The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I can never resist backlighting in fall. It’s magic. It makes you feel like you’re surrounded by stained glass or Christmas ornaments. Such vibrant color and it’s so alive. My favorite time of year is when some plants are still green while others change before dropping their leaves. This segment of the IAT is not a popular one and so I headed there thinking I’d be basically alone and I nearly was. I met two women hiking the other way. It was nice to chat, but then we parted and again it felt much more remote than it really is.
Specific Feedback
Thoughts on the balance of the composition and the luminosity. Dappled direct sun is tough and I think I have it dialed in, but who knows.
Technical Details
Handheld w/CPL rotated for a mix of color intensity and a bit of shine - used 16:9 cropping ratio in camera and adjusted slightly in post (the Lumix gives you the whole frame, but shows the in camera crop at first)
Lr for everything including global and local adjustments to balance the luminosity to more closely match what your eye sees. Added a bit of texture and vibrance. Some transform to make the trees appear more natural. Also played with luminance and saturation in the HSL panel.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Kris, this looks very inviting with its warm, early fall colors. Between the shadows and the framing there’s a strong sense of depth. There’s a stong sense of “looking down”, while that is important for the sense of depth, I wonder if you tried any lower camera angles and how that would compare.
Thanks @Mark_Seaver - depth is part of what I was going for, but going lower basically took the trail out of the shot and that lessened the depth effect as you might imagine. Plus it added too much sky peeking through the trees which are a lot more bare now. I’m planning to hit another couple of trails next week and will see if a lower angle trail shot can be done well. Maybe if it’s hilly, which it is down where I’m thinking to go.
Hello Kris, I really like the way you captured the depth and the varying hues. It could be my bias but the main subject to me seems to be the trees in the distance. With that in mind, I would consider moving the camera angle up to have less of the foreground in the image. Like you, I also love how you captured the backlit scene!
Thanks @Bill_Bomberry - I appreciate the insight and will see if I can make a lower angle work to include more trees if the sky doesn’t become an issue. I’ve done it in years past so probably can do it again. Maybe in a few days if the weather holds.
I would be going nuts in a gorgeous forest like this, not being able to decide on compositions! This one works with the amount of ground because of the lovely shadows. My only (very small) nit is with the brightness of the highlight left of the trail and towards the bottom, which pulls my eye a bit. I would be tempted to “pick up” the slim bright stick toward the left.
Hope I get to see much more of your gorgeous forests as the season progresses!
Thanks @Diane_Miller - I will try to get out again later this week. I was’t sure about that branch on the left, but kept it since I felt it balanced the green of the sapling opposite. Maybe it doesn’t.
