This is a scene of autumn grasses from a salt marsh in Massachusetts. These grasses are green during summer, but turn a beautiful golden color in late autumn. At high tide the grasses are covered by the ocean, which leaves interesting swirls and patterns in the grass at low tide. Last year I posted another salt marsh grass image that @Igor_Doncov dubbed “Wild Thing”, for it’s untamed appearance. I liked that title, so I decided to reuse it on this image.
This shot was taken immediately after sunrise, just as the light hit the tops of the grasses.
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
Any comments or critique are welcome.
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
This is a brilliant image! I really am enjoying the separation of the grasses and the colors brought out from the rising sun are perfectly balanced by the cool shadows. The abstract nature and details in the image really work for my eye. Well seen!
Ed,
I love these kinds of understated images. The warm lighting on the marsh grasses is gorgeous and balances the cool tones of the shadows perfectly. When opening the large version the details and textures are pure eye candy as they let my eye wander around the image. I also like the implied motion with the LLC to URC diagonals. Really nice job on this.
I agree that there is a lot of tumultuous energy here. It’s a pretty creative image. Suggestions? That blue arrowhead shaped area on the left gets just a bit more attention than it should. Don’t know if you agree.
What a dynamic image, Ed. I really like what’s going on with the grasses. They seem to be dancing around. The blue curve meandering between them is like underlying currents that drive them. I am not too bothered by the arrowhead on the left. I would definitely burn down the brighter “white” (blue, rather) about 1/3 up from the bottom on the left edge… just for a cleaner edge.
This is right up my alley! The clumps/clusters of grasses in that first light are just beautiful and the spacing/arrangement is such that the eye dances around the frame easily; allowing the viewer to explore the entire frame.
I think the warm/cool balance here is also beautiful and the processing is just about spot on - very easy to go overboard with the color/sat in the yellows and reds - and blue/cyan for that matter.
I would agree with Igor’s observation on the “arrowhead”; I think just dropping the luminosity to a more equal value like the other patches would work well.
Now, is that frost? that’s the impression I get of the light, cool patches in the shadows. I guess it doesn’t matter, but that’s the impression I get.
No other nits or suggestions. Good eye to see and craft this one.
Ed, Great colors, maybe a bit to much red in the upper part . I find the composition itself to busy and should go back there to find a better viewpoint. And make a more tranquil image of this place.
Igor, Adhika and Lon, I do agree about the bright arrowhead, and elected to clone it away in the attached rework. Ben, I can see your point about it being a bit busy. But my creative intent here was to emphasize the wild and tumultuous character of these grasses, which are so unlike what we are normally accustomed to see in meadow grasses.
Lon to answer your question, even though this was taken on a cold November morning, the white streaks are salt and not frost. In this part of the salt marsh, high tide only covered the grasses at the base of the tufts of grass. This fortuitously also worked out well to enhance the cool / warm color contrast.
