The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
We recently spent a week camping in the Superstition Mountains and were fortunate enough to be there during an incredible wildflower bloom. This scene was across from our campsite and one afternoon I noticed that the setting sun was beginning to backlight the verdant desert foliage. I shot this scene two nights in a row, practically from our campsite, and am thrilled with the result. It’s a complex (yet simple) scene, and trying to develop a cohesive composition was challenging. I think I succeeded, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Technical Details
Sony A7IV
Tamron 28-200 f/2.8 - 5.6 lens @ 129mm (absolutely phenomenal lens, BTW)
f/16
1/10s
ISO 200
Handheld, if you can believe it
Processed in Lightroom Classic
It’s tough to resist a scene like this, especially if it’s in full view from your campsite.
I would have had a hard time deciding how to approach it in terms of perspective, it’s so complex, yet simple, as you say.
As Dean Royer said, the colors are analogous and that’s what blends it all together so well, yet there’s separation because of different types of foliage and how each type receives the light in a different way.
The wildflowers sprinkled throughout adds continuity, it’s like a base substrate glue that holds it all together.
The backlighting places more emphasis on the gnarly cactus than it does on the trees and wildflowers and that’s probably the #1 reason this work so well IMHO.
I kept feeling that it might benefit from a CW rotation of about 2° so I tried it, and while it made a difference, I’m not sure it was an improvement.
If you’re feeling adventurous or just curious, you could give a try for yourself just for kicks.
Either way, I think you did a very good job of using the light in the best possible way and the perspective is great.
Beautiful! It would be an understatement to say that photography is mostly about the light… clearly the light is what is elevating this scene; it’s what is tying all the various vegetation elements together. In fact I would go a step further and suggest it is that light that is creating “order from chaos.”
Always the nitpicker… I have a couple minor, minor suggestions, which may apply if you even decide to print. The first would be to do some CA cloning in the ULC; the corner is a little unresolved - if that’s a valid description. Either the clone, or slight crop/trimming. The second is even less of a nit - but you might consider cloning out the little purple flower along the bottom edge - a huge no biggie though.
Lon: I 100% agree with you about the ULC. Didn’t even notice it until you pointed it out and now I can’t unsee it. Gee, thanks. Seriously though, I appreciate it. I also agree about that purple flower. It’s gotta go.
Mervin: I tried your suggestion of a slight CW rotation and I’m not sure it worked for me. I do appreciate your thoughtful critique and suggestion!
Matt: Go get some, man! The wildflowers down there were, well…wild, this year.
I don’t know how I missed this, but this is quite lovely, Bret. The backlight is sublime as are the colors and this view was from your campsite. It doesn’t get any better than that! I do like the suggestion from @Lon_Overacker about the ULC as it would elevate an already outstanding image another notch IMO. Beautifully done.
Thank you, @Ed_Lowe. I’m on the road w/o my MacBook but I plan to do some work on that corner and clone out the blue flower, as per Lon’s suggestion. 100% agree with you both on it.
Hey Bret, great to see you on NPN again. Maybe you’ve been back a while and I just haven’t been on here in awhile, but either way, it’s great to see your work again.
This is a stunner as far as I’m concerned. I believe images like this are vastly under appreciated as compared to a grand scenic, but I would rather see these any day! This is absolutely lovely; the light is warm and welcoming and there’s so much to explore and enjoy. Composition is excellent. The only area for improvement I see is in the ULC that Lon mentioned. On my little laptop it doesn’t appear to be a CA issue, but the tiny triangle in the corner being slightly darker does create little hole that my eye wants to peek into. I would suggest just cloning in some of the little flowers or whatever from right under that triangle. My only other suggestion would be to print this big and hang it proudly.
Seriously though, I appreciate it. I also agree about that purple flower. It’s gotta go.