The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This is an extensive area of native tussock hill country just inland from where we live. In earlier times the area was grazed but the winters here are harsh and rabbit plagues were common so, thankfully, it has been left to regenerate into its native state (apart from some gateposts and a few areas of fencing). There is a very large part of it that is now a reserve.
I just love this area. The tussock shimmers in the slightest breeze, colours are muted and soft, and it just exudes peace. Sometimes it just seems wrong to photograph it, and it certainly seems wrong to portray any final image of it that is not true to its inherent colour, softness and lack of contrast.
Specific Feedback
Any feedback is always welcome. While this image has a strong meaning for me, I am interested in knowing if it has general appeal and conveys the feeling that I have tried to project here.
Phil,
This does have a peaceful serene vibe to it and I think the subdued and not overblown colors only enhance that mood. So, IMO I would say that you succeeded in showing that to the viewer. Your commentary makes it clear that this is an area close to your heart. I also like the pano format to showcase the scene. My only suggestion; just my personal preference; would be a small crop from the left side to move the deteriorating gate post a little off center. Beautifully done.
Thanks for your comments Ed. Much appreciated. I did try a crop as you suggest, but found that it detracted a bit from the ‘wide open’ feeling I was aiming for. Cheers.
I completely understand and respect the desire and the need to keep this image true to the actual landscape!
I can’t know the exact feeling that you intended to convey here but I can say that the image viewed purely for it’s aesthetic quality and viewed by someone who has never been there holds up very well on it’s own in my view, the colors and the contrast are very pleasant, not too much or too little and the entire scene seems very peaceful and inviting, I can even see this printed hanging on a wall just for it’s photographic merits.
I can almost see the tussock gently waving in the wind and I can almost hear the sounds associated with that movement.
Before reading your text, I noticed a faint line of fence posts in the distance along the hillside out there in front us and the short line of posts over there on the right.
I’m picturing the stone posts as monuments to an era from the past and it seems that they are telling their story to anyone interested in listening carefully to what they’re saying.
It is a compelling image of a gorgeous view!
I remember seeing a story about the rabbit plague in NZ on the news (in the 80s?) and how it seemed to raise it’s ugly head every 50 years or so beginning the late 1700s? (if memory serves me correctly).
I couldn’t imagine! (Well, I guess I could but I’m not sure I want to.)
It’s hard to imagine a mouse plague much less a rabbit plague!
I really like the panoramic crop as well as the amount of sky you have chosen to include.
It’s a well composed and well processed image and, a real pleasure to view, Phil!
Thankyou for looking at this and for your (extensive) comments Merv.
Yes, rabbits (and more rabbits) have come in waves over the years in NZ but in recent times have been controlled reasonably well via poisoning using various viruses. It certainly puts the dampers off rabbit stew!
Although they are an important part of the scene and its story, I didn’t want to comment much on the small bits of fencing evident in the distance as , to me anyway, it is up to the viewer to examine an image and take in all it has to offer including small details. So thankyou for doing that, much appreciated.
It seems that, these days, with everything being simplified in process and made ‘easy’ to understand or achieve, many are losing the important process of examination, evaluation, and particularly feeling, about things (I’m not referring to NPN members here as NPN certainly fosters those practices and is a breath of fresh air in that respect) .
I really appreciate that you examine an image carefully before reading any description of it, something that is important whether it be judging at camera clubs or photographic societies, viewing paintings in art galleries, or commenting on images on websites site as NPN.
Cheers.
Phil, the more I sit with this image, the more I like it. There are exciting lines. The bend of the grasses points to the rocks. The darkened area of the ditch swirls around to the left, but I am pulled back again to the rocks. Their placement in the center is a bold statement of their importance. At first, I wanted some kind of vignette, but now I like the idea that this is open and not blocked by a darker border. Maybe a little burning at the left would balance it with the darker tones on the right.
By the way on our trip to New Zealand we drove through miles of landscape like this The play of the light on the tussocks was something I would have liked to photograph. The light on them was certainly photo worthy. But we had schedules to keep.
