The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
During a rather difficult shoot on a blue sky autumnal morning at the Pine islands of Assynt in Scotland with a group of other photographers I decided to eschew the grander scenic view and found myself captivated by this small scenic slice of pale skinny reeds protruding from a peaty pool backed by sunlit ginger Deer Grass covered hills. The water had a distinctly blue cast from a clear sky above, but what made it special for me was the colour transition from ginger through black to blue and those linear ripples, which incidentally are caused by a tiny cascade at the other end of the pool. Those same ripples distorted the sunlit reed reflections into spirals and then bizarrely and serendipitously it began to rain and I noticed the blue toned splash rings, a magical addition that provided me with a suitable picture title.
I hope you like it. I took lots, but this is my favourite with just the right amount of splash rings and a shutter speed choice that seemed to do the scene the most pictorial justice.
Specific Feedback
Happy to hear your thoughts.
Technical Details
Fuji GFX 50S, Fuji GF 100-200 + 1.4X converter, polariser to reduce surface reflections, f/14 at 1/30 second, ISO 500.
Critique Template
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I find the soft abstract lines and circles compelling, Ian. After some reflection (no pun intended) I wonder if raising the blacks slightly would soften the image, adding to its abstract value? Also, perhaps cropping off the left side of the image, with maybe a 1x1 aspect ratio, highlighting the longer reeds on the right side as the main “subject”. I offer these ideas in the spirit of experimenting with a very interesting file.
I can usually tell by the thumbnail whether or not I’m going to like an image but this one threw me. The thumbnail didn’t hold much interest but when I clicked on it and the larger version popped up, I was pleasantly surprised. I think it’s because some of the smaller details that, for me, make this image successful aren’t really apparent in the smaller version, i.e. the raindrops. Bravo, Ian!
Great work, Ian. Very creative. I could see this as an ECM record cover. I don’t know if you’re familiar with them, but it’s my favorite record label, well known for their distinctive look of the photos they use on their covers.
Ian, this is an excellent reflection view. The color transition from gold at the top to blue at the bottom works very well. The rippled structure has distorted the reed reflections beautifully. The darker water in the middle lets the sinusoidal ripples of the reeds and grass show beautifully.
Hi Ian,
Even with those dreaded blue bird skies you managed to make some lemonade from lemons. The large version is a real treat with those lovely subdued colors and the squiggly lines of the reeds. Fascinating image.
Wonderful image Ian. It’s sort of both abstract and realistic at the same time. I think the circles from the rain drops on the surface bring you back from an abstract consideration to reality. A bit more dark space on the left edge would have been nice to have as those white lines feel a bit crowded by the border. But overall it’s a fascinating image to look at because there so many variables involved and yet it’s a simple, almost minimalist image.
I find the variation in the ripples as I move through the image, and what they do to the reflections, to be fascinating. This would be an easy image to pass over, but is really intriguing when you ponder it a bit.
Thank you John. It doesn’t exactly leap off the page but it looks a lot better large than small. I too delighted in the patterns it produced and was somewhat oddly overjoyed when it started to rain and added some circles to those DNA spirals.
I find the variation in the ripples as I move through the image, and what they do to the reflections, to be fascinating. This would be an easy image to pass over, but is really intriguing when you ponder it a bit.
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