Wading up the Virgin River a couple of weeks ago in Zion looking critically for a unique comp. Morning light briefly illuminated this (maple?) tree. Decided to minimize distractions of the river and surroundings and shot a long lens to draw attention to the color.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
Please highlight anything that stands out to you in post. More specifically, does sharpening look appropriate?
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
Please provide feedback on composition - critical is welcome please.
Any pertinent technical details:
Sony A7R II | Sony G FE 100 - 400 | f6.3 | 1/50th | 104mm
This is a real beauty, nicely seen and captured. I love the way the red tree is somewhat dark, surrounded by shadow and the contrasting greenery. My only nit is the white flowers in front, which pull my eye away but perhaps could be burned down some. They do add interest to the image, so I wouldn’t want to take them out all together. I also like the red rocks on the cliff. It’s not easy, in my experience to take good exposures of red trees, so this is a winner.
Great colors and comp. I agree with Kathy that the white flowers in front tend to pull my eye away from the focus of the tree. I would take down the highlights in them slightly. The only other suggestion I have is to take down the sharpening in the background trees to me they pop just a little too much and take me away from the trees in the front.
I think there are some fine elements in this picture but my feeling is you haven’t yet eliminated everything that the picture isn’t about. For me, this image is about the red tree and light hitting the ground below. You have a terrific dark background behind the tree, which compliments and highlights the red. But I think there is too much other stuff, as nice as it is, that doesn’t add anything and, in my estimation, detracts. I would try a much tighter crop from the left, right and particularly below to really focus on the core of what this image is all about.
@Kerry_Gordon, thank you! Appreciate the honest feedback. I shot 3 - 4 other images very similar to what you and others had suggested in your feedback. Will take a shot at one as an alternative. I intentionally decided to draw the eye to the low right so that it would move the viewer up through the image. Feedback is helpful.
I actually think the trees on the right and left sides along with the brush along the bottom do a wonderful job of funneling the viewer to the red maple. The image does look a little crunchy so it may be a bit over sharpened. My only other suggestion would be to tone down the highlights along the bottom a bit. Really beautiful image, George.
Wonderful capture of this colorful tree. I really like this as captured/presented. I’m with Kathy and Ed about toning down the highlights along the bush at the bottom. I think the bush at the bottom works great in framing and presenting the main red tree, but is a bit too bright and pulls the eye.
Sharpening looks pretty good, although it’s hard to tell at this size. Contrast is ever so slightly heavy.
George, I really like the composition here, it helps to emphasize the spot lighting effect you were going for. The color on the red maple tree also looks great. As others have mentioned, the hot spots on the foreground bush could be darkened. As Lon mentioned, the contrast level is slightly heavy, especially in the foreground. As an alternative to burning down the white bush, you might want to consider a square crop, where eliminate the foreground bushes. To me this would place even more emphasis on the spot lit tree.
Incorporated much of the feedback provided. Thanks again all. Side by side of the two versions. Version 1: original; Version 2: with feedback incorporated. Welcome anything additional or final preference for version 1 / 2.
