(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
I don’t find this to be very busy at all. In fact I wondered how this could be considered to be busy. But then as I looked closer I do think many of those white lines at the bottom are distracting and do call to your attention. I also think some of the brighter ferns contribute somewhat to the business. It’s not that they are ‘messy’ that makes them busy, it’s that their messiness is more eye catching than the main subject. But that can be easily fixed.
I love the form of the tree and the foreground ferns in this image, Kathy. I don’t feel that it’s inherently too busy, but I do think the light distribution is working against you in several areas. There are quite a few bright areas in the background that draw my attention and the bright area in the ferns definitely pulls my eye away from the tree.
Hi Kathy, well I don’t see much negative space so it looks pretty “busy” within the frame, lol. I like the muted colors also, in addition to the gnarly old tree with its miss-shapened, moss-covered limbs. I’m not too bothered by the lighting…its soft and even. A nice find in an old field, so thanks for sharing!
