It’s been a while since my last post. I try to stop in every so often to view everyone’s work and post an occasional comment but I just haven’t had any time to actually post anything.
Sunset on a warm afternoon in the marsh in NW Florida. I carry and use a 10 foot ladder with a tripod head mounted at the top when shooting the marsh in order to be able to see where the water comes from and where it goes, otherwise, you just see grass. I really enjoyed the warm light caused by the somewhat overcast afternoon.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Technical: Feedback on the technical aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, focus and reproduction of colors and details, post-processing, and print quality.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
Any & all feedback always appreciated.
Technical Details
Fuji GFX50 w/ 32-64 @ 64mm w/ polarizer
1/25 @ f/11 - 800 ISO
Tripod head on a 10 foot ladder
Bill,
I like your peaceful composition. slow moving water in a “S” curve river among the grasses. The subtle pastel tones are nicely distributed throgh the image.
I do have a question regarding the color of the sky, I’ve never seen such a yellow tone in the sky. I have only been to FL a couple of time so I am no judge of the tones in the sky there and after seeting a strange blue / yellow sunrise in AZ a couple of years ago, I guess most any sky color is believable.
Very great composition reminded me of English painting’s soft colors. I just got back from FL and the skys do have a lot of yellow in them at sunset. Driving north noticed the salt marshes but did not stop. As a side note I like the white matt around them.
I love it. I get on top of the hood of the car sometimes but that’s a pain. Don’t have room for a ladder unfortunately.
The image is technically perfect. Great light. Great composition. Rich colors yet very natural. I don’t know what to suggest really. A classic landscape.
This is such a pleasing scene, Bill. The still water combined with the meandering curve evokes peacefulness.
(Kiddos on your modified 10-foot ladder. Great idea for these marsh scenes. )
This is such a beautiful image. I really like the soft colors and beautiful composition! I admire your dedication to carry a ladder along in order to get the right vantage point. The only thing I might consider is playing with the crop or clone stamp a bit in order to exclude the clouds in the upper right. They draw my eye into that corner a bit. But this is completely subjective and I really love your image!
In order,:
Gary, sunsets on the gulf can be most any color, especially during the summer. This was taken in August and the Gulf of Mexico is just a few hundred yards away, so the air during summer is very humid and full of salt haze from the gulf. There are times when the air itself turns intense hues in addition to the sky. Those days really screw with your white balance adjustment!
Steve, on your next trip to Florida, make sure you visit the marshes; they are some of the prettiest areas in Florida. They also have an incredible amount of birds/wildlife in addition to gorgeous landscape possibilities.
Igor, I’m glad you like the ladder; it works wonderfully! I used to get on the hood of my truck, but the last time I jumped off the hood I screwed up my knee so my wife bought me the ladder for my birthday (SWEET wife). I took the top plate off an old Bogen tripod and through-bolted it to the top of the ladder , sawed off all but about 4" of the column and head pad, attached the iFootage Quick Release to the head pad so I can just put whichever head I want to use with just a quick “click” and it’s ready to go. The iFootage Quick Release is the best thing I’ve ever purchased!! I use it on every tripod, monopod, and every head I have. Using it allowed me to get rid of two tripods and swapping heads from one tripod to another takes just a matter of 5-10 seconds. Selling the two tripods gave me enough money to buy a bunch of Quick Releases and still have money left over. Here’s a link if you want to check them out iFootage Quick Release System.
Eva - Thanks so much! Hope you’re doing well and surviving the winter up there!
Mark - Thanks for your comments.!
Ronja - Thanks for your suggestion on the clouds in the URC; I will give that a try!
Absolutely gorgeous. Kudos on the ladder! Although I don’t live in any flatlands, you don’t know how many times I’ve wished I had a ladder, if even a step stool!
I love the diagonal gradation of the warm to cool colors. This is beautiful. The elevated view of the marsh grasses and waterway… well, like you said, without that elevation, you can’t even see to photograph this.
Oh, and so glad to see you post an image! Hope to see more if anything settles down for ya. YOu’re missed!
Hi Bill, nice to see you again. This is an incredible scene. You captured and processed this admirably. I love the warm tones and I get a bit nostalgic for my time in Florida. Well done and cool idea with the ladder.
Hi Bill, I love that S curve in the water and beautiful colour palette throughout the entire image. You ladder idea made me smile - I love it, and I love the fact that you mounted a tripod head to the top even more!
This has such a serene feeling to it, Bill. The S curve leading my eye to the trees in the background, and then up to the subtle color in the sky - the whole thing is just so peaceful. I love it.
Lon - The ladder has proven its worth time & again. It’s a hassle to fool with because my truck is just high enough to where I need to carry a tiny collapsible footstool to comfortably strap it down on the roof rack when I’m finished using it. If I would grow another 2 inches I wouldn’t need the stool but, at 71 I think my growth spurt came and went many, many years ago! Still, it’s been worth the extra hassle.
David, Tom, & Bret -It’s great to “see” you guys again too, and thanks for your comment!
NOTE TO @David_Kingham & @Jennifer_Renwick : I noticed the URC in my reply had been highlighted but didn’t know why so I clicked on it and discovered it went to a NPN Acronyms & Terms page. What a great idea!! Thanks for implementing this very helpful item. Just one more reason NPN remains the best site out there!
Glad you like that Bill, I thought it would be pretty handy! Good to see you back, and what a lovely image, it makes me very curious to visit the marsh!
