The Complexity of Life + Alternative

ALTERNATIVE:

VERSION 1:

The Complexity of Life is a rather grandiose title for this rather mundane scene, but the complexity is what appeals to me about it. There is a lot going on with layers of objects in the frame - the reeds lying over the rocks, the rocks, the water plants, the reflective water surface, the reflections of the overhanging trees, and the dead plants beneath the water.

Specific Feedback Requested

Any critique welcome.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
a7r3, 24mm, f/16, 1.6s, ISO 100. There was a slight breeze moving the water and I was using a longer shutter speed to get various looks for the tree reflections. Did localized dodging/burning to even out dark/light areas.

bonnie_lampley

I agree that the complexity of the image is what makes this image. You have merged two worlds into the one image. Hopefully each world has something to say about the other.

I’m seeing this through an iPhone so I can’t give advice on the subtleties of composition or processing. But overall I like the concept of this creation. It’s actually easily recognized as one of your images.

You are right, Bonnie, this is quite complex. The more (and closer) I look the more I see and the more I want to see. I like the subtle color palette, for me at least, gives a hint of fall. Very nicely seen and captured.

This is a complex scene, but it really works well, Bonnie. Seeing it in large mode it pulls me in and I want to investigate everything in the frame. Great capture.

What I find interesting in this image is that you’ve made the reflection the more dominating of the two ‘worlds’. That is unusual because that’s not how people normally perceive things. I usually make codominant compositions in such situations to make people wonder. But you’ve taken it further. Although I’m wondering if this is more about lines and shapes than it is about making sense.

Thank you, @linda_mellor, @David_Bostock, and @Igor_Doncov for your thoughts.

Hmm, I wasn’t thinking about what elements should be more dominant, although my main interest was in the reflections and how their appearance changed at longer shutter speeds. In that sense, I wasn’t trying to make sense of anything, just looking at the lines and shapes, and trying to arrange them in the frame. I have another frame that I like (and now that I look at it, maybe better than this one), where the sharp reflections don’t take up as much space in the frame. I’ll post that one as an alternative.

Wonderful seeing!! I’m partial to the second because of the softer detail at the top and right edges, but both are well worth spending some time with – lots to explore and appreciate!

It’s a hard call but I like the ambiguity of the alternative. I also like how the tree have more color. The urc is superior but the llc is inferior. One is more mellow than the other. It’s a hard call really.

@Diane_Miller, thanks! @Igor_Doncov, I see what you mean about that LLC - it could be improved, but I’ll have to cogitate on how. Thanks for your input.