The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Late late afternoon as the sun was setting its soft glow was filtering through the forest and when I was this light I just knew I had to capture it. Its funny when a non-photographer is with you and you, the photographer, gets excited about the light and the non-photographer is asking what is so special.
Specific Feedback
These two frames were taken literally moments apart from each other. I processed each separately as each had its own character. However, what I wonder is which composition do you prefer?
Technical Details
Nikon D850, Nikon 80-200 mm MF f/4, ISO 100
The first frame, f16 at 10 sec
The second frame f16 at 3 sec
Processed in ACR and PS.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Hi Youssef,
First off, I love the image title as that was one of the best songs ever written IMHO. Both images are wonderful, but my favorite is the first one with it’s tighter more intimate crop. The soft subtle light is exquisite and perfectly shows off all those wonderful details for the viewer in this woodland scene. I can see why the light caught your eye. It looks like the perfect place to get away for a few minutes from all the turmoil taking place right now. Beautifully done.
Youssef, these are both lovely images that deal really well with the complexity of forest scenes. The light is just right. Overall, I prefer the first composition as it better captures the repeating pattern of the trees and excludes the bright area of sky in the URC.
That said, the second composition is also very nice. It might be interesting to see it with some of the bright spots darkened down a bit
I love trees and forests so naturally, I also love seeing photographs of them. To me they’re just so calming, despite often appearing chaotic and so full of mystery. The light you have here is so gentle and really works well the chaos of all of the crossing lines of the trunks and the limbs. In terms of which is my favourite, I will have to say that it’s the first version. I feel it’s a stronger image without that bright light in the top right corner creeping in like it does in the second one.
@Ed_Lowe’s comment about the title is right on - it’s the title that first attracted me to this image. The first version looks like a crop from the right side of the second version. The second version has rogue highlights at the top right that draws me away from the image. Yet, the second version celebrates the lovely side light from the right that significantly adds to the image. This light also gives the trees a nice sense of depth and layering. I suggest you try some careful cloning or “remove tool” work on the rogue highlights. Then I’d go with the second version.
@Larry_Greenbaum , thank you for your suggestion on the highlights on the second version. I got heavy handed with the remove tool in PS and pretty much removed the highlights completely to find that the photo lost a directionality to the light, if that makes sense. I went back and was less heavy handed and targeted just the most blank areas of the highlights such that one still gets a sense of where the light is coming from without having any glaring blank areas. Then after cloning, I also burned down the highlights through a Lights mask. The repost is above.
And BTW the first version is not a crop, but a more zoomed in view from essentially the same place I was standing. I did shift slightly to the right as when I zoomed out, there were some distracting elements to the left and bottom that I did not want creeping into the the frame.
Oh, please – don’t make me choose!! But I’ll go against to tide here and say I prefer the second one, because of the light in the upper corner. But I can visualize it with a glow effect – the perfect touch for the magical light in the rest of the image! I love the feathery foliage framing the bottom!
Youssef: Aptly titled indeed and superbly captured both. I’ll go along with the folks who prefer the first because of the more uniform light enhancing the mood. Well seen and presented. >=))>
Youssef, this is an engrossing image of forest serenity. I also prefer the first because of the even light.
I think it’s a bit off-level, though. With several leaning trees, it’s hard to judge vertical, but I believe at least the center tree should be dead vertical.
Good light in the forest is (usually) everything in an image. Both of these have that. Very nice Youssef. With first image the trees provide a larger strong subject, with good balance between them. I prefer the first (so far,) The second is also a good image with the trees and the light off of the bushes in the lower right looking really good. My eye is also drawn to the light in the upper right also . Competing. Brightest spot…difficulties of the forest. My thoughts on some things to possibly try: slight crop in from the right and maybe the top to minimize ; maybe a radial gradient from the upper right with a slight increase in the light from that direction and across the image (opposite approach).
Dear Youssef Ismali,
In terms of composition, I prefer the first version: Since the four trees in the middle ground are slightly decentered to the left, and since the negative space between them kind of dissolve them as a massive center, the composition of this this first version allow my eyes to move around in the image; the first version becomes more organic than the two other versions, which have one tree placed right in the vertical center of the image, fixating my eyes here. Also, in the first version there is a good dynamic between the airy right side and the visual mass of the two large trees on the left side. This asymmetry does not cause imbalance: The global pattern of diagonals (branches) and verticals (trunks), the even and wonderful soft light in the foliage, and the complementary colors yellow-green foliage and red-violet trunks give the image a unified and harmonious appearance — the sound of silence, as you appropriately title it. Well done!
Youssef, the repost looks the best. It shows the fine light that you describe. It also emphasizes the juxtapostion of the vertical, dark trunks and the inviting greens of the slightly angled branches for extra interest.
Youssef, two very beautiful images indeed. I love forest photography, and in my opinion, the light makes or breaks a good composition. I prefer the first image as the light is soft and evenly distributed across the image. To my eye, the light in the second image on the upper left side and upper right draws my focus in more than one direction. That said, it is still a beautiful image, but I think the first image is the stronger of the two. Good job.
