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
This is a photograph of nature.
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
This image was captured at Fisherman’s Terminal in Seattle during a workshop conducted by Art Wolfe. The workshop was focused on creating images based on the “Abstract Surrealism” art movement. This particular capture is of the small ripple disturbances in the water created by the winds that distort the reflection of the colorful, in this case, orange and yellow buoys hanging along the side of the moored boat. While standing on the dock I was zoomed in and used a very fast shutter speed. Details below. Using this approach there are an infinite number of ever changing compositions available.
Technical Details
Camera: Canon EOS R5. Lens: RF70-200mm F4 L IS USM @ 200 mm, f/20 at 1/1000 sec.
ISO 4000. The image was cropped and Topaz Denoise AI applied and edited using Camera Raw adjustments.
I am puzzeled, Robert. I see a horizontal green rectangle that won’t load. [I downloaded your vertical image and did and average blur on it and it came out very closee to the orginal green I saw on the screen.]
When it finally did load. I see a very colorful enlargement with some skewing of the center prtion of the vertical image in the horizontal image. I like both . I am guessing we are looking at reflections in the water.
I prefer the abstract macro image, even if the colours are heavily saturated. I know it is wave action, but it could read as some mod paint creation. I enjoy images that make you take a second look.
You are looking at ripples in the reflections in the water. The vertical image was as originally shot. The smaller horizontal image is the cropped and edited final image. As I explained in the obscured portion of the submission the particular workshop I was attending was dedicated to creating photographic images along the lines of the Abstract Surrealism art movement. Thank you for your kind words. Bob
Thank you Laura, this is exactly what my intent was with the final horizontal edit. I hope that you read the obscured information after posting your kind words. It perhaps gave you a fuller idea of my objectives with not only this image but several others I have made. I also find myself leaning towards this type of photography at least for now. Bob
I think this is wonderful!! Great subject in wonderful light! You have several good crops here, and the original works very well as is. My only nit is that the cropped version feels crowded on the bottom. How would you feel about including a little more? A gradient blur/desaturation at the base would be fine if you chose to include a bit more and felt the added detail was a bit distracting…
Thank you, Diane. In fact I edited a couple of other similar images using the same reflection, but still different from the one here. I liked them as well and used the full capture as opposed to the crop selected here with good results. I just preferred this crop. I will try the gradient blur. Bob
