# Receding Tide **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** landscape\ **Created:** [August 11, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689 "2021-08-11T13:58:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_McGovern](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_mcgovern/32/6267_2.png) [@Jim\_McGovern](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_McGovern)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/1 "2021-08-11T13:58:54Z")
![Receding Tide](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/b/d/bd85b1515f7f7db028ab0a5c436826a2fdd36f4d.jpeg) This image I shot yesterday morning from the Blue Ridge Parkway. I didn’t get out as early as I woulda liked, but was able to catch this in early morning. It reminds me of how all this land was under water and as the fog lifted with the heat of the day, it reminded me of receding tide at the oceans edge. ### Specific Feedback Requested I processed it carefully and am interested in your thoughts of relative luminance and whether it lacks focus or whether there are adequate places to explore in the frame? Are there adequate landing zones or is it a gimmish of similarity? This is as shot but I tried flipping it horizontally and had an almost visceral reaction and quickly returned to this presentation. ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No 1/200 @ f/11; ISO 50, 200mm ###### jim\_mcgovern\_photography ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Baird](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/chris_baird/32/72124_2.png) [@Chris\_Baird](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Chris_Baird)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/2 "2021-08-11T14:12:19Z")
I find this image delightful. So serene and restful. The light area in the V in the center is definitely a focal point as my eyes move up through the photo to the light area of sky at the top. I think your positioning of the mountain shapes is just right. I love this type of soft, dreamy, atmospheric photo. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Bostock](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/david_bostock/32/34921_2.png) [@David\_Bostock](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Bostock)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/3 "2021-08-11T14:48:18Z")
As Chris said, this is soft, dreamy, peaceful. I think you handled the processing perfectly–not too much and very light on the contrast, black and white points. Almost looks like a painting. And my eye flows over the whole scene taking it all in. Really well done. ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Doncov](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/igor_doncov/32/579_2.png) [@Igor\_Doncov](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Igor_Doncov)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/4 "2021-08-11T15:49:58Z")
I think you did a great job with this one, Jim. You know, we see so many of these Blue Ridge Mountain composition that I thought this would be just another one. What a surprise. This one is really artistic. It’s really an interpretation of the scene, a high key interpretation. To me it has all the attractiveness of a Japanese work of art. That usage of negative space, the sparseness of content, and the limited use of color. Everything is restrained. Very peaceful. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![Vanessa\_Hill](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/vanessa_hill/32/32524_2.png) [@Vanessa\_Hill](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Vanessa_Hill)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/5 "2021-08-11T16:59:05Z")
> [@Jim\_McGovern](#): > > jim\_mcgovern\_photography Hi Jim, I really love the fog and shapes of the hills. It looks like they go on forever. The lighting is really nice too. I don’t think it seems monotonous but very calming and soothing to look at. ---
**Author:** ![Giuseppe\_Guadagno](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/giuseppe_guadagno/32/19438_2.png) [@Giuseppe\_Guadagno](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Giuseppe_Guadagno)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/6 "2021-08-11T18:38:18Z")
Jim I love the whites and the faint subtle shapes that mouve in them making the scene dinamic. and letting the fantasy fly. Thanks for this splendid painting of the nature. ---
**Author:** ![Adhika\_Lie](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/adhika_lie/32/15928_2.png) [@Adhika\_Lie](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Adhika_Lie)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/7 "2021-08-11T18:52:48Z")
Gorgeous, Jim. I think the processing here is spot on and I really like the high key low contrast look on this scene, as it should be. There is so much depth shown here and I love how it recedes into “nothing” in the top part of the image. In the perfect world, the slope in the lower right corner is not there but I don’t think it’s a detraction to the image. ---
**Author:** ![Harley\_Goldman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/harley_goldman/32/213_2.png) [@Harley\_Goldman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Harley_Goldman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/8 "2021-08-12T13:41:00Z")
Beautiful dreamy take on that area. I really like this one. The high key look works really well for the mood. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_McDermott](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/eva_mcdermott/32/240_2.png) [@Eva\_McDermott](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Eva_McDermott)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/9 "2021-08-12T20:57:07Z")
Very ethereal and dreamlike Jim. I like the feeling of floating it evokes. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_McGuirk](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/ed_mcguirk/32/30542_2.png) [@Ed\_McGuirk](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ed_McGuirk)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/10 "2021-08-13T19:00:54Z")
Jim, I think the high key look is perfect for this type of scene. And I like the gentle understated blue tones of the mountains, this is very natural looking. The analogy to ocean waves is very appropriate too. for such a calm and gentle image, the visual flow is surprisingly dynamic too, the zig-zags create a lot of side to side eye movement, not just a front to back line of view. Very well done Jim. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_McGovern](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_mcgovern/32/6267_2.png) [@Jim\_McGovern](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_McGovern)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/11 "2021-08-15T16:53:17Z")
Thanks @Chris_Baird , @David_Bostock, @Igor_Doncov, @Vanessa_Hill , @Giuseppe_Guadagno , @Adhika_Lie, @Harley_Goldman , @Eva_McDermott , and @Ed_McGuirk …it’s rare that I post a shot so soon after taking the image, but this one worked out. ---
**Author:** ![Ola\_Jovall](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Ola\_Jovall](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Ola_Jovall)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/12 "2021-08-15T17:01:44Z")
Jim, I am late to this one. I just want to say that I love this image! It is a very special one. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_McGovern](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_mcgovern/32/6267_2.png) [@Jim\_McGovern](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_McGovern)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/13 "2021-08-15T18:48:16Z")
Thanks @Ola_Jovall! I appreciate that. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Kuyper](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@Tony\_Kuyper](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Tony_Kuyper)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/14 "2021-08-18T02:17:29Z")
I have a hard time making high-key color work, but you nailed it on this one. You certainly had a good subject and I think I prefer the lighter tones compared to an image with more contrast. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Haynes](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@David\_Haynes](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Haynes)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/15 "2021-08-20T00:05:16Z")
Jim, I think it’s the sparseness of the scene that makes it so great. High key images are tough to pull off but you NAILED this one. I love minimalist scenes and this is very artistic and really well processed. The soft, blue color and the barely definable trees makes this all the more interesting. The balance of the composition is perfect with equal weight given to the top and the bottom as well as both sides and there is nothing distracting anywhere in the scene! This is pretty special Jim. I can’t think of as single thing I’d do to change it. ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Baird](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/chris_baird/32/72124_2.png) [@Chris\_Baird](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Chris_Baird)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2021, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/receding-tide/23689/16 "2021-09-25T20:35:16Z")
Perfect. It makes me think of a soft, fuzzy blanket. Lovely, delicate tints of complementary colors.