The Forest for the V's

Image Critiques
1

PRH_1143-6.jpg
PRH_1143-6.jpg1365×2048 1.57 MB

Critique Style Requested: In-depth

The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.

Self Critique

I love the shapes here. I love snowy trees and the contrast of light and dark, not just black and white. My original in-camera composition included more landscape, but I liked this cropped version better. Not sure if the white is too bright or the black is too dark.

Creative direction

I like creating artistic images and like to play around with vignettes, contrast (or lack thereof), highlights and shadows, etc. I look for scenes when I am out in the woods that would lend themselves to some creativity in Lightroom. I saw the V right away before even lifting camera to eye. I wanted to exaggerate that in post processing.

Specific Feedback

Is the contrast between light and dark appropriate? Is the off-center crop of the little tree in the background ok? I can’r remember now what was on the right side, but something over there kept me from including more to the right.

Technical Details

Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6
ISO 400, f/4.8, 1/640th 92mm

Description

The Forest for the V’s

I almost drove by this scene while exploring the forest a few weeks ago. Well, actually I did drive by, but something in my peripheral vision said, “stop the truck and look off to your left.” By the time I got ‘er woah’d up, I had slid a bit past. I backed up and looked to my left. Yep, that light V shaped area with the inverted V repeated by several trees makes for a fairly compelling composition. Thankfully on a snowy morning like this, there was very little traffic on the road. I didn’t even get out of the truck for this one! The heavily falling snow adds some fun texture if you zoom in a little. This is a black and white conversion, but the color version doesn’t look much different! This is one the west side of a tall mountains and was just a few minutes after sunrise, so there wasn’t much light.

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2

Paul. Great composition and Tone. Are you familiar with Edward Weston. I think your light is really nice. Keeping the dark framed around the light. That is the way I see it. Very Cool. I also feel this image. B&W makes it work for me…

3

Hi Paul,
This is a wonderful B&W composition. I too am enjoying all of the V shapes you captured in this scene starting with the trees and followed up by that enchanting V shape affording the viewer a glimpse into the BG trees. While I quite like this as is, I think you could brighten the whites just a little as they appear a little gray IMO. This turned out so much better than any drive byes that I encounter. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

4

Paul, your composition works perfectly for me. The asymmetry makes for an appealing tension to my eye.
I just think of brightening a foreground a little bit. Especially the snow at the bottom is dark grey and that keeps me from the immediate feel of fresh fallen snow. But this is only my personal opinion of course.
Peter

5

This is a wonderful image, Paul. I’m a big fan of high contrast black and whites so I’m definitely partial to this one. I don’t think it looks overcooked at all. I think Peter’s suggestion to brighten the foreground just a touch is a good one. Glad you saw this and stopped to investigate.

6

I absolutely love this one, Paul. I can see why you slammed on the brakes and woah’d your truck down when you spotted this little tree all lit up by itself. I too am a sucker for trees that have been heavily snowed on and this one doesn’t disappoint at all.
The contrast is just fine to my eye. The whites are not too white and the blacks seem just right. I even like the cluttered foreground. It’s a real forest scene. The natural framing on both sides of the image with those large trees is nice even if you did enhance the darkness. I also like the offset nature of the little lit up tree although I think it could have worked just fine dead center as well. I have no recommendations for you on this image. Well seen and shot. And nobody got hurt in the process! :slight_smile: