I found this little scene hiking on a trail in the Smoky Mountains
Specific Feedback Requested
Any feedback is appreciated.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Fuji X-T4 10-24mm Lens
So inviting. The shapes of the rocks are so grounding and a great frame for the water. It does seem a tad dark overall and I’d try to clone out the opening in the canopy in the center leaving the brighter leaves on the right as the landing place for our eyes. You didn’t share any processing or setting info so I don’t know if the soft look was deliberate or not, but introducing some clarity or texture either in the rocks or the water might bring some sparkle. There’s a lot to like here. The low vantage point is a good choice. Maybe warm up the white balance a tad…oh boy this seems like I’m dumping on you, but I’m not. Good bones here.
The moss on the rocks is great, and I like how the low vantage point emphasizes it. I agree with @Kris_Smith that the image might benefit from a slight warming, it would look good on the greens, and it would give you a more neutral white in the water. I think the dark area in the LRC is a bit “heavy” looking. I might consider a crop from the bottom to a 16:9 aspect ratio, it would minimize the effect of the LRC
Hey Shawn…I think we’ve both been spending some time in the Smokies lately! Great to see some more shots and perspectives so thanks for sharing. Not sure which falls this is, but it’s a beautiful scene. I’ll be posting some mossy rock scenes here in the future.
I like the general path of mossy rocks to the right of the image as it guides my eye towards the falls. Then the whitewater on the left side brings me back down.
I agree with @Kris_Smith about the brighter region in the mid upper border as it serves as a distraction. That can be easily managed by burning it down a bit or cloning some of the bright spots.
The foreground rock is soft, and not sure if that is your intent, and the background is tack-sharp. If not your intent, it may have been helpful to move your focus in somewhat. I think most viewers respond better to tack-sharp foreground objects, especially if they are intentionally placed, and leave the background a bit soft as it is far away and not “necessary” as it serves as background.
I often struggle with the whiteness of the rocks in many streams in the Smokies or in my neck of the woods in Western NC. I often burn them down as they seem to compete with the whitewater…but that is my taste and not necessarily yours.
Hope this perspective helps…as usual, only take what makes sense to your vision for the image.