. Now that I see it again, I see that I did move very far away from the original blue tones. I think I had originally turned it too warm in my first edit. Then, in order to fix that, I might have desaturated certain color channels instead of trying to find a better balance. So I agree I can do some work on the color balance!
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I am interested to hear your perspectives on the shape of the image. It was one of the things I was wondering about. Here is a vertical shot of the wider scene. I agree that, at first glance, the original image seems like it wants to be more vertical. But cutting it off gives it a different feel that I like compositionally–maybe it makes it feel more abstract and about the textures? I’d love to hear any additional thoughts!
Amy! Yes! I would definitely play with the cooler version that is closer to the raw file. I think this one has potential!