Palm

Image Critiques Abstract Nature Critiques
1

Palm c (1 of 1)
Palm c (1 of 1)4451×2967 1.91 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

I think what caught my eye here were the strong shapes. After I took the first shot I took a number of others.

Specific Feedback

There’s nothing I have particular doubts about but I’d welcome suggestions.

Technical Details

This is a composite of two handheld shots of the same subject, one at ISO 100, 135mm, f/40, .5 sec., and the other at ISO 200, 160mm, f/8, 1/200th sec. My 70-300mm lens can be stopped down to f/40, which makes it useful for daytime shots when I want some camera movement. Both shots were taken with my infrared camera.

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

This is really cool, Don. I do like the strong shapes of the fronds, but the trunk on the left feels a bit overpowering. I think a crop to eliminate that area would be an interesting alternative.

3

Thanks, Dennis. I’ll give the crop some more thought.

4

Really Nice Don. The light is amazing. Really captured this image and Black and White really works. Great work !!!

5

Don,

I like this photo quite a bit. I am not sure what you did with the second exposure though. Is the second exposure giving the diffused light ray effect? Any more details on your processing?

6

Youssef, it’s difficult to describe how the two component images blend. Here’s the half-second exposure:

Palm photo 2 (1 of 1)
Palm photo 2 (1 of 1)5184×3456 2.14 MB

After I pasted it in, I set the opacity at 50 percent and experimented with increasing and decreasing the opacity. I wound up leaving it at 50 percent. Other than that, I set the overall tones with a levels layer and modified the tones in two small areas with curves layers. That was it for processing.

I think you’re right about the second layer creating a light ray effect. It also softened the dark tones in the primary shot.