The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Kaikoura jetty at sunset with an incoming storm. These two photos were taken approx 2 minutes apart. The light screamed mono, especially since the last of the sun illuminated the jetty and associated buildings.
Specific Feedback
I am unsure if the first (more chaotic) is more indicative of an incoming storm or if the second (darker and more foreboding) has a better story to tell. Is my tone range correct? Does the 10 by 8 crop of the first photo add oppressiveness when compared to the 6 by 4 of the second image?
Technical Details
Canon 90D with a Sigma 17 to 70 lens at 70mm, F20, ISO 100, 0,5 Sec, tripod (3 stop ND filter)
Canon 90D with a Sigma 17 to 70 lens at 70mm, F20, ISO 100, 1.3 Sec, tripod (5 stop ND filter)
Wonderful light, Rob, and black and white was a good choice. Storms are often good for photography. I prefer the second shot but that may be just because I’m not fond of square crops.
The 2nd is a better image. Its composition is much stronger. That’s due to the interplay between the white cloud and the white building on diagonally opposite sides of the frame.
@Jim_Gavin , @Igor_Doncov , @Don_Peters
Thank you. Generally I agree regarding the balance of the second photo where I seem to look both at the buildings and cloud, while the first is mostly at the cloud. I actually posted the wrong version - the one I intended was a 7 by 5 crop, attached. Thank you all for your input.
I had a play with the second image on top. I’m no landscape photographer, so take my comments with a grain of salt. I think the blacks could go deeper and perhaps more contrast throughout. A simple “S” curve globally? A few local adjustments to the clouds to bring out some of that detail.
Mid tones seem to dominate and the lovely shower of rain coming through is getting lost.
The image posted above in the comments section: I like the tonalities better, but I prefer not to have that light cloud chopped off. I think the lightness there, leads my eye up…and out of the frame. A linear gradient might fix it, but it works a treat on the first one posted.
This is a fine scene and worth the effort to play.
On a side note Rob. Did you get to see the seal pup creche in the waterfall?
Thank you, I will have a play. Re the seals. We went around the headland and saw no waterfalls. The seal colony was crowded and many pups - the area seemed like a paddock over stocked with black sheep.
Rob, I don’t often look at NPN on my mobile, but here’s an observation. I was filling in time waiting and thought I would have a look at NPN that I have installed on the mobile. Your image came up almost straight away. Wow!
It looked amazing. Now I’m thinking that my monitor is way too bright and not picking up the lovely tonal values I saw in the App.
Glenys, I have seen that problem too. I think it was Diane Miller who had a good version of the mono zone system, however this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System is Ansell Adams and Archer’s system. The point is that if your monitor is too bright, you cannot see the different in the white end zone system portions and conversely, if too dark you cannot see the difference in the black end.
I have been struggling with that crop for a while. After reading your and other comments I decided to go back to the reason why I cropped - viz the top of the photo being too bright and competing with the quay. I have now tried burning in the top right to reduce the attraction to the top rhs. The light now forms an implied curve from top right, via other clouds and brighter spots to mid left and then back to the quay. I am now more happy with the photo. Thanks to all.
