The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Last week my son and I took a quick trip to the San Juan Mountains to photograph fall color. He’s quite a talented photographer and it was beyond amazing to spend a couple days exploring with him. We’d finished photographing a bull, cow and calf moose in this meadow from the hillside visible on the right side of the photo. When they bedded down we wandered down the road and when I saw this scene, I quickly stopped the truck. I always feel like I’m cheating when I photograph anything from roadside but this scene was just too good to pass up.
Specific Feedback
I really wanted to include all of the small rock island in the foreground but going any wider than this included elements that I found rather distracting. Does this bother you or would you have even noticed it had I not mentioned it?
Technical Details
Sony A7IV
Tamron 28-200mm lens @ 28mm
ISO 400
1/800s @ f/11
Breakthrough polarizer rotated to very low setting
Lightroom/Photoshop
I’m not entirely sure why I used ISO 400. I was handholding the camera but shutter speed would have been fast enough at lower ISO’s. Probably just old age.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Vision and Purpose:
Conceptual:
Emotional Impact and Mood:
Composition:
Balance and Visual Weight:
Depth and Dimension:
Color:
Lighting:
Processing:
Technical:
The Autumn color here is fabulous, Brett. Also looks like some fresh snow on the peaks. Can’t ask for much more than that, and oh, maybe some nice light to play with.
The composition works for me, and I like the curve in the stream, but the pine tree in LLC seems a little out of place. I think you safely crop it or barring that burn it down some.
No it didn’t bother me at all. I suspect but am not sure that including the complete island would have made the river a bigger portion of the image and upset the balance which you have now. Your composition has layers and they feel proportionally good to me. If you extended the gravel bank and water it would make the meadow smaller. Is that good or bad. Well, it depends on how captivating is the new layer.
My only obvious suggestion is to either clone out or darken that green bush on the left that’s being bisected by the edge of the frame.
Actually as I look at this longer I feel that the island is perhaps the most interesting feature in this image. So more of it would probably have been a good idea. It would be great if you could also get more ‘pop’ from the large dark mountain (by increasing contrast).
I like your image, Brett. And that you only had to open a truck door and set yourself up works for me. It is a beautiful grand landscape. The gravel bar as is it sits is a nice texture tone to the slope along the right side. Darkening the light on the evergreen along the left side, as has been mentioned by others will only enhance an already beautiful image, The muted colors along evergreen slopes are very strong as is the sky. Nice work. How did the moose pictures come out?
Bret, a very fine autumn scene from an always wonderful area the SJ Mtns. The composition works just fine as presented but agree with Preston’s point on the tree area in the LLC. I found by using the largest version of the scene and scrolling to the right and eliminating that area poking in on the LLC the entire valley and stream becomes more center focused overall. As always, the large open landscape scenes like this ones leave us with various options to entertain…
Thank you, everyone. That little pine tree you all mentioned is annoying and I agree it needs to go. Next year, I’m bring my axe with me. Seriously though, I think the best option is to clone it out. I don’t think burning it down would work.
@Stephen_Stanton I’ve only quickly scanned through the moose photos but I think I have a couple decent ones in there. The bull moose wasn’t very cooperative and stayed in the willows most of the time, so I couldn’t get a clear shot of him. I hope to get through those photos soon.
@Igor_Doncov Like you, I was drawn to the little gravel island and wish I could have included more of it. I do have a vertical version of this scene that I was able to shoot without distracting foreground elements. I’ll process it and may share it here later.
Brett: Show stopping light for sure and in your shoes I would have absolutely stopped the truck on the spot. Good fortune comes to those who are skilled and prepared. Opening the larger version is a treat. The tiny nit regarding the little pine in the LLC resonates with me but the remaining scene, comp and color palette are all top notch. I also like how you handled the sky and find this much more interesting than a nice clear blue mass. Nicely spotted, seen, composed and captured. >=))>
Hi Bret,
The light is flat out gorgeous in this scene as are the warm golden tones of autumn and I would have stopped the truck as well to capture this. It is always great to get some quality time with family as you and your son did. I think the image is balanced very nicely so for my tastes I don’t think you needed to go any wider. My only suggestion is the already mentioned removal of that pine tree in the LLC. As you get a little older you won’t think photographing from the roadside is cheating. Beautifully done!
Bret, that island fits into the scene well, as its colors meld with the water, making it minimally noticeable. The depth and colors are great. Yes, it’s possible to find good scenery while driving, the challenge is often finding a safe place to stop… Nuf said about the small tree…
So much to like Bret. The drama in the sky is really nice, and I love the layers of color below. Not a big deal, but as presented it seems just a little soft. I look forward to the vertical to compare if you add it down the road.
Beautifully done!