The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
We got two snow storms in South Carolina this year. While getting the standard snow shots, I noticed these resurrection ferns on one of the live oaks. I put on my macro and played around. This scene made me think of all the storied we’ve heard of parents trudging to school in the snow up hill – both ways!
Specific Feedback
I liked this scene, but realized after getting home, I didn’t like the framing, and tried to clean things up with a crop. Did a few different angles and apertures to keep detail in the front fern. There was a busy background, so stopping down took away from the feel. Not sure I have enough on the left, but it is the edge of the frame.
Technical Details
Canon R
85mm macro
ISO 800, f/2.5, 1/40 sec
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
The crop works for me, Patrick. I really like the out of focus background ferns with the sharp foreground one, but I find myself wishing that all of that foreground fern was in sharp focus, which probably would have entailed a focus stack and I don’t have any idea if the conditions in the field would have supported that.
We got a little bit of snow here in NC too, but I didn’t go out in it to look for something to shoot. I don’t like cold and I slip on snow and ice. That said, in this image what is appealing to me is the pattern of repetition of the subject out of focus. Yes, it would have been nice if all of the in focus fern was sharp, but still a nice image.
Patrick: I love the DOF progression and the comp here as well as the POV. Considering your settings it looks like you didn’t have much light to work with which may have made a stack tough if there was any subject movement. Still this is well seen, conceived and captured. Well done. >=))>
Patrick, I too like the repeated mimicry of the ferns. Their shape does bring trudging to mind. I suggest two things, removing the blue from the oof snow at the bottom and some dodging of the darks along the bottom. I think those will put even more attention on the fern fronds and their shape mimicry.
