The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The mist was starting to rise on this frosty November morning in The Valley.
-P
Specific Feedback
Any thoughts on composition, color of processing are always appreciated.
Technical Details
Nikon D7100
Nikkor 70-300 mm @ 200 mm
f-16 @ 1/10 s
ISO 400
ACR and PSCC
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Vision and Purpose:
Conceptual:
Emotional Impact and Mood:
Composition:
Balance and Visual Weight:
Depth and Dimension:
Color:
Lighting:
Processing:
Technical:
I love everything about this, Preston. What I’m first attracted to is the single cottonwood full. of leaves while all the others are mostly bare. I also was attracted to frosty and misty meadow holding on to that cold and moody feeling.
I also love the layering you achieved with this one. The orange background shrubs provide a nice color contrast to the yellow and bare foreground cottonwoods as do the pine trees in the far background which are clear of the fog and provide plenty of contrast. I think the colors and saturation level are perfect. The shrub poking in from the right side is no big deal either. I offer you nothing in the form of improvements. Terrific image, Preston.
Nicely composed. I like the frosty mist rising up from the ground. I have tried so many times to photograph it and yet to be successful. Even though it is cold a frosty morning depicted in the photo, I still feel that it is a little heavy in cyan and could use a bit of mid-tone warming. If you don’t mind I added a little warmth to see what I mean.
Holy cow, Preston…BANG! This is off the charts. I do prefer Youssef’s revision as I agree that the original was just a touch heavy on cyan. The ghostly trees against the darker forest and that one yellow, perfectly positioned tree on the right along with the orangish trees behind…all just exceptional. It’s funny, because this is a great example of breaking photography rules. Typically, having such a bright band at the bottom of the photo would be a no-no but in this image, it just works. Absolutely outstanding photo!
Great work Preston. The image is wistful on one hand and sharply clear on the other. That contrast of emotions is what makes this image for me. My initial reaction was to crop some of the top to make the image more consistently foggy. But that would have been a big mistake. It’s the inconsistency that makes this sing. Wonderful image. I’ve seen the Valley when it was like this. But it’s been years now.
BTW, I would go in the cool direction if I made any change. Snow is cold and cold temperatures are better expressed with bluer shades.
A wall hanger, Preston. I love @Youssef_Ismail’s re-work as shifting the color balance seems to have made the image even more ethereal. My only small nit is the large brown tree trunk in the BG. Not that you could have chopped it down but it feels a bit heavy contrasted with the light, airy atmosphere of the rest of the image. I know I’m being picky.
Preston, the layers and combinations of colors here are striking. It very well conveys the cold frosty morning, and the transition of season. Nicely done
I do like the warmer version @Youssef_Ismail posted because it gives the scene a different feel.
@Bret_Edge, @Michael_Lowe: Honestly, I do prefer the cooler image since that echoes the very chilly, frosty morning. Also, I am colorblind to certain green/cyan hues, so, honestly, I did not notice it.
@Michael_Lowe: Yeah, that pine tree bugged me, too, but forests will be forests.
@Igor_Doncov: I was fortunate that the mist was still hugging the ground and was nicely layered. This was Leidig Meadow.
-P
but it feels a bit heavy contrasted with the light, airy atmosphere of the rest of the image. I know I’m being picky.