One more ice image from the pond in the city park close to my home.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Technical: Feedback on the technical aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, focus and reproduction of colors and details, post-processing, and print quality.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
The reason for this image is to show this scene in an interesting way. Any comments are welcome!
For this editing I chose to keep the pattern in the BG, another possibility is of course to calm down the BG pattern. What is your opinion on that?
Technical Details
1/5, f/8, ISO 400, OM-D EM-1X with 40-150 mm lens at 125 mm (250 mm equiv.), hand held.
The most prominent post-processing action where to darken the BG.
Hi Ola,
what a nice interesting scene. And the image title fits perfectly.
No, in my opinion, you did a very good job to darken the BG. The patterns in the BG do not distract so much from the main subject.
One little thing that bothers me a bit is the right edge of the ice structure. I think this halo effect comes from the darkening of the background. Maybe you can improve that transition a little.
Ola, I agree with @Jens_Ober. Your ice encased leaves are a unique and effective intimate landscape. The background looks good to me also. The white lines around the ice look fine to me, but I would eliminate the blue halos as Jens suggested - also inside the circle at the left of the ice. I am attaching a link on halo removal from Dave Kelly that explains how to remove the halos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG1rpwiKvlM
You might also run a denoise program on the image as removing any noise might make the whole image pop more and improve clarity. I have attached a denoised sample - I used Topaz Photo Ai.
This is a most creative and interesting image. I applaud you for seeing and capturing it.
This is quite a find, Ola. You’ve isolated the main the star of the show beautifully and the colours are nicely muted in a way that highlights both the colours of the frozen leaves and the icy silver . The saddle shape of the ice formation is so perfectly symmetrical I can almost imagine it was formed in a mold. The coup de grace are those two bubbles, front left and rear of the saddle. I am all about working in series these days, and this could be part of an exciting group of images.
I have this software, so I will apply it to the rework.
Kerry, I am actually working on a project with the working name “Pond photography”. I am right now in the collection phase collecting single images, later on I will make a first selection and based on that identify pinpointed type of images to go out and find and photograph. You will probably find the project in the project critiques category later this year.
Easily one of the most unique and intriguing images I’ve seen in a while. Stunning! The subtle colors and wonderful texture, plus the luminosity of the ice…yes!
Agree with Bret, this is so very unique - can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like it. The encased leaves adn the ice - my first thought this was like a floating “barge”
To you question on the bg, I don’t think these needs any adjustment. It’s sufficiently darker to allow the main element(s) to stand out. And also the surface of the ice is apparent, and partly due to the nature of the bg patterns. So overall I don’t have any suggestions other than what has already been provided.
Ola, this is unique and stunning! I think the BG is excellent as presented. To me, the edge halos look natural but it would be interesting to see if you decide to do anything with them.
Yes, I also think they are natural, but by darkening the BG the contrast between the halos and the BG maybe has become too large. I have to digest this before deciding on what to do.
