The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The Tarn is a glacial pond in Acadia National Park, ME. The autumn trees of Dorr mountain are reflected by the early morning light.
Tghis is a crop of a larger image, probably 1/2 frame and rotated 180 degrees. I added about 15 points of saturation to further enhance the colors.
Specific Feedback
And and all comments, critiques or suggestions are welcome.
Technical Details
Nikon D800, 200mm, 0.7 sec @ f/22, ISO 100
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Michael, wonderful abstract image! The colors really draw me in. I love the distribution of lily ponds across the frame, the grass at the bottom, and the energy of the reflected trees in the water. So many elements in the scene to hold my interest. I realize this is an often used analogy but this does look so painterly. I think you did a great job arranging the elements into a balanced composition. The space around the group of lily pads especially help create breathing room and provides “viewing windows” to the beautiful colors behind.
While I don’t find this abstract in the sense that isn’t recognizable, but it is a nice slice of a larger whole which is another definition of the word. The colors melt nicely into each other and it reminds me of when chalk drawings on sidewalks wash away in the rain. In a sense, it has the same temporary quality in that these colors only last for a few days and it won’t be long until the green lily pads turn color as well. I’m not sure if the brightness of those works entirely; I always play with polarizers and luminance with things like this. Could be you did and judged this the best. I particularly like the dark area in the foreground. Enchanting scene.
Beautiful reflections, Michael, and I love the patterns formed by the lily pads. The stubs of reeds add almost a texture to the image, which also adds to the interest.
Wow, gorgeous! I like that even though you flipped it, the lily pads still look right-side up. That, with the apparently right-side up reeds at the bottom give this an other-worldly air. Like Dennis, I think the stubby reeds give a nice texture, too. Although the colors are pretty bright and saturated, they go with the other-worldly feel and make this tend towards the abstract even though we can see what it is.
Do you know Sarah Marino’s idea for “classifying” small scenes and abstracts? She thinks of it as a gradation from totally recognizable, both in subject and scale to totally unrecognizable either as what it was or its scale. That makes sense to me. I think it’s fairly difficult to make a truly abstract nature photo, that is, one that is unrecognizable as a natural thing. It’s a challenge!
Whether one recognizes “what it is” depends on one’s experience, too. The non-photographer/“layman” viewer often does not recognize “what it is”, which makes it very abstract for them.
I think there are two things that make this photograph so nice as an abstract. The first is the lilypads and how they are all in focus and are of a higher tonality giving them an almost floating in air sense of presence. They seem to be floating almost above the plain of the photograph, such that one cannot discern if any given pad is closer or farther away from the viewer. The second is the color pallet itself. The slipt complimentary colors work so well together and produce the perfect amount of contrast, especially at the bottom between the violets in the grasses and the light yellow-greens just above and slowly fading into the oranges at the top.
The soft vibrant colors are what drew me to this image, Michael. They remind me of an artist’s pastel palette which has be brushed by a gentle wind. The lily pads looks like floating clouds on their way to somewhere else. Not really sure how I came up with this thought, but the photo gives me a very calming feeling. Beautiful. Very nicely seen, captured and processed.
This has to be one of the best takes on The Tarn that I have seen Mike. I love the bold saturated colors and all the elements in the image seem to be perfectly placed around the frame. Even though this is upside down the lily pads seem to be floating in air. It is a small part of the scene, but the reflections of the colorful reeds make this one for me. Beautifully done!
What I love about this image is the way the autumn colors and lily pads create such a striking scene. The early morning light really brings out the rich hues, making it a pleasure to look at.
The framing and perspective you’ve chosen highlight the abstract quality of the reflection. Cropping and rotating the image add interest and guide the viewer’s eye across the frame in a pleasing way.
The image has a tranquil and contemplative mood. The added saturation enhances the colors without overpowering the natural beauty, making the scene pop while still looking realistic. The reflection captures the essence of the season beautifully.
Thanks @Saundie , @linda_mellor , @Youssef_Ismail , @Bonnie_Lampley , @Dennis_Plank , @Ed_Lowe , @Kris_Smith , @Alfredo_Mora for the comments and suggestions. @Kris_Smith , I went back and forth trying to decide wether to put this in Landscape or Abstract for the reason you mention. But then I started to think along the lines of @Bonnie_Lampley . It’s very hard to make a truly abstract nature photo where the subject is unrecognizable. I looked at most of the previously posted images and confirmed my belief and felt my image suit the criteria for posting here. I don’ t think the brightness of the lily pads quite works either. I tried a polarizer but it removed too much of the reflections and I’m too lazy to spend too much time in PS adjusting things. @Bonnie_Lampley , I am a fan of Sarah’s work but unfamiliar with the topic you discussed. Thanks, I will check it out. It never hurts to learn new things.
I pretty much agree with everything @Youssef_Ismail has said and had intended to make essentially the same comment.
I actually remember when you shot this subject back in the NPN 1.0 days and got very good results. I believe they even were EPs. But this is much better. I think it may be the usage of color that elevates it. The standard images are shades of green. But here the cyan pads over a reddish background is very striking. There is also a difference in tonality. It just goes to show that if you work on a subject long enough you’ll get better and better.
This is really lovely, @Michael_Lowe. The blurred orangey reflections at the top, the crisp grasses at the bottom and lily pads floating on (seemingly above) it all makes this mesmerizing. I get an echo of an impressionist painting, but with bold colors and a bit more excitement.
I also really like how the concentration of lily pads floating in the bottom diminishes as we raise our eyes to the top. It’s as though they are floating up into the air and dispersing rather than across the tarn. The effect is very three-dimensional.
Thanks for sharing this one. It’s just fantastic.
ML
