Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
We were treated to about a foot of snow where I live last week. It has almost all melted off at this point, but I was able to get out in it last weekend, which was a lot of fun. This image is from a spot I visit frequently. It is an interesting place—predominantly ponderosa pine forest with many large boulders scattered throughout.
Specific Feedback
I took this image in late morning when the sun was starting to shine brightly. I liked the dappled light coming through the trees. I also like the brightness of the scene, although I wonder if the highlights, particularly in the background, are a little too bright here. Any and all feedback would be appreciated.
Technical Details
33 mm, ISO 125, f/9.0, 1/200 sec.
1 Like
Hi John, this image has such a fresh feeling to it! Ordinarily it can be so challenging to photograph in dappled light, but with snow, you get so much reflection of light that it helps to fill in the deep dark shadows and you can pull it off. I like how the one tree stands forward of the others; it creates depth to the scene as we move from it to the middle and then the background. The overall light balance is pretty good for the situation. I would suggest toning down the tiny bits of bright snow on branches in the very upper left region. I would also suggest that when it snows again, to return to this scene and capture it in softer, diffused light. It would be an interesting comparison and probably lovely, too!
Hi @brenda_tharp, thank you for the feedback and suggestions! Yes, I did find this scene challenging, especially when I sat down to process it. No matter how much I experimented with the various light sliders, I struggled to get the balance of light and shadow to a good point. I will definitely try visiting this scene again after the next storm, hopefully with different lighting conditions. Thanks again for the feedback.
Photographers rarely shoot snow scenes in bright sunlight and that’s what makes this so refreshing. We all see scenes like this but never seem to record it satisfactorily. I like your composition. I also like the color scheme with the blues and orange browns. If there is any weakness it’s the clump of dark trees on the left.
Thank you, @Igor_Doncov. I appreciate the feedback. I’m not sure what can be done about that clump of dark trees at this point. I tried a few different crops that would have removed them, but I felt that too much of the scene would be lost by cropping them out. Maybe I can try lightening them a bit more and see if that improves things. Thanks again for your feedback.
No, I agree. I think that makes it real. As opposed to a painting where elements are arranged. There’s a part of photography I like in that it captures the world as it is.
