The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
So named because this is the One and Only file I did not delete from my brother and I’s recent trip to Blackwater Falls State Park.Weather reports looked promising but didn’t pan out. Blackwater Falls looked like “Muddy Water Falls” and there was little snow in the trees. We felt like turning around and heading home but decided to take the hand we were dealt and look for some intimate shots. I didn’t like this at first either but it’s kinda grown on me. Don’t know if it will appeal to anyone else or not.
Specific Feedback
Any and all feedback welcome. I missed a couple dust spots I see.
Technical Details
Don’t know the techs other than a zoom lens and Nikon D200. I’m working from a 2012 iMac and Adobe won’t let me download any version of Bridge. After being on the phone for an hour, they finally let me download and older Lightroom. I absolutely HATE LR and the stupid importing process so haven’t imported anything yet. I have never understood the love affair with LR’s so called cataloging. I’ve never had any problem finding anything in Bridge and Camera Raw does 99.99% of what LR does.
Hi Mike,
Yeah, the conditions were a bit of a downer that’s for sure. I got two so it wasn’t a total bust. This appeals to me as I have one from the bog that I quite like as well. IMO this is a wonderful intimate winter scene. I particularly like all of the grasses poking through the snow as well as the textures and details along the open area of water. I could see upping the exposure a 1/4 stop or so as the snow looks a little gray. My only other suggestion would be to remove a couple of the grasses poking into the frame along the bottom edge. I love the peaceful vibe of this winter landscape.
Nice peaceful shot Michael. I think it’s just that in between time of year for a lot of places where nothings blooming yet and all the snow and ice is finally melting making everything a muddy mess. I like the overall shot and composition the only thing I’d change is cleaning up some of the grass along the edges, bottom left poking through is a little distracting, upper right is so fine it doesn’t bother me much but might at a bigger size.
Mike, this is a pleasant, quiet, contemplative winter scene. That big clump of reeds makes a good focal point. I agree that it looks a bit gray and the cloning out the grasses in the lower left corner would be improvements. Just gotta love how the tech companies MAKE you upgrade both software and hardware regularly when they’re not providing any improvements for 90% of their customers…NOT!!!
I like the scene, Mike. It’s very peaceful and well composed in my opinion. I could see bringing up the snow a bit, but not too much as I think this wants to be a cloudy day scene.
Mike, I really love the peaceful easy feeling this image conveys. I agree with the other comments regarding minor adjustments. This works for me.
I heartily agree with you Mark. I cannot update PS to the latest version because my hardware, a PC, is not supported. There is also no version of Bridge that’s compatible. The only thing I used Bridge for was porting focus-stacked RAW files into ACR, so I can get by without it.
For anyone interested in a full-featured image management program, consider Photo Supreme from ID Imager Systems. It’s importing and cataloging functions will handle may thousands of images speedily and accurately. There is a free trial available, and right now there is a discount available thru 3/27 for the 2026 version. I’ve been using the program for years and it’s been stellar. It’s worth a look-see.
I like this a lot! The angle of the water and the placement of the larger clump of grass are wonderful. Like others have said, I’d probably remove the grass in the lower left, the upper right and maybe the grass that intersects the edge at the lower right. I like the “darkness” of the snow as it tells me the day was dark and cold, both of which I actually enjoy.
Mike: I love the scene and comp and the mood conveyed. What makes the snow seem too gray is the pure white frame. Boosting the snow 1/3-1/2 a stop still keeps the character of the day and allows the framing to be less of a contrast. Even though you only got one keeper it’s a good one and being able to share the experience with Ed must be a special blessing. Well done. >=))>
I think it’s a terrific scene; strong elements, great sense of space and mood. Super composition. Tells a great story.
Having one keeper is still a win.
There are some edge artifacts that could be removed, along with some dust spots. My biggest issue is the color of the snow: it’s a bit gray for me. Attached is a version that cleans up the edges a bit, brightens, and removes spots. Also adjusted the WB to make it less blue, and pushed the color in the grass.
Great pointer; I’ll have to look into Photo Supreme. I’m trying to plan for the day that I’d rather use DXO PureRaw and Affinity. But the DAM of Lightroom is, for me, unparalleled.
There are many things attractive about this intimate scene. The creek itself has lovely contours and the small twigs rising from the snow on the near side of the creek are wonderful and it would me nice if there were even more of them. I find the composition to be bottom heavy, as though it’s been cut off at the bottom. The other criticism is a purely subjective one. I don’t find the main group of reeds to be particularly attractive. As opposed to the smaller ones mentioned earlier.
I agree with much of the above Michael, this is a very nice and peaceful snow image. The grasses are a nice addition. The main bunch is a good anchor, and the others sprinkle well through the rest of the scene. They are a bit chaotic, but it all comes together nicely. I like @Gary_Hook’s brighter take.
This is a beautiful scene, Michael. The composition works well. The grasses randomly poking up through the snow provide both warm color and texture in a cold scene. It’s a very simple, almost minimalist intimate scene that works well although I can’t really explain why. I might crop out or remove the grasses in the URC as they are quite dark and right on the edge. I have not other suggestions. Nice work.
