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
Curios to hear your first impressions (and some specific feedback to my questions below). Thanks!
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
I was quite happy with the conditions this morning and I wanted to try something different, so I spotted this small gap in one of the trees. It was sheer luck, that the sun was in this exact position (no app planning here), so I put on my new 7artisans 9mm lens and fooled around.
Being quite happy at first, I now got some doubts while editing. I often do with this kind of images, as including a sun star also means including some artifacts like lens flare and other stuff. I tried deleting most of it, but it’s never perfect.
Thanks very much for your contribution!
Technical Details
The lens does not communicate with the camera. It was f16 and I manually shifted the 5 focus point 5 times. Eventually I went with one image only, as it was reasonably sharp throughout.
Specific Feedback
-Does the composition work for you?
-Do you like the editing?
Is the sun star still too smudgy/too many artifacts?
-Do you think, this one’s ready? What would you do differently?
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I am a novice, so I don’t feel all that qualified to provide useful feedback but …I love the image - the sun star, the slight fog that helps separate the background from the foreground tree, the uniqueness of the tree itself, and the light and shadows on the grass. I also really like the brightness of the window framed by the tree trunk, it immediately focuses the viewers attention on the unique shape of the tree and the sun star. The only thing I notice is that ideally I would like to see a little space between the branch on the background tree on the right and the edge of the photo - the branch is just a tiny bit clipped. Beautiful photo.
One other thing I just noticed … I’m not sure what it is … there is a faint red arc in the lower right corner of the image … I’m guessing you might be able to get rid of that with a little editing.
Thanks, Elizabeth, for your comments! You’re right about the red arc. Didn’t see this at first.
About the truncated tree on the right side: That’s really bothering me, too, but compositionwise there was nothing to do about it I tried putting some more fog on the branches in order to strengthen the separation.
I like this a lot. Great composition and the tree opening makes a great natural frame. The intense brightness makes the FG a little washed out but hey whatcha gonna do? There is a red lens flare along the right edge. Didn’t know if it was your intention to leave it there or whether you just missed it. Really nice.
Wow! Wonderful! I love the composition and the light! The orange flare in the LR corner is hardly noticeable but it might be possible to remove it by changing the reds in Selective Color, or maybe Hue-Sat. The bit of sky next to the trunk on the right edge is a bit distracting. That trunk is so wonderfully thick that it might be successful to just clone more trunk there.
What wonderful trees!! I hope we get to see more of them!
I like your re-work cropped version. By cutting that right-hand tree in half, the three circular shapes (the curve coming in from the left, the main opening, and the curve of the thick tree on the right) become more pronounced in the frame. The ULC looks fine to me, as does any bits of sky on the right. I think you got the bit of sky Diane was referring to in her first comment by cropping off the right.
The only minor nit I see is that bit of dark branch coming in from mid-frame left. Not as noticeable in your rework, but still there. Very cool photo!
Aside from the slight flare, which you already corrected, I think the composition is stunning. The background trees frame the main tree perfectly and on top of that the small tree in the hole of the foreground tree is just the cherry on top. Reallly well composed and executed.
I really like the update (as well as the original). The small crop on the right hand side took care of my concern in a much easier way than what I was thinking! Love it!
This is wild and looks like it was pulled right out of a fairy tale! I’m a bit late to the party so I don’t have anything new to add but I will say that I think you did a fine job with this and I like this a lot.
On a side note, I honestly can’t imagine shooting with a 9mm lens. In fact, my brain is having trouble visualizing shooting with something that wide. I’m pretty sure I’d have trouble making a good composition with it but you did really great so nice work!
Markus,
This is otherworldly and the opening in the trunk of the tree is like a portal to a fairy tale land. I am also loving that sunstar! Your rework took care of a couple of very small nitpicks that I had. My only other suggestion would be the same one that @Bonnie_Lampley mentioned. Stunning image!
The glorious starburst in your image caught my attention from the gallery view right away @Markus_Albert! The title of the image, I think probably led to a puzzled expression to cross my face. Why is it called the Witch’s Window, I wondered? Once I opened your post, my continued curiosity as to the photo’s title influenced where my eyes travelled from there. I love the twisted limbs of the trees but I don’t see anything foreboding in the tree limbs or the mood of the photo (as the title would suggest - yes, I’m quite stuck on the title). I continued to look for clues regarding the title, but had to stop myself after a bit and focus on enjoying the image .
I started looking at other parts of the image closer: the beautiful trees gently lit through the “window.” At one point, I wondered what it might look like cropped from the top into a panoramic perspective, but then changed my mind. I really like this image and am drawn into it. It is captivating.
Those are just a few ramblings from a beginner.
Kelly
PS: I really look forward to learning why it is called “Witch’s Window.”
I am back again as I never clicked on the blurred section in your post, and when I read @Tom_Nevesely’s post and realized you used a 9mm lens, my first question was what camera? Is it a full-frame sensor or a cropped frame? If cropped, then what is the equivalent focal length, because 9 mm seems ridiculously wide, like @Tom_Nevesely I can’t even wrap my head around what a 9mm view angle would be.
I also had a second question. Is the large foreground tree one tree or two trees? With the trunk leaning left in front of the trunk leaning right?
It is a magical image, maybe that is why you titled it Witch’s Window as it is casting a spell on the viewers.
Initial reaction - Wow, I’ve got to see more! I think that is a reaction each of us desire from an audience, and this image has that in spades. Very nicely done, Markus!
Drop dead gorgeous, I am a huge fan of this shot, love the light which is just superb and happily it is matched by your imaginative and creative compositional choice. I have always wanted to visit this place for a long time, this shot more than reinforces that thought.
I tried putting some more fog on the branches in order to strengthen the separation.
