The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
Another image from Yosemite last month. (Life will sweep me away for a month later this week, so I’m trying to add a few in the narrow window I have.)
This was taken on that final morning when the clouds finally cleared and we had a couple of wonderful hours where the sun lit up and began to burn off the fog.
Feedback Requested
I posted a black and white image of the trees on the right earlier, but took this one as well because it had a different feel for me. I may be reading too much into the image, but I liked the rough impression of supplicants before their royalty or congregants before their god. I’d love any thoughts about what your take is on the image, and any thoughts for improvement are welcome.
Technical Details
Camera: NIKON Z 7_2
Lens: NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR
Focal length: 41mm
Shutter speed: 1/8000s
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 6400
I was shooting aperture-preferred, but I have no idea why I set the ISO to 6400; that’s a big whoops! I think there would be better detail in the foreground if I’d gotten that right. As presented by NPN or my browser, I see a touch of posterization. I don’t see that if I download it and view it in Photoshop.
I love this image, and I was hoping you were going to post it. This is an outstanding comp. I love how the fog has created the simplicity of the scene. Silent Worship is a great name for this. Looking at this image gives me a feeling of peace.
Not sure how I missed this originally, but I sure am glad I caught up with it, albeit a little late. I can see how you arrived with the title as the tree does appear to be standing in awe of the partially obscured mountain. The fog has really simplified the image and left you with the only elements you need. I also like the tree hiding in the fog as well. This image just has an all around peaceful, relaxing vibe that I find very inviting. I can almost feel the stillness and quiet of the morning. Beautifully done!
Thanks Ed! I was “flooding the zone” a bit when I posed this, knowing I would have to be away for most of the upcoming month, so this one snuck by. I appreciate your thoughts.
Wonderfully atmospheric shot with gorgeous light
Think you’ve got away with iso too.
Tiny bit uncertain about the half hidden tree - took it for a shadow on the mist at first - except the lights not coming the right way. If it were me I might lighten it a little to send it more into the mist,
Overall fantastic capture of what must have been a magic moment
I’m sorry I didn’t see this image sooner! What a beauty! It’s amazing to me how a small change, like removing the tree or lightening just a bit can make a huge difference. I like how the mist hugs the tree like a blanket in the warm light and then releases slightly as your eye moves toward the mountain.
I think this is a gorgeous picture with some very fine light illuminating the mist with the trees framed within. Both pictures look great. In all honesty, the barely discernible tree presented in the original frame is slightly intrusive and the resulting image is not as clean, pristine or harmonious as the revised image with the background tree completely eradicated. That said, (and this is just a purely personal opinion and not anything I would, or should think is anything but a matter for consideration of the author of the picture), given the choice and the knowledge that the original was to all intent and purpose, presented as seen, the small perceived improvement of the revised image over the original would cause me to lean toward the provenance and integrity of the original to hang on my wall and admire. Eradicating the mildly intrusive tree feels to me like a little too much make up applied.
Hi Ian - I am almost completely in your camp too. Particularly in the Street Photography Genre I love.
We all dodge and burn to varying extents and remove inconsequential spots and the like. Trying to get the photograph to record/transfer/communicate the mood and experience of being there when the shot was made. Capturing and communicating authentically these feelings depends on so many things from previsualisation to capture to post processing, printing and framing, and viewing distance and subsequent illumination on the wall. At any point there can be failure.
When I have managed to take a picture I am proud enough to frame and hang, unfortunately once I have seen an area that grabs my eye inappropriately, I can’t unsee it and my ongoing enjoyment of the scene is slightly impaired forever after. Almost always I didn’t see it when I visualised and created the picture.
In this example the tree may have drifted in and out of vision in the mist anyway, and am happy to let John ponder endlessly on how to process his image
I’m just adding a slightly different POV. As you say all critique is just sharing a view to help the author make informed choices.
John the light you captured is just amazing! That backlit tree could be an image in itself but is so much more the way you have presented it. I’m a bit on the fence regarding the partially hidden tree. It does slightly draw the eye, but it also makes the image feel a bit more balanced in my opinion. Either one is great, I wouldn’t hesitate to hang either on my wall.
