Weekly Challenge
The Humble Subject
8/2/26 - 8/8/26
Critique Style: Standard
The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical
About This Image
This image was taken on a hike up to Waclella Falls In the Columbia River Gorge. It was taken about three or four years ago. Beautiful hike. Lots of nice scenery. Had lots of shade if you’re doing it in a hot day.
Feedback Requested
Anything that helps me as a photographer improve my skills
Technical Details
Camera: NIKON D750
Lens: 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0
Focal length: 86mm
Shutter speed: 1/2s
Aperture: f/14
ISO: 50
David, I really like this image. It makes me think of a secret garden. It certainly fits the challenge theme well! Nicely seen and captured.
David, you caught a fine mix of rock and plants. I like how the “line” of leaves and moss comes in from the upper right and the fades as it crosses the frame. In looking at the largest version, it does look like there was camera motion during the exposure.
Hi David,
I love the trailing line of leaves in this. It’s a very graceful image. I can see the camera motion Mark noted. My first impression though was that it needed just a tish more saturation. Those creeks off the Columbia are so intensely basalt and green, that dialing up the saturation (and maybe contrast) would create something both more impactful and accurate.
ML
@Marylynne_Diggs @Mark_Seaver @Jonathan_Cothron
Well I’ll be honest with you; I didn’t pick up on the camera motion until I had a much closer look at the image. I realized it was taken at a 25th of a second and Iso 50.
I never intended to have camera but I never intended to have cataract surgery either so that can be my only excuse.
I started seeing this ophthalmologist sometime in May to have this procedure done and this afternoon I some adjustments made to the lenses that put in which adjustable with Ultraviolet light. And I’ll have two more visits for adjustments until they finally dial in the final touch. I’m more than happy to discuss this with anyone else who’s considering cataract surgery and at our ages for many of us uh that’s a reality.
Visual Notes
I had both my eyes done in the first half of June, and it’s wonderful to be able to see brighter/bluer/clearer again. I was struggling enough when we visited Yosemite in May that I would use binoculars at times to help compose distant compositions. I had difficulty reading the road signs at night, so @Steve_Kennedy took over when we were heading out in the dark to photograph sunrise. A host of things so far this summer has kept me away from getting out with the camera, but that should be changing soon and I’m eager to get out there with the new vision. Hopefully your adjustments do wonders for you, and you can really take advantage.
I love the walls of the Columbia River Gorge, and most years try to take advantage when the flowers bloom. As your photo shows, there’s a lot more than the flowers too. The vegetation, including moss and lichen, can make for wonderful subjects and endless compositions to play with.
[E1] I like the gentle S you have here.
