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 will appreciate any feedback. Do you like it? What do you feel when you see the image?
Creative direction
I was trying to convey the feeling of dampness, mist, light rays shining on the bushes. It was a perfect morning.
Specific Feedback
Aesthetic.
Technical Details
Exposure blended to ensure that the slow moving water is blended with the leaves that were taken at a higher shutter speed.
Description
This was a very tough hike to get to. And we reached much before the sun started peeking through the canopy. Kind of lucked out in that the light rays started shining through the gaps in the canopy after a couple of hours being there.
Critique Template
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That’s a very strikingly well composed picture of a waterfall with some delicious lighting going on. Love the rich colours and contrast and the almost total elimination of any distracting bland sky from your chosen composition. The composition and the waterfall flow with equal beauty.
I think you had some difficult light conditions to work with here. To me, this image is about the waterfall. Yet it’s in the shade with bright light on the brush around it. I don’t know but my initial reaction is to reduce the really bright light on the brightest plants.
Hi Amith,
Well, this was certainly worth the hike. The atmospherics with the mist and light are quite lovely; especially that area just to the right of the waterfall. IMO the light is a little bright on the right edge of the frame as my eye gets stuck there a little bit. My suggestion would be to tone it down a little as well as removing those three sections of limbs hanging down towards the URC. I hope you do not mind, but here is a rework with what I was thinking. Just my opinion of course.
Images of waterfalls that include their environment appeal to me the most - you have done a great job in that regard. Yes, this image is about light. I agree with @Igor_Doncov about toning down the bright light on the bushes. To me the image could also benefit from cropping out the foreground rock. IMHO it is quite dominant and competes with the rest of the image. Striking image.
Amith, you caught an outstanding mood here (wish I was there…), with the light, the water (falling and flowing) and the mist. I too am thinking that having the falling water nearly as bright as the mist would let the falls play a stronger role in the view.
This is rely, really, nice, Amith. Made even better by @Larry_Greenbaum’s crop and @Ed_Lowe’s removal of the URC branches. I think Larry toned down the bright greens a little too much, but’s that’s just mho. I would be happy to have a fine image like this even without the adjustments.
Wonderful image. This definitely portrays the look and feeling of a cool, misty and refreshing spot. You did a great job handling the dynamic range. That bit of spray/mist off the falls being graced by the sunlight really makes the scene for me.
I would agree about the intruding leaves on the UR edge. For me, it falls in the “if you’re going to include something, include with a purpose.” Here, it looks like you wanted the width as to include the stream exiting the frame below, but up top I either want to see more of the overhanging branches/leaves, or none at all. And so I really like Ed’s edit.
Other than that, I have no other nits or suggestions. A lovely, well-composed scene.
I’ll fall right in line Amith. Wonderful waterfall and a great photograph of it. I agree with the suggestions above, in the order of remove or crop the right hand branches, brighten the waterfall and/or lower the brightness of the vegetation, and remove the foreground rock. (Although, honestly, I’m ambivalent about that foreground rock because I like the flow of the water out of the frame.)
