On the Rocks

I was experimenting with composition in this area of the river. Lots of rocky areas to choose from. It makes a big difference which dark rocks and which white water/foamy areas to include and not to include, and where they are in the frame. This is the one I liked best, but there’s much more for me to learn about how to construct these kind of close-ups.

Specific Feedback Requested

What do you like and not like about this composition?

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
1/10 second, f/25, 390mm (using 200-500mm f/5.6 lens), and ISO 100.

1 Like

Really beautiful image, Mark! And I love the black and white!

1 Like

Mark, I like the black and white rendition and the flow direction from top right to bottom left. The image works well as a pattern / texture abstract. My only suggestion is that I need a focal point somewhere in the image for my eye to rest upon initially before exploring the rest of the image.

1 Like

Thanks @Vanessa_Hill and @anthony4. Glad you like this!

Anthony, I wonder how to create a point of focus and not interrupt a pattern. But I’ll keep on working on it!

I like one too. I might play with a little vignetting to the UL, UR and LR corners and just see the effect. Nice experiment .

1 Like

Mark, this looks like a good result from your experiments. The bumpiness of the rocks is nicely rounded by the smooth water. I think that the trend from darker at the top to bright white at the bottom works well at creating eye movement and adds to the feeling of motion, although toning down the white along the lower left edge might be a subtle improvement. I could also see zooming in more so that the frame is full of only the rocks. That may or may not work as well as what you’ve got here…that’s the nature of experiments.

1 Like

Hi, Mark. I wasn’t sure when I initially viewed the photo what was missing, but I think others here have explained the no particular point of focus. I think that’s it. Other than that, it’s a fine photo of a captivating area.

1 Like

I agree with @anthony4 . I don’t know why it’s preferred, but it is. My only exception is when the photograph is a small section of the moving water and more abstract. @Mario_Cornacchione has some recent work as an example. Then the water can be moving in any direction. @Ola_Jovall joval also has a lovely image with water left to right. For me, it all depends on the scale—big wide scenes upper right to lower left, close-ups - whatever works.

1 Like

You could approach it two ways - a faster shutter speed so that there are crisp water elements or find some exposed rock that will be sharp against a long shutter speed that blurs the water. A trapped stick works well, too. Sometimes a disruption in the pattern works to emphasize it.

The pattern itself is very nice here, but the shutter speed is iffy to me - I’d like it faster or slower. You say it was an experiment and it shows, but that’s how we all progress in our photographic journeys. And with 1s and 0s it’s SO much easier to fool around and see what works.

1 Like

The images I mentioned above by @Mario_Cornacchione is " Culmination , and by @Ola_Jovall is " Flow. Two others are by @_Kris " Luminance and " Orbit (+ 1 re-edit).

They are studies of water in motion on a more intimate scale and don’t need the upper right to lower left composition. That’s not to say that other directional patterns are distracting; it’s just that, to my eye, that’s the pleasing framing.

1 Like

@Harley_Goldman , @Mark_Seaver , @_Kris , @paul_g_wiegman , @terryb , thanks so much for your thoughts and ideas. @_Kris, I really like your idea about shutter speed. I hadn’t considered an isolated element within a pattern at a different shutter speed, and that is very intriguing. Unfortunately it’s the start of summer and we’ve got a drought so it’ll be a few months before this spot will be available to photograph again. But maybe elsewhere. Thanks.

@paul_g_wiegman , thanks for those references. It really helps. :grin:

1 Like