The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical
About This Image
Earlier his year I visited what is called the Dead Falls situated in Halland, close to the West Coast of Sweden. The fall is no longer a fall since cut off by a Hydro Power station upstreams. You can now walk on the former river bed and there I found this puddle with the tree reflection.
Feedback Requested
I am primarily a color photographer, but from time to time I try to also make b&w images. This due to the fact that I really love to view other photographers b&w images, and want to learn that craft to.
Any comments are of course welcome and especially about the technical and artistic use of b&w.
Technical Details
Focal length: 40mm (80 mm equiv.)
Shutter speed: 1/250s
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 800
Olympus OM-1 camera
Olympus lens 40-150/2.8
Handheld
I like it particularly the subdued perimeter of the puddle with just discernible detail that really helps create a wonderful border to your reflective puddle and attractive skeletal tree within. A square crop would be/is perfect for this as is the choice to go monochrome. I also like the texture created by water droplets impacting the puddle
Ola, based on this image I think you have arrived at “being good at b&w”. I love the image as is. As @Ian_Cameron mentioned the border of the puddle is really good. It stands out but isn’t too distracting from the main subject. The water surface has enough texture to help you realize what you are looking at, and trees make for good designs in b&w don’t they? Very nice work, no suggestions.
Ola, your way to frame the tree as the main subject expresses the sense of loneliness convincingly to me. I also appreciate your use of tonality. Great work in my opinion.
As João suggested flipping the vertical might make the image still more impactful.
Just an idea for a possible alternative version
Its always fun to try flipping images - our brains make assumptions and often the responses to a flipped image (either horizontally or vertically) can be surprising.
I LOVE this!! A classic subject done so well – excellent find and presentation. And B/W just fits here. Only a minor thought, but I could see a tiny bit more room on the sides and top, and maybe more burn of the detail in the UR corner.
Terrific shot! I prefer the original to the inversion. I think the image might be slightly improved if the tree were straightened with a small counter-clockwise rotation.
Spectacular, Ola. I love the composition, and especially the way the puddle has its own frame even as it frames the tree. It works with the tree upside down or right side up, but the impact feels very different. The original is more unsettling, and the inversion feels like a cameo portrait, more formal.
Amazing image. One of your best if not the very best. I actually think it diminishes the image by knowing what it is. I like both but the flipped is even wilder. It’s spooky. I like the fact that there is more dark in the upper part. It creates tension. The flipped version makes you feel like you’re looking through a window into an alien world . It’s a vision. Like I said - marvelous work.
Just discussing the options a little further - and not arguing either way.
There is a little more ambiguity and mystery if the reflection is initially not perceived as a reflection. If you see the tree upside-down you instantly comprehend that it’s a reflection where as if flipped so the tree is vertical the mind takes a second or so longer to understand the image is a reflection because it jumps to the wrong conclusions.
Images that are more unusual and complex work really well in other genres, and we generally like puzzles. This works particularly well in genres like street photography, but I guess not so much in this nature photography.
Exceptions may be in ICM and abstract versions.
I enjoy many other genres and am discovering that things might work in one and not the other - learning all the time.
If anyone wants to explore how our mind “sees” its worth learning about Gestalt Theory (its only a theory cause it can’t be proven but seems to hold with current knowledge).
It can be used to make better and meaningful compositions - using repetition, similar colours, symmetry or near symmetry
This is really a beautful image - I prefer the original, it takes more time to understand it. I love the high contrast and it is another reviewer stated a bit spooky. Really well done.
I said “Wow” to the thumbnail - it’s a great image, Ola. I’m really enjoying all the faint circular ripples when I blow this up. I thought like Don maybe a tiny CCW rotation, but that’s minor. Very well spotted and captured.
I will try to rotate the image CCV a tad and add a little more black parts at the two vertical sides.
The idea to flip the image vertically is very interesting and I agree with Igor that then it is like looking into another world. But personally I like the image better as is.
Ola, this is a great picture, with the tree reflection so well so perfectly placed in the puddle. You’ve included just enough in the surroundings to fill the frame, making the entire view inviting.
Hi Ola, I love this image, and I think it is wonderful as is. The tree being a bit off straight is more interesting to me. The texture in the tree reflection is very painterly. Great as is.
Alice
I am late to the game on this one, but WOW! You nailed the composition and the B&W treatment is perfect. I can’t really add much to the discussion that has not already been said, but I do wonder about the reflection itself. Did you apply any artistic filters, like water color or craqueluer? Just curious as I think it is what make the photo unique.
I think it’s gorgeous. I’m particularly fond of the texture in puddle.
About the only thing that gives me pause is not cropping more from the bottom in order to center the primary shape in the frame. While the contour of that downward flow seeping off that lower edge is pleasing, in general the bottom areas feel much emptier than the top (which has additional greys breaking up the darkest patches), so to me the balance feels just slightly off.
