The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This was taken during my first (and only, so far) visit to Palo Duro Canyon. Being from Minnesota, I haven’t seen a lot of stuff like this. I was attempting to hike to The Lighthouse, but disappointedly had to turn back after making it about a third of the way. On my way back to my car, I saw this composition and was mesmerized. Out of all the photos I took on my trip, this was the one I was most excited to process.
Specific Feedback
This is my first critique, so I’m honestly open to any feedback/ constructive criticism.
Technical Details
1/160, ISO 250, f10,
Canon EF 24-105 f/4L (24mm)
Processed in Lightroom
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Welcome to NPN! This is a great first post, and I look forward to more from you.
This beautiful peak seemsto lend itself more to a landscape comp than a portrait comp, as cutting the edges off feels odd. I agree that the foreground doesn’t add a lot, so a landscape crop would take care of that too.
I wasn’t there, and don’t know what you saw, but this seems quite over-saturated.
Hi Alec and welcome to NPN! I can definitely see why you were mesmerized by this scene. The sky with those streaky clouds is awesome and I also love orange and blue colour combinations in images. Unfortunately the bottom third of the image doesn’t hold much interest, feels a bit too dark and doesn’t add a whole lot to the overall image. You may want to experiment with maybe lightening the shrubs in the foreground a bit. That may add a bit more interest to the foreground and would also create a few “islands of light” that the viewer’s eye can jump from to go deeper into the scene. I don’t know, may be worth trying.
Nice first post. I love the color contrasts and the cloud patterns. Although there is not much interest in the foreground, I do think it still needs to be there as there is a subtle line that leads the eye into the frame and up to the butte.
Welcome to NPN, Alec. This is a beautiful image; I can see why it excited you. Palo Duro is an amazing place.
I like the vertical composition, and the processing on the sky looks perfect to me. The color contrast between the reds & blues work wonderfully. My only nit is that the sides seem very constricted. I wouldn’t recommend a landscape orientation however because that would negate so much of that beautiful Texas sky. IMHO, this would be a perfect situation for a 2 image panorama cropped to a square format. Some haven’t like the FG, but I find it quite compelling and a nice addition to counterbalance the sky. I do believe the FG needs some additional processing so that it fits in more instead of being so dark that it draws the eye from the rest of the image. I think @Tom_Nevesely might have a good thought on that.
Again, welcome! I’ve been a member for close to 20 years now, and this is the best site for nature photographers there is. You will receive honest critiques but none of the nasty stuff you may find elsewhere. The folks here will rush to help in your (and everyone’s) quest to become a better shooter. David and Jennifer have done a wonderful job with NPN.
