The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This spot had a trail to it with a vantage point, so it definitely was not unknown. The weather conditions were such that shadows came and went and it took considerable amount of patience to wait for them to be in acceptable places. Landscape photography is always a compromise with respect to light.
Specific Feedback
I’m wondering if this too underexposed. What do you think? You could make this place considerably more threatening I suppose. The colors were purposely held back. I didn’t want this to be about color.
Technical Details
GFX50R, 32-64mm, f/11, iso 100
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Igor, I really like this. The clouds, the foreground and the subject are all terrific. Fine work.
“I’m wondering if this too underexposed. What do you think?” No, it isn’t.
“You could make this place considerably more threatening I suppose.” Who wants to be threatened?
“The colors were purposely held back. I didn’t want this to be about color.” I think the colors are fine. It would probably work well in black and white but I like the color version.
Hi Igor, Quite an interesting scene you have invited us to. I find the presentation of image a flat though. It is a strong formation, but I think you are under selling it. B&W is the traditional way to make these sorts of scenes pop more effectively, but if you wanted to do it with color more contrast and bringing down the shadows would help.
Doesn’t feel underexposed to me. The day is obviously cloudy, so I don’t expect a lot of brightness. The scattered shadows are wonderful - your patience paid off. I don’t find it flat (contrast-wise). There is a sense of depth, albeit soft depth (if that makes sense). It works with this kind of geology, with lots of weathered clay.
Absolutely outstanding. The composition is outstanding, riveting. The textures, colour palette, and subtle sky all give this an otherworldly feel. Under exposed - not in the least. Your choice to go soft rather than punchy and contrasty makes this special. Your compositions are so thoughtful. The ridge of the sand dune in the foreground knocks this one out of the park. Love it.
Igor, I like this very much. Maybe a bit more contrast could be added but my only real C&C is that the scene is a smidge heavier on the left than the right. Maybe try a tighter crop.
The B&W version really does pop Igor, but I think I like the color version better because it is more subtle and the layered colors add a different dimension. That is not to say I don’t also really like the B&W version, they are just different. I love the weathered look to this. It is not underexposed. It is properly exposed and well processed.
Here is my conclusion about b&w photography in my limited experience. The subject needs to have deep blacks and light whites to begin with. If you take a flat image and crank up the contrast to make it b&w it looks crude somehow. The blacks then lack subtlety. They look harsh.
This is a very interesting landscape area. The erosion patterns are impressive. I think you did a great job with the exposure. I think I might didge the two black shadows on the left, but only just a bit. The only thing that bothers me about the image are the apparent vehicle tracks in the FG. I don’t know if there is anything you can do about it, but it is what it is.
Yes that is bothersome. They were more prevalent further away but some intrepid riders got this close. Apparently this area had been off limits for years and the offroaders felt they had a great victory when they were given access to it. Some of the area is scarred pretty badly. The problem is that once a vehicle goes over an area the tracks remain for years.
I think this is gorgeous and I love the subtle coloration – reminiscent of a hand-painted print. But I have the same reservation about the tonalities that @guy had – there is a bit of flatness in the lightest tones. The border is not white and I wonder if that is intentional? It looks like the highlights were pulled down after the border was added. Just wondering if that was intentional? In other words, could the lights have a bit more tonal stretch (subtlety / detail) and still have the darks retain that lovely detail?
Don’t take my 3 minute sketch re-editing of 8 bit files to illustrate my point as the final quality that can be achieved in B&W of this capture. With the full raw output from your GFX you could do a lot more to smoothly and naturally bring more shadow depth to the image…
This image is absolutely killer! I think you did well by limiting the colour palette as you did because the result is a very well put together and cohesive image.
This looks perfect to me and I wouldn’t change a thing!
Guy, while I adore B&W, in this case I find that the halo atop the butte’s ridgeline and the sharpness of the eroded face suggests over-sharpening, which IMO kills the softness of the original image which drew my attention from the outset.
