The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
I watched Nick Page’s Zoom class last evening and I have tried to use his techniques to create layers from this photo. I fear the sky is still too bright.
Creative direction
I’m not sure of the “vision.” This is more of an effort to try and turn a monotone photo into something interesting.
Specific Feedback
Trying to create layers.
Technical Details
f11, 1/125th and 160 ISO
Description
Palouse Washington is a farming community with endless rolling hills of green in the spring. The hills were formed centuries ago from blowing topsoil that was deposited into dune-like mounds. Irrigation brought them to life.
There is a lot of atmosphere in this image. I like the gradation of browns to yellows. To me the sky feels right in terms of brightness as compared to the land, so if you were to reduce the brightness of the sky you might have to do the same for the land. There is something that pulls at my attention near the bottom toward the right side. Perhaps a tree? It seems out of place, at least to me.
That’s wonderful Jim. The delicate light catching on the ripples of land is special, so good success with the layering.
I’m not too worried about the sky, but you could crop just a tad to remove the portion that approaches white if you wanted to minimize its impact.
I do find the darkness of the hills just above the bright middle area to seem a little out of place. If you lightened those a little it might have a smoother flow from bottom to top.
I really need to make a trip out there for photography. I have friends sprinkled around the area, but I’ve never focused on photographs when visiting. What’s your favorite time of year there?
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll try to make those changes. Best time to travel to Palouse is in the spring after the crops have been planted and grown just a little. I think my trip was in May last year.
Jim
Jim, I LOVE this shot! I don’t know if you shot this at the color temp or you warmed it up, but well done sir! Someone else mentioned the blown out portion on the upper right. That doesn’t bother me a great deal, but man I am having trouble understanding that shawdow-ish object in the lower portion of the scene! I’m assuming it is a tree? My eye keeps going back there and my brain is saying “What the hell is that!” Maybe take it out and see what it looks like. Well done though!
I happen to have very similar images from the Steptoe Butte taken 2018 around Memorial Day, and that shadowy object(on lower right) is a small patch of trees. I would not have been bothered by it until others mentioned it, and it is little bit competing with the brighter hill tops there.
I agree with others that the sky looks good and natural, balanced with the rest of the photo. When I was there I took exposure bracketed images and tried to blend them, sky that wasn’t blown out at all with foreground that was looking decently lit and it just did not look natural anymore, not least with my skills. Ended up with similar edits as this.
When looking the image in the original size on bigger screen, the top left yellow patch bothers me a bit (it didn’t on mobile screen). It might be natural if there was bit of clouds or so, but to my eye it feels touch too dark compared to the space around.
I really need to visit that area again in near future, excellent photo Jim !
