Critique Style Requested: In-depth
The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
I like the low contrast that the smoke imparted to most of the scene, the still water, and the prominence of the man-made features that are absent any people.
Creative direction
I’m hoping this conveys a sense of eerie stillness and emptiness.
Specific Feedback
Any comments welcome. Not worried about technicals so much, more interested in emotional/conceptual reactions.
Technical Details
a7r3, f/16, 1/125s, ISO 400, hand held. Processed in ACR & PS to adjust white balance to be the same for all, minor dodge/burn.
Description
This is a triptych I submitted for the Lenswork Trilogies book last year. It wasn’t selected, much to my disappointment. Another, “prettier” set was selected. I had more emotional attachment to this one. I posted one of these images on NPN earlier.
This was from Fall 2021, with smoke filling the air around Whiskeytown Lake. The lake should have been bustling with activity at this time of year, but it was almost deserted. All the picnic tables were empty and I saw only one boat out on the lake. It was quite eerie and sad. Earlier on this day I had been standing in the middle of the road and it was absolutely quiet except for a distant coyote howling in the distance - very eerie.
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Here’s where I was standing listening to the coyote howl.
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My first reaction, Bonnie, is sad but in an odd sort of way lovely. The mood the smoke creates feels a bit like fog. Perhaps I just wish it was fog instead of smoke. I have never submitted an image for a competition, but I am wondering if submitting them as an individual photo would have made a stronger statement? I hope by now Whiskeytown Lake is recovering from the devastating fire?
I particularly like the inclusion of the two horizontal images because they show that they belong together by way of composition rather than content. Those types of triptychs are the most compelling to look at because it requires some thinking by the viewer to see the association that you intended. Actually there is a flow of associations between all three, from tree coming in from the left to tree coming in from the right to a floating dock that repeated shape over water coming from right.
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This looks so beautiful, Bonnie! These images go so well together and I really like the layout. Overall this has a very quiet and peaceful feel to it and I know that it’s smoke, but somehow, viewing this makes me feel calm and relaxed.
Thank you @linda_mellor, @Igor_Doncov, and @Tom_Nevesely for your comments.
Perhaps, but the rules were to have 1 vertical orientation and 2 horizontal orientation, in this configuration. That’s why they’re arranged like this.
Exactly. I had the 2 horizontal ones I liked, so I found one with the trees pointing towards the right.
Yes, it felt very calm, but knowing what the haze was made it tense, also. It’s an interesting contrast.
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Thanks for explaining the rules, Bonnie. Now this makes total sense for me. I wish you the best of luck in your next submission.
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The dead tree in the vertical really sets the mood in this series for me, Bonnie. The one slightly incongruent note that strikes me is the splash of color (though not really bright) created by the shore in the upper horizontal image. It does add depth to the image, but doesn’t seem to fit the overall feel of the three.
@Dennis_Plank you’re right about that reddish shoreline! Now that you mention it, I can see that it does stick out like a sore thumb. And I probably brought it out more. This is one of those cases where I was enamored of that spot of color, but didn’t see that it was incongruous. Thanks!
