The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This is a series of images I made this morning in a flooded dune birch forest. Water tables have been excessively high this winter, due to high amounts of rainfall. There was a tiny amount of lingering mist.
Specific Feedback
Though made within 15 min of each other and from roughly a stretch of 30 meters along the edge of the forest, each image is different, as you’ll see. I would like your feedback about which one you feel is strongest in terms of light and composition.
Technical Details
All images made with my OM System OM-1 with 2.8/40-150mm pro lens, set at focal lengths between 40 and 125mm. All exposures at ISO 200 and f/8 and shutter speeds between 1/6-1/30 sec. I used a tripod for all exposures.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
What a wonderful study of changing light in a fantastic setting. The first is my favorite! There is some magic light going on there, with a lovely composition! The second is also very nice but I wonder about a crop to remove the brighter tree on the left. The third feels a bit unbalanced but I can’t say why – maybe that it’s just so different from the others. The last is also beautiful but I long to see more above frame and a little less at the base. The bright light on the tree at the left pulls my eye – maybe tone it down a bit? Or this one could also be strong with a crop from the left to just exclude that trunk, and some off the bottom.
Great set of images. I rather like #3; the light on the far trees is nicely warm, and there is still a hint of mist. I guess one could clone or AI away that branch intruding from above in the upper right
What a wonderful series! In terms of light and composition, my preference is #3. My first impression was a feeling of the surreal. It’s the contrast between that strong, dark foreground tree with the light background trees.
#1 is lovely, but more traditional - rather static to me. The light is gorgous, though. #2 is beautiful, too, although that bright tree on the left gives this a sense of unbalance.
#4 seems a lot like #1, with brighter light. To my eye, the brights are too bright in #4, though.
All are very nice. The second is my favorite. Misty shots are my favorites usually. Number 3 I feel is the weakest. The light is great but I feel the dark FG tree is a little too dominant.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments, @Diane_Miller@Bonnie_Lampley@Ronald_Murphy and @Michael_Lowe Even though it seems that there are as many preferences are there are respondents, I have learned to look more carefully at the distribution of brightness and the way the eye is attracted to bright places, or trees in this case.
I agree that the brights in #4 are too bright, and that was also the point at which I stopped. The left tree is indeed overpowering because of its brightness level, even though I already toned it down.
The most interesting image was #2, where I hadn’t even looked at the tree on the left myself. I just thought that I wanted to included that lovely reflected bow, but failed to notice that including that light tree would distract from the lovely early orange on the most important group. I made a crop to remove it, and I think it is indeed stronger:
Regarding the tree in #3, I didn’t think it was overpowering, since it was quite a thin trunk and still largely in the shade but receiving the first spots or orange. To me, it sort of conveys a message that good things come as long as you’re patient…
Thanks again for taking the time to comment!! Gerard
I like the crop, but I also think you could darken and slightly warm that tree on the left in the original crop. Both are lovely images! Having the main group slightly off-center was a good idea.
Gerard,
All four images are quite lovely with number two being my clear favorite. I love the peaceful vibe with the fog and I think you nailed it with your repost. The soft light on the birch trunks is exquisite and I love that you were able to catch some reflections as well. Print this large and hang it on your wall!
My personal favourite was #1, but with #2 as a close second, with or without the crop. I’ll do some more work on balancing that tree on the left @Diane_Miller !
Number 1 is my clear favorite. There is a mystery about it that suggests more than what it is. I also like the second one. It’s more subtle and takes time to warm up to. Those two images are so different that it’s hard to compare one with the other.
Thanks for this, Igor! It exactly reflects my own feelings, although I couldn’t quite put it into words at first.
The composition of #1 is pretty straightforward but perhaps because of that also ‘effortless’, and the quality of the light is a magical combination of warm and cold. It is thus my personal favorite.
Image #2 is indeed more subtle, which I also like. I missed the slightly distracting effect of the light birch trunk on the left though, so I’m going to see if I can tone it down a bit.
Love them all Gerard but like No. 2 the best for its mysterious tone and just the slightest light on a couple of trunks. Also has a great sense of beauty inaccessible, as you can’t wander in this flooded place, however inviting. Easy to picture this one printed large and set off by a picture light on a wall.
Thanks James! This flooding is indeed very special, as you say. The water is more than wellington-boot deep, and still quite cold… I have been waiting for the first light on these birches before, but then there was no mist, and that does make a difference!
Cheers, Gerard
Number two was my favourite from the very beginning. The suggested crop made it more coherent indeed. My only suggestion is to add a tiny little bit of contrast to the foliage (TK!), but without spoiling the subtlety of the colours. Great image and series.
Hi Gerard,
The first two are my favorites. They both have an ethereal quality that is missing in the third and fourth. For me, there is a simplicity to the first two; the other two have a fair number of limbs reflected in water, creating more lines and making the image feel less cohesive overall.
if I had to pick between 1 and 2, I think I would take 1 for the light, and then I would cheat and pick 2 for the cool mistiness of it.
I would be curious about a slight crop off the top of number 2. Something along the lines of this (a quickie screenshot crop). I also like the re-crop above, but still with a tish more off the top.
Top crop, slight left/right crop:
