The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I was on the coast last weekend and driving back from Rialto beach there would be stray light beams coming through the forest that occasionally lit up one of these left over stems of some unknown umbelliferous plant. It wasn’t until the last trip that I finally managed to get a few shots of one without traffic issues since it’s a pretty narrow two lane road.
Specific Feedback
The background was mostly black, so I decided to go all the way with it. Does that work? Is the disconnected part (that part of the stem was in deep shadow) on the right a problem?
Technical Details
Sony A7Rv, FE 70-200 F/4 macro @ 200 mm, hand held from car, f/13, 1/200, iso 1250. Processed in LR & PS CC. Cropped to 3080x4112.
Critique Template
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Vision and Purpose:
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Dennis: I love working with light like this and you’ve done a masterful job. All of the little details in the crown are a delight. I see what you mean about the stem but if you hadn’t mentioned it I’m not sure I would have noticed but it works for me, kind of like how a milkweed seed might come loose from a pod. Nicely seen and presented. >=))>
Pretty cool find and I don’t mind the all black, although maybe a dark bg with some variation could work, too. I like the structure of the plant and how it’s breaking down. If it’s very tall it is probably Cow Parsnip, if it was small (like 2 feet) it might be Queen Anne’s Lace. They look similar, but aren’t related at all.
Hi Kris. Not Queen Anne’s Lace. The umbels were 5 or 6 inches across-far too large for that. I’m leaning toward the Cow Parsnip theory, but it’s really not important. I haven’t gotten up that way in the summer in ages, though at the right time the phosphorescent waves are supposed to be really cool.
“Umbelliferous” sent me down an etymological rabbit-hole. I am now assured that “umbella” and “umbrella” are closely related, though your structure looks like it has been blown inside-out by the wind! Seriously, I like this very much, but I do feel the disconnected part could be joined up to the hub like its fallen counterpart on the left (cloned in). This would add to the symmetry and would be more pleasing to my eye. Overall, a big success, especially when I switch to “Light Color Mode”.
I think the photo is very well done. The plant is beautifully lit. I also find situations like this very appealing, but often the contrast within the plant isn’t easy to manage.
Have you ever tried cropping the plant more? Perhaps the wide black border looks a bit too dominant.
