Untold stories

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Whenever I paddle an undeveloped lake, I pay particular attention to the shoreline and what happens when nature has full reign. This little slice with the peel of birch bark made me stop and study it for a while. The way the bark is lying there made me think of someone that lost or threw away a letter, either accidentally or on purpose. Either way, there is emotion in that story and I did my best to convey that. It feels like the “scroll” will continue downward into the water to disappear forever.

Specific Feedback

Was my decision to go with a subdued/somber approach with editing a good one? I didn’t want too much contrast either, but does that work? Does the bark have enough presence?

Technical Details

Handheld in the kayak, may have had a CPL on, but I forget

Screenshot 2024-09-29 at 9.14.26 AM

Did a lot of work in Lr with masks and local adjustments to massage the tonalities both from a dynamic range perspective, to texture and color. Went into Photoshop for some distraction removal that wasn’t working well in Lr. Also did some enhancement to color and patterns using TK9 masking tools. Then I messed with several crops before deciding on this.


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:

How cool! I thought at first it was a scrap of paper. That ambiguity makes a definite storytelling element, and the way it is perched makes the viewer wonder where it came from and where it is going. Techs look perfect – no suggestions!

Thanks @Diane_Miller - glad you can see something in it of mystery and possibility. It’s a bit of a weird one.