Nature's Artwork

Image Critiques Abstract Nature Critiques
1

Nature's Artwork.jpg
Nature's Artwork.jpg2160×1440 1.68 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

Taken at Weston Beach, Pt. Lobos State Park, California. This beach almost entirely of rocks that have been shaped and colored by the tides and wind. This particular image felt like the rocks were mimicking the flow of the water as the tides receded.

Specific Feedback

Does the composition convey the feeling of flow? Is it too flat? Too busy?

Technical Details

Taken with a Sony a1, Tamron 28-70, 2.8 lens. f6.3 at 1/250, iso 400. On a tripod. Post processed in Lightroom for cropping and some adjustment. The day was somewhat overcast.

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:
2

Hi Joey, welcome to NPN! This is a wonderful natural abstract image. Yes I definitely get the feeling of flow. “Rocks were mimicking the flow of the water as the tides receded” is a great way to describe the photo. Nice job finding this scene. The patterns look fantastic!

You could try to increase midtone contrast to make it pop a bit more. David has a great technique to increase micro contrast to add more depth. https://www.exploringexposure.com/blogs/articles/creating-micro-contrast-in-photoshop

I don’t find the image too busy. I would suggest cropping in to avoid the slightly out of focus areas up top and that bright triangle in the upper left corner.

3

Welcome, Joey. It’s interesting that this image and Bonnie’s water ripples came in next to one another. The patterns are amazingly similar. One of the many cases in nature where that happens. The patterns do definitely create a feeling of flow. I think Alfredo’s crop suggestion is a good idea. There are a lot of ways you could play with this to create interesting effects.

I look forward to seeing more of your work and seeing your input on other people’s images.

4

Joey, yes there’s a striking similarity between your post (of rocks) and Bonnie’s post of water ripples. You’ve got a fine sense of flow here. In the largest view, I do see a small amount of softening at the top and bottom. Since you were using a tripod, you could easily have dropped the shutter speed and increased the f-stop to get edge to edge sharpness. As a minor nit, that bright rock near the top left corner is somewhat distracting, so I’d suggest burning-in its brightest parts.

5

I tried this technique and it deinitely was a good idea for this image. Thank you! Just enough adjustment to increase the pop.

6

What a wonderful image. At first glance, it makes one wonder…is it rocks or water? I love the movement and flow of the swirling lines and colors.

7

Hi Joey! I definitely get the feeling of flow. I agree with the advice others have given re increasing contrast and a slight crop. I could see going to an even more pano crop to accentuate the left to right flow.