Revision:
Original:
Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Another image from our Yosemite trip. The first 3 days were wet and cloudy, but the morning we had to leave the park, magic light appeared. @John_Williams and I spent a couple hours at The Swinging Bridge area until the magic disappeared and we had to break camp and head north out of the park. We both came away with several keepers that morning. This is one of my favorite images from the trip.
Specific Feedback
My focus here was on the trees in the center, especially the cottonwood, and their reflection. I used the seemingly larger trees on the sides for framing. Does the composition work? Is there anything I should change in the processing? Of course all other comments welcome.
Technical Details
Z8, 24-200 @ 72mm, f/9, 1/40 sec, ISO 64, tripod
1 Like
This is gorgeous, Steve! The misty, translucent light is stunning. The fresh greens and yellows are wonderful and the reflection is perfect. If I had one small suggestion it would be a little more room at the top.
Your processing of this looks spot-on to me. Nicely done!
-P
Stunning soft light, Steve. I love the very small ripples in the water making for watercolor like reflections with pastel colors. The mood and atmosphere are really what make this a special image. You’ve captured both soft and muted colors and light mixed with sunlit vibrant greens and yellows that make make for a happy and cheerful mood. All the rain and cloud we had for 4 days finally produced some terrific valley fog on the last day. This is a wall hanger. I agree with @Preston_Birdwell that if you have more room on the top I’d add canvas. No biig deal if you don’t though.
Steve,
I suppose I could just cut-n-paste the previous comments, that would be easier. Gorgeous, stunning!
This is just dripping with atmosphere. Now I’m the one’s who jealous, although thankfully this morning’s fog extended the entire length of the valley.
I’m hard pressed to be critical of this! In fact, I’ll offer the opinion that I don’t think you need more canvas up top (I’m guess to give that one tree a little breathing room?) But really, I don’t think more blank fog up top would add or improve this. But I’m sure we would all agree we’re splitting hairs here.
The only small suggestion I might have would be a very, very slight burn of the left hand trees. If anything to keep the eye in the frame. Otherwise, print, frame and hang this. I can see why this is one of your favorites!
I’m so happy that the epic light finally revealed itself for you and John!
Thank you @Preston_Birdwell, @David_Haynes and @Lon_Overacker for your kind comments. This is full frame so I don’t have room at the top. The only way would be to use generative add, which might be fun to see how it does, but I doubt I’ll try. Lon, I’m glad you didn’t just cut-n-paste. No one does critiques like you, and I really appreciate it. I will look into the suggestion of burning the left hand trees. Thanks for the suggestion!
What a beauty! It was a wonderful time and place to be for that brief time, and you’ve done a splendid job of capturing the magic. I think the composition is great. This has a lovely flow along the path of the river, and the light is so flattering. You scored a lot of goals that morning!
I too don’t worry too much about the top, I wouldn’t have noticed it if it hadn’t been mentioned. I also agree with @Lon_Overacker about the left tree, so that it more closely matches the one on the right and keeps the eye in the frame as he notes.
I really like what that tree on the left contributes to the composition but I think you need a bit more canvas to the left of it. The image is considerably weaker without that tree.
Steve, the lighting is absolutely gorgeous and as other’s have said “dripping with atmosphere”. I like the strong details in the water on the right and how they fade into softness and mystery. The tree on the left makes a good frame with it’s clarity balancing nicely the trees on the right. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I think @Igor_Doncov makes a great point here. That tree truly helps to balance the composition, so a bit more room to its left would be a boon.
-P
Thank you @John_Williams, @Igor_Doncov, @Mark_Seaver and @Preston_Birdwell for your kind comments and suggestions. This is full frame, so I’m not able to add more canvas, but I understand your point. I did add a revision at the top to slightly burn the tree on the far left (thanks @Lon_Overacker for the suggestion),
1 Like
Steve,
Another winner. Not much more to say than what has already been stated. My only impression is that it feels like the photo is rotated CW, but I know it is not given how straight standing the trees are in the frame. It must be the slanted river’s edge that gives me that impression.
Gorgeous – all said above!! My second thought (after admiring the light and composition) was that it felt like it needed to be rotated CCW. The treetops and their reflections seem to line up vertically reasonably well, but I did a slight rotation and that helped. Then I did a distort to pull down the LL corner and that was even better. The subtle ripples in the water are now horizontal, showing the surface is horizontal. Here’s the result – the top shows the initial rotation, then the bottom shows the distort.
