Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
This image is intended to be rather dark, with many details hard to make out. I’m interested in getting feedback on your initial impression, and whether the image could be modified to enhance that initial impression. How do yo feel about the forked green element near the bottom.
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
This is moss growing at the base of a redwood tree. The tree had been burned out by previous fires and I went with that darkness.
Technical Details
GFX50R, 32-64mm, f/11
Specific Feedback
I’m particularly interested in conceptual feedback on this image because this image is not about wood or moss. Where does it take you? Assuming it takes you anywhere. This image is intended to explore the human psyche.
I see a primeval world, possibly on another another planet. Life is slowly emerging from the darkness.
(reading your comment…)
Hmm, I certainly got the idea that is wasn’t about the moss, but I externalized it to seeing something outside myself. That in itself says more about me than the image. I’ll have to think about what it means for the human psyche. Besides showing our dark side.
Overall I found the photo hard to see, due to its darkness, almost like something I would have thought was a mistake in exposure had I seen it as one of my slides on the light table. But then I looked a little deeper and saw an interesting kind of glow or radiance in the green as if it was almost metallic. I would still like to see what is surrounding it, but nonetheless, the green in intriguing.
I think this is a wonderful image! Full of mystery… It’s dark but not somber. I feel sheltered like in a womb of nature. It’s dripping with life-force.
You speciaficyll ask about the forked green part: for me this is where the life-force spreads out. Maybe in a thin flow still but vibrant and strong. it speaks about resilience and the power of being rooted.
Igor, I perceive this image as an abstract, it leads me into a mysterious world. The forked structure is a bit a surprise for me and keeps me asking some questions. Great work in my opinion.
I live in the redwoods and often struggle with how to make images of these trees that convey their mystery and ancient, hushed quality. I think your image succeeds in doing this. I love the darkness and the vivid green emerging from it, the flow of the tree towards the root at the bottom, just the glimpse of needles and hints of texture. I feel both calm and suspenseful when I look at this image. Nice work.
I am glad this registered with you, Irene. I have made several trips to the redwoods and started to get bored of the fog images and so have been looking for a different approach. Actually, there was no fog on my last trip. The scarring left by old fires seemed like a potential subject matter for close up work. This is going in that direction. I’m also trying to create images where the image is not about the subject matter being photographed. Trying to express emotions indirectly from the composition of the subject.
Hi Igor, I applaud you for doing some thing different here! My first instinct is that it is too dark and I would like to see more of the detail surrounding the green moss. But on second glance, I put on my “artist hat” and think that maybe you wanted just to isolate the green and make the image about the moss or the color. The moss/color is great by itself and stands alone nicely. Without the context of the surrounding details, I ask myself does it stand alone strongly enough by itself? So, just the color and shape are the subject/comp and we shouldn’t be bothered with any contextual information? I don’t know. I’m just typing my initial reaction.
The great thing about this is that it is for sure unique and “stopped the scroll” to see what was going on with this. It sucked me in and I spent a good amount of time looking at it, trying to figure it out. I think it’s a great image and one that is thought provoking!
