Wonderful experance hiking the Rio Grande Gorge
Can not decide whether or not to remove the red bouquet at the bottom of the tree.
This is a memorial to a local hiker.
Lumix s5
@Steve_Rosendahl, I think this is a very strong, well composed image. You asked for conceptual/emotional feedback. The red bouquet has no significance for the viewer that does not know the back story, so I would clone it out.
@Patrick_Campbell
Thanks
I needed an additional set of eyes
That was my feeling
I have always been and will always be a sucker for gnarly old trees. This one has a lot of character. Generally, I really like the image but I keep coming back to the kind of barren area in the bottom right. I wish there was a little more foliage filling in that area. I’m not sure if a slightly lower perspective would have hidden some of the dirt? Regardless, it’s a lovely image and I’d be happy to have it in my portfolio.
This is a beautiful scene and I think you handled the technicalities very well. I don’t really notice the red very much (but then I have a red/green color deficiency, so don’t trust me!). From an emotional standpoint, I wish the old tree was a somewhat larger component of the composition. I certainly understand why you wanted to capture the range of color in the sky, and ratio between sky and that lovely warm brush (rabbitbrush or sage?) is pleasing, but that snag is what provides the tension in the image to me. Perhaps there is a crop that would let you feature that a bit more?
HI Steve,
The bouquet of flowers at the bottom of the tree is a very emotional part of the scene/story as Patrick mentioned, and without the backstory it isn’t obvious since the bouquet is partially hidden by the tree, perhaps if the title were changed to something that would provide a strong hint or clue about that element? Perhaps something that has the word “Tribute” in it? Just a thought.
As for the image itself, it really is a strong image, the orange highlights in the clouds are wonderful, the highlights in the wild shrubbery in the FG are wonderful as well.
The gnarly tree and wild shrubbery are the most powerful elements in my opinion and the level of detail on those elements really adds to the quality.
Of course, the flowers “could” be the “strongest” element in my opinion.
The near horizon between 1/3 to 1/2 way up from the bottom serves very well as a good transition between the FG and the town of Taos below.
Taos mountains being slightly obscured by the atmosphere around them adds a lot of depth overall.
Again, I think it’s a strong image as presented but I do feel that a crop from the top down to the point of just below the darkest cloud above the left side of the tree would strengthen it even more because in my opinion, the top portion of the sky doesn’t support the rest of the image, and the darkish blue at the top doesn’t seem to add anything special but that is just my personal take on it.
The flip side of it, cropping from the top that much would make more of a panorama, and that might not be appealing to you.
I’m not bothered by the bare dirt area in the FG because to me, it adds to the story of the bouquet of flowers left there as a memorial to the hiker.
Wonderfully composed and exposed, Steve! 
Edit:
Hi Steve,
I feel like I should make a public apology for the way I handled my concerns about your Great Egret post, that was not the way it should have been handled!
I should have sent you a message privately.
It won’t happen againWarmest regards,
Merv
