Lace Lichen sprouts + RP

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
1

And an edit with more room, thanks to @Dennis_Plank and @Bill_Fach!

2025-02-15-13.40.01 ZS PMax-Edit-Edit-Edit
2025-02-15-13.40.01 ZS PMax-Edit-Edit-Edit2000×2000 1.18 MB

2025-02-15-13.40.01 ZS PMax-Edit-Edit.jpg
2025-02-15-13.40.01 ZS PMax-Edit-Edit.jpg2000×1975 1.31 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I love finding interesting pieces of Lace Lichen, and this is one of my favorites so far.

Specific Feedback

All comments welcome! The stack isn’t perfect but when I went back to try for a redo it wasn’t there. I think a deer may have nibbled on it.

Technical Details

Screenshot 2025-04-12 at 3.33.01 PM
Screenshot 2025-04-12 at 3.33.01 PM303×101 17.5 KB

Not much done in LR; a stack processed in Zerene then some cleanup of stacking halos.

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2 Likes
2

A nice find and capture, Diane. My old eyes don’t see anything wrong with it. That’s a shame it was no longer there for you to give it a second try though. I didn’t realize deer ate lichen.

3

Thanks, @Shirley_Freeman! The deer think this stuff is potato chips! It’s not easy to find a piece anywhere near eye level.

1 Like
4

A beautiful and elegantly composed lichen study, Diane. Isolating a section to get this kind of composition is very difficult, so kudos for finding it in the first place and for framing it so nicely. I’m not sure about the faint out of focus branch along the right side. I like the way it mimics the lichen shapes, but I find myself wishing it had some separation from that right edge.

5

Diane: More great lichen work from you. I agree with @Dennis_Plank regarding the OOF right side branch. I do think I would make it go away. I also kind of wish the main branch wasn’t entering from the corner. Since this is a crop I wonder if you have some room above the branch to give it some space. The stack looks pretty good and I especially like the lacey “twigs” extending down off the main branch. Nice find and a fine capture. >=))>

6

Thanks, @Dennis_Plank and @Bill_Fach! I wished the composition was better, too. It was originally in landscape format and the was an ugly trunk on the right and an ugly end to the branch on the left, and there was no more room on the top. But Generative fill did a good job after I expanded the canvas. I love the ghostly branch on the right – I think it was a dead branch hanging down farther back on the tree.

I do prefer the “enhanced” version – posted above! Thanks for the nudge!

7

Great job on the repost, Diane. For my taste, the out of focus branch fits just fine now.

8

Diane: One of the things I love about photography is how small changes can create an entirely different feel. Like @Dennis_Plank I don’t find the OOF branch as much of a distraction as on the original and the slightly greater room makes the image feel better to me. Top notch effort. >=))>

9

Thanks, @Dennis_Plank and @Bill_Fach! I should have thought to enlarge canvas on the original, or maybe clone out the distraction that made me crop where I did on the right. I was thinking I could re-shoot it and get a better stack.

This is one where I really appreciate the subtle detail (or really more like shadings) on the BG, which were natural, and the branch hanging down is a perfect grace note to me.