The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This picture was taken on the Island Leka in Norway, which is famous for its special geology and landscape consisting of granite in hues of grey, red and yellow. At sunrise and sunset the rocks glow in the orange light, producing a very special atmosphere.
I tried to capture the structures of the rocks in a way, that leads the eye through the frame until it lands on the triangular mountain in the background. The sky added a nice bit of atmosphere. I very much liked the light on the little tree in the foreground as well as on the rocks. I am not a big fan of the green grass at the right side of the frame as well as the two trees on the ridge in the back, but could not exclude it from the frame without changing the composition completely.
Specific Feedback
I would very much appreciate a general feedback on this image, especially regarding the balance between the elements of the image and the colors. Is there enough going on in the picture to keep it interesting?
Technical Details
Sony A7IV with Tamron 17-28mm
Settings: 1/100 sec at f/10, ISO 100, 17mm
exposure and color corrections, vignette
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Hi @Ronja - this is cool, I didn’t realize Norway had such places. =)
I really love the quality of light and the green goes nicely with the orange.
I do think one of the challenges of using wide angle lenses is that it can introduce a ton of things into the frame that might not all work.
When I’m evaluating scenes like this, I’m first asking myself what I’m drawn to. I can’t pretend to know what that was for you, but for me, I like that lone tree, the mountain at top, the cracks at the bottom, and the interplay of orange light on the rocks.
I feel like it would be hard to give each of these equal footing, so I’d want to decide which of these is the main subject and then find a way to emphasize it. I can’t help but think the cracks, tree, and mountain could be made the main players by using a slightly less wide focal length, perhaps around 25-40? Then you could have the mountain play a more dominant role and use the cracks just a little - here’s what it might look like (and you’ll have to imagine how the mountain might have more height at a longer focal length):
I really like this. At first I thought it was a landscape from the American southwest with the terrain and quality of light. I appreciate @Matt_Payne’s thoughts but I still prefer the original image. I wouldn’t won’t to lose those great leading line cracks in the FG. Different strokes I guess. I don’t know how much of a purist you are, but if the grasses and BG trees area a concern, they would be very easy to clone out.
Suggesting to clone out the grass is fine, but this was entered into the NLPA critique event, so in the context of the event, it doesn’t work.
If you were to keep the original comp, the viewer is forced to ask, “what am I supposed to be looking at, and what is this photo about? What is the photographer’s intent here?” By simplifying the composition, you answer those questions more succinctly. Is the photo about the cracks, the bush, the mountain, the sky? Which one is the “hero” here? They all play equal parts in the original scene, so it makes it more challenging to answer the question “what does the photographer wish to say here.”
The decision of what to leave out is just as important as what to include. Deliberately excluding parts of a scene can create a sense of mystery or intrigue, prompting the viewer to imagine what lies beyond the edges.
While I agree the cracks are awesome, you don’t need all of them to leverage their power in creating interest and a leading line.
Of course, everything is subjective, but that is how I would read the image if submitted to NLPA.
Thank you @Matt_Payne and @Michael_Lowe for sharing your thoughts and feedback with me. I greatly appreciate it! Yes, it is amazing what kind of diverse landscapes Norway has to offer, I was so happy to have found this place! I must admit that I was quite attached to the specific cracks in the foreground (bottom left corner), but I absolutely get your point @Matt_Payne and the longer I look at the cropped image the more it grows on me. It solves many issues I have with the image, regarding the grass and trees and bright patches in the sky. Since I probably cannot go back there anytime soon to try with a different lens, which would have been a great idea too for some compression effect, I will try to play around with a crop and will let it marinate for a while longer. Thank you again for your comments!
Gorgeous scene you stumbled upon here, Ronja. This looks like a photographers playground. It certainly does have the colors of the American southwest deserts. The light you had to work with is nice and soft casting delicate shadows across the scene. I too love the color play with the reds and greens. Perfect match. Those cracks and strewn boulders are all catching side light and look amazing. That sky is icing on the cake.
There is a lot to take in with a scene like this. Those foreground cracks are obviously meant to draw the eye and guide the viewers eye through the scene which they do. However, there is that dark area that pulls my eye in the LLC where the rocks sort of "fall off the cliff’ and are in deep shadow. There is also a tiny little spit of rock on the very left edge along the horizon jutting into the sky as well as those 3 very small but noticeable trees on the horizon at the very right edge of the frame that both get cropped out with @Matt_Payne’s crop. His crop eliminates the dark spot in the lower left corner as well. I personally think it’s a tidier crop making for a more harmonious composition and it really emphasizes the far hill peak by compressing the scene and eliminating distractions.
What a beautiful scene and place to photograph.
I had a look at the original photo, without looking at the comments, and my feeling was very much as per Matt Payne’s crop. I wonder how enhancing the green bush back lighting a little using the yellow channel would change the photo, particularly since green is diametrically opposed to the red hues of the photo. Great photo.
Glad you noticed that little blip on the edge too, I had cropped it out intentionally but forgot to mention it in my critique -thanks for catching that!
Although I’m looking at this on a small screen I find the foreground cracks to be important, perhaps the best part of the image.
Now that I’m seeing this on a big screen I think Matt’s crop is an improvement due to the fact that it makes the overall appearance wider. I’m not a big fan of narrow vertical most of the time.
This is quite beautiful. The light is exquisit and I’m really enjoying how the colors are presented - they pop, but are not overboard. And of course I wasn’t there, so I can’t really judge what it may have looked like in person.
I’m like Igor and others in that I’m not a big fan of the tall, digitial format. I’m sure because I spend 25 years with 4x5 being my primary format and view… Regardless, I do really like Matt’s crop that I think actually makes for a better view and composition.
Yeah, cropping and/or cloning some small points works in making the scene the best it can be, but you’ve got a wonderful scene and a couple of those tweaks will make for a beautiful print!
Thank you @David_Haynes for your kind comment and for sharing your thoughts with me. I highly appreciate it and a few days in, I really like @Matt_Payne’s tighter crop much better than my original image. It solves many issues I had with the picture. I think I would have never dared a crop like that myself because I was too attached to the foreground cracks. That is exactly why it is so valuable to have someone else take a look. Thanks again for the great suggestion and wonderful critiques!
Thank you @Rob_Sykes for your kind comment and suggestion! I will definitely try enhancing the green bush a bit to enhance the color contrast a little bit! great idea!
thank you @Igor_Doncov, @Lon_Overacker and @John_Williams for your kind comments and suggestions. I really appreciate them! I myself usually prefer the 4x5 aspect ratio as well and I agree, that Matt’s crop works better with the image. I am very glad and grateful for the kind feedback as I might not have been brave enough for this crop myself
and such a great idea to use the foreground as a second image, so I will still have my cracks in the foreground for something else! Thank you for pointing it out @John_Williams!
Regardless, I do really like Matt’s crop that I think actually makes for a better view and composition.
