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
My goal was to share an intimate detail of a sandstone environment. As water flows, taking with it sand and pebbles, small scenes like this area created everywhere when we take the time to look.
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
While walking in Nevada amongst beautiful sandstone formations, I spotted this little ‘stream’ of pebbles and what caught my eye was how sand had flowed across the vertical ribs of sandstone, taking with it tiny pebbles. Rather than have just a horizontal band across a horizontal frame, I chose to include the two pebbles in LR as a counterpoint to it. Do they work or distract?
Technical Details
Sony A1, 24-105mm @ 82mm, f/14 at 1/250 sec, ISO 100.
Hello Brenda! I met you several years ago! I love this image! The colors of the stone and pebbles, the outliers against the dam, the feeling of flow. I couldn’t resist trying a 5:4 crop, taking off the left side up to the white and purple triangular pebbles (removing 8 or 9) and a tiny bit off the top to push the pebbles a tad off the center third. Just wanted to see what that would look like.
Very cool! It couldn’t be any more perfect than if you’d arranged those pebbles yourself. The texture is wonderful. I can’t tell if those two guys on the lower right are running away from the crowd or trying to join it.
After reading your comment I’d say those two rocks make the photo. For me, they elevate it to a story.
Hello Denise - thank you for your comments and for the suggestion. Being trained in 2x3 for magazine submissions so many years ago, I often try to work within that still, even to this day, lol! I like your crop as well, and will certainly think about this.
This is a fascinating intimate landscape Brenda. I love the earth tones, lines and textures you captured here. What makes this scene for me is those two pebbles; on the outside looking in; as they add a little visual tension. Beautiful image; no suggestions from me.
Brenda, what a great find and it’s especially cool that you didn’t arrange the scene (cynicism running rampant…). I really like the mix of horizontal and vertical eye movement. I think the horizontal flow shows better in the 3:2 frame, with the slight opening of the sand on the left. The two “outliers” add a pleasant touch of surprise.
@Mark_Seaver, thank you for your comments! I sat with this a while after reading others’ comments and I too, prefer the 3:2 ratio. Thanks for voting ‘in’ the rocks, too. I really liked them. Still, it is always good to get outside opinions!
