Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Chris Calohan on December 11, 2012, 09:18:33 pm

Title: Does this work
Post by: Chris Calohan on December 11, 2012, 09:18:33 pm: or am I blowing smoke up my pantaloons?

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8478/8265052965_4310321f2c_o.jpg)
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: aduke on December 11, 2012, 10:55:43 pm: I rather like the lower 3/4 of the image. The light on the leaves is very nice, but the dark branch at the top makes the image top-heavy.

Alan
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: Tony Jay on December 12, 2012, 02:08:13 am: IMHO the idea is excellent and the execution very close to bullseye.
I would just play with slightly different compositions - you are very close to nailing the shot.

Tony Jay
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: PeterAit on December 12, 2012, 10:34:29 am: Doesn't work for me. But, that's not important. Does it work for you? My main suggestion would be to tone down the bright spot at the lower left.
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: amolitor on December 12, 2012, 11:15:39 am: It mostly works, I think. I've shot some things that look quite a bit like this, so I am definitely biased toward this kind of thing.

The one issue I have with it is that the branches are trying to pull me up and left, where there isn't much of anything to look at. Or at any rate, no special center of interest there. So, you pretty much have to love the thing as a whole, not as a little "eye journey". But, basically, I do.
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: wolfnowl on December 14, 2012, 02:17:37 am: Quote from: aduke on December 11, 2012, 10:55:43 pm
I rather like the lower 3/4 of the image. The light on the leaves is very nice, but the dark branch at the top makes the image top-heavy.

Alan

Yes.

Mike.
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: Vladimirovich on December 14, 2012, 02:28:25 am: Quote from: Tony Jay on December 12, 2012, 02:08:13 am
IMHO the idea is excellent
and what is the idea ?
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: RSL on December 14, 2012, 06:07:22 am: Exactly, Vladimir. And, to answer the question: No.
Title: Re: Does this work
Post by: Tony Jay on December 14, 2012, 06:36:07 am: Quote from: Vladimirovich on December 14, 2012, 02:28:25 am
and what is the idea?

The idea is (was) to highlight the textures and shapes of the leaves and branches of this tree using sidelighting or backlighting to create a pleasantly aesthetic result.
I cannot exactly speak for Chris' motivations of course but his treatment of the image points to this.
I see in another thread that he has reworked what seems to be the same base image - like this one he hasn't quite got it right.

BTW my personal approach to critiquing images is not to be too harsh and negative but rather to suggest, and lead, and encourage in those situations where an image may not quite work. In this instance my suggestion was to reshoot different compositions with the same broad goal in mind.
I stand by the thoughts in my original post.

Tony Jay