I added the larger view that should have been in the original post.
Critique Style Requested:Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This is from June while photographing Abiqua Falls with @John_Williams and @David_Haynes. This scene was down river from the falls. The river ran through a tunnel of dark trees, and at the end was this bright scene - āthe light at the end of the tunnelā.
Specific Feedback
All comments are appreciated.
Technical Details
D850, 16-35 at35mm, f/5, 1/60th sec, ISO 800
Critique Template
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What draws me to this scene is the contrast of the tree structure with the mass of lovely green. Well done in getting the spring greens just right, so often they come out radioactive in scenes like this. Although you named and described this as a light at the end of the tunnel, thereās no tunnel here. I wonder if in your original, or in this one, there would be a way to recreate that? Maybe a slight vignette? Or even play around with a really strong one? Nice vision though - makes me dream of springā¦.
Hi @Connie_McClaran ! Iām sharing below a wider view. I would have added it originally but the section to trees in photo above are slightly out of focus.
THATāS IT! THATāS IT! THATāS IT! (IMHO) Now I see the tunnel and I am drawn ever into it. No matter on the out of focus stuff, it helps me slide through the tunnel to what is in focus. Iāve been learning lately about when itās ok to let certain parts of a composition to be soft or even out of focus to draw the eye to the main āfocusā. Lovely experience Steve!
Hi Steve,
While I like both images my favorite is the horizontal as it does give me the feeling of peering into a tunnel. The light on the BG trees is exquisite as are the greens throughout the image. The slightly OOF trees do not bother me at all. Beautifully done!
Thanks @Ed_Lowe! That image should have been included originally so I added it at the top. I left it out since the main focus was the bright trees and they are slightly soft, but the title doesnāt make sense without it. Thanks for the comments!
Same - Iām a sucker for river views like this so Iām glad you added the wider one. It has nice balance and color. I find it a tad flat though, as if itās over-polarized. When this happens to me Iāll add highlights in globally or sometimes mess with luminosity sliders in the HSL panel. That usually brings the sparkle back. Alsoā¦am I seeing magenta in the water? Itās early so it might be me. What a tranquil and inviting scene.
Thank you @Kris_Smith for the comments! I have no idea where the magenta in the water came from. I added a new version where I brought both magenta and purple saturation to zero and It did affect the water more than I would have expected. I also made changes to the ātunnelā.
No problem, thatās what weāre here for. Sometimes I stare at a picture of mine too long and canāt really see it anymore. The rework looks good - thereās a bit more dynamic range and natural shadow and highlight for some zip.
Steve, the āfinalā version looks great. The extra contrast helps pull my eyes to the trees in the distance. I think #3 (the vertical) looks interesting also, but itās overly sharpened. The āglowā of the moss covered trunks is very attractive.
This came out well Steve! I remember this scene as we began to head back to the trailhead, and love the beauty here. My favorite is the Updated version; it gives a better perspective and brings out the tunnel nicely.
I love the glow at the end of the tunnel in the landscape version, Steve. What a great trip that was and what a great scene. I love the trees on the right as if they are bowing to the trees lit up in golden light. And gold it was. It was the end of the day and that last light was tremendous. You captured it well. I had the same issue with my version (nearly identical to this) with the OOF areas. Too much depth to get everything sharp in one photo. All I can say is that the OOF issue isnāt really an issue for me. Itās the all about being enveloped by nature in this beautiful scene. Well captured!!
@Steve_Kennedy@John_Williams
Iād love to get together again for a backpacking trip or a couple of days in the PNW. Anywhere works for me. That was certainly fun. Any issues with your camera, Steve? I canāt believe that it didnāt get damaged when you went for a white water rapids trip down the river without a boat.
