Critique Style Requested: Initial Reaction
Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
What elements of this images draw your attention or you find most appealing?
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
Captured in Spring flow of strong water in Happy Isles area Yosemite NP.
Technical Details
Linhof Technika
TMX 100
180mm (I believe. Don’t have access to my notes at this time)
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
- Vision and Purpose:
- Conceptual:
- Emotional Impact and Mood:
- Composition:
- Balance and Visual Weight:
- Depth and Dimension:
- Color:
- Lighting:
- Processing:
- Technical:
First thought: The contrast between the bare tree and the trees with their leaves across the river.
I have been to this spot several times in the past, but my images never did it justice. This image works very well and is excellently processed.
Nicely done!
-P
This one is very unusual, which I consider a plus. What I assume is flowing water draws my attention first. I like the trees in the background. The tonality has an infrared feel to it, although I’m guessing it’s a standard shot. Nicely done.
@Don_Peters ,
The OP uses a 4x5 camera and 100 ISO B&W film.
-P
Fore sure, it’s the bright white of the textureless water that draws my eye. I love how it looks like clouds enveloping mountain tops. The framing is nice with a triangle forming between the rocks in the water and the leaning tree. Speaking of that tree, I love those branches at the top and how they direct the eye towards the background trees. This looks very IR to me. I don’t know if it is but it gives off that kind of vibe to me.
I might bring out some more shadows under the tree. It appears just a little too dark for me but I really love that little splash of water cresting the bottom of the tree trunk. By the way, when viewed large, WOW! Just terrific. Way to bring it, Chipper!
Chipper - I’m drawn to all of it! This is so well balanced that the tree, the river and the far shore of showy trees all work together beautifully!
Like Preston, I’m quite familiar with this area of Happy Isles having photographed this area for decades now… And this is as fine a composition from here as I’ve seen (or captured myself.) The difficulty has always been dealing with willows and snags in the foreground.
That silky water really brings back memories… I say that because there are those that really dislike the ghostly appearance of flowing water… then there’s those of us shooting (or shot) large format and it’s pretty impossible to get a fast enough shutter speed to do anything but have silky water. You’ve also done a great job with processing and handling the range of tones. Well done!
This is beautiful. It has a infra red look, but I see it’s B&W film. I really love how the water looks like long exposure clouds flowing across the bottom on the image. What do I find most appealing? Everything! I have no nits or suggestions.
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Thank you Preston. Pretty much the tip of the last isle there, probably a bit less with water as high as it was.
Thank you Don. Yes, TMX 100 film but the light tone of the early spring leaves along with dodging and brushing in a layer in the mid to highlight range to accentuate the light tone of the leaves.
Thank you David. I’ve played with cropping some of the top but in composing the image and continue to enjoy the starkness and darker tones of the barren branches in the upper portion of the image against the light leaves across the way. Not IR, TMX 100 4x5 and some dodging and brushing in of layer adjustment in the mid to higher tones to push the tonality of the leaves higher.
Lon
Appreciate the comments and you touch on a couple of issues that are always at play in that area and large format as well. Finding a “clean” foreground to eliminate distracting elements in the foreground was a challenge once I encountered the leaning foreground tree that I wanted to focus on and its juxtaposition with the boulders and lighter foliage across the river. In terms of large format, spot on, length of exposure is always a consideration more so than smaller formats but I also enjoy that appearance as it brings a sense of softness and serenity that I try to impart in my images. The water was moving rapidly and the Merced was full in early spring, and LOUD, and I am drawn to creating images that are peaceful.
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