Tonahutu Impression 2

The morning I shot this was a particularly productive one in which I captured 12 images that became portfolio-quality images over a span of about 80 minutes. Don’t recall any more productive period in all my time shooting.

The setting was…actually, I’m not going to reveal that nor am I going to reveal the subject. I’m interested in your interpretation - and there are no wrong answers!!

I capture images that frequently distort space and time and remove context because I’m interested in my viewers’ interpretations. So have at it!

Specific Feedback Requested

What would you adjust in the processing? I’m a bit concerned about the saturation - when I dialed up the contrast slightly, the colors became a bit too saturated so I dialed the blue back slightly. Enough though?

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Nikon D610
70-300 mm @300 mm
ISO 800
f/18
1/13 sec.
Crop in LR to 1:3 panorama

matt_lancaster_art
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I’m so envious. When you hit one of those creative days you feel so alive.

I love this image. Anything remotely impressionistic is compared to Monet. But this really does look like his work - those massive paintings of lillies in that garden. Your image is literally heavenly. At first I had a hard time with the black areas but they’re perfectly placed. I thought the yellows could be stronger (to match the blue) but it’s just a different interpretation, no better nor worse. Love this,

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Really like these type images. Looks like a reflection. What ever editing you did works quite well to my eye. Is there any ICM in the image?

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Beautiful! My first reaction was that this was the realm of the gods, an ethereal place in the sky.

The colors look fine to me - not too saturated. I might dial back the darks in the dark areas on the right just a tad. Not to make them the same luminosity as the rest of the frame, but just a bit less heavy.

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Yes, this is heavenly! I see bright blue sky reflected in some running water.
Super cool technique(s)!

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Matt, congrats on the productive session. The pano crop is making me think of a satellite image of a weather system moving through some Pacific islands .

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Thanks to all, @Mario_Cornacchione, @Igor_Doncov, @Bonnie_Lampley, @Mark_Muller, @Stephen_Stanton. Your interpretations are all correct because they are about you and not the image. You see what you want to see. I take great pleasure in hearing what viewers see in the abstract images I create. Thank you for your feedback!

Igor, I am humbled by your lofty comparison and flattering compliments. Thank you. I’ll tweak the colors and see what happens.
Mario, it’s all ICM. Handheld at 1/13th sec with a moving subject. Glad you like the result.
Bonnie, I am once again honored by your description and interpretation. May I quote you in a testimonial?
Mark, glad you enjoy it.
Stephen, your interpretation is very expansive. Love it. Thank you.

Matt, sure, you can use my comment. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Matt, I’m coming in late here, but I just had to stop by to say how much I enjoyed this image. The colors are very delicate, and definitely not over-saturated. The blue and olive green are an especially appealing combination. The shapes and patterns almost look like clouds, but you know they can’t be clouds. So that makes me think and engage with the image. I do agree with @Bonnie_Lampley about dialing back the darks on the right, to make their tones more congruous with the rest of the image.

And great for you on having such a productive morning. Sessions like that certainly make up for all the times spent seeking images but not coming up with much. Having studied your website some, this image certainly fits in with your emotion based themes approach.

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Really glad you enjoyed it, Ed and thank you for your compliments and critique which are always so balanced and spot on.

Speaking of my website, I invite you to take another look following a redesign, here: matt lancaster art. I’ve received plenty of critique and advice on it including yours and have reorganized images in the galleries by subject theme in the footsteps of @William_Neill. I found the emotion based themes a bit difficult to continue to carry out and expand. Among my continuing plans with it are to write a brief story for each image - thank you for that suggestion.