Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: JeffKohn on September 23, 2009, 07:47:21 pm
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These images are almost a year old, but I just now finally got around to working on them. Last November I went up to Longview and made arrangements to go out on Caddo Lake for both sunset and sunrise. I had hoped to catch some remnants of fall color, but when I got there it was obvious I was a couple of weeks late. I was also plagued with boring blue skies, and knew pretty much as I was shooting that the images out on the open part of the lake were going to be a bust. But trawling through the back-channels during the latest (and earliest) parts of the day, we did have some interesting light; and I hoped there would be something salvageable from the trip.
When I got home I shelved the Caddo images of favor of other more promising stuff, meaning to come back to them at some later date. But I never seemed to get around to it, and kept putting them off. Finally this week I decided to take a look. Without the fresh disappointment of not getting the images I originally hoped for, I found there were some possibly interesting images, even if they were different in style from what I first wanted. I still want to catch the peak colors there someday though...
Critiques and feedback welcome, as always. Click any image for PBase page with EXIF/lens info. There are some more images in the gallery here (http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/2008_11_caddo)
Caddo Lake Cypress #1
(http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625254/original.jpg) (http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625254/original)
Caddo Lake Cypress #2
(http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625258/original.jpg) (http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625258/original)
Caddo Lake Cypress #5
(http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625262/original.jpg) (http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625262/original)
Caddo Lake Cypress #8
(http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625265/original.jpg) (http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/image/117625265/original)
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You certainly had some great light! I like the mood you captured in them all. The high-contrast B&W works well. I think all of them have good compositions. I'd say #2 & 3 are my favorites. I imagine these would look great printed large and mounted on a wall. Nicely done.
By the way, I know what you mean about letting your images sit for a while. It helps you remain objective in your evaluation of your images.
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Ditto here Jeff, I like them all but especially cypress #5.
I also really like the top half of the last one, but I get lost in the bottom half.
Very nice.
Dave
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Funky & spooky..
Crawling with rednecks ?
Beautiful shots..
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I'd say you did more than salvage the trip- you made it a memorable one. Really nice shots, especially the last one.
I'm starting to realize that you consistently post shots that deserve to be seen printed large. They're so crammed with detail that these little jpegs can't keep up. I think links to larger images would really make 'em sing, but I'm sure you, like everyone else (me too) doesn't want to have their images pirated.
Oh well... at least your excellent control of tonality shines through.
John
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Love them, Jeff, especially #2. Beautiful place, and beautiful tonality, and, as one of the posters above said, beautiful multitude of detail. I like the eeriness of #2.
Lisa
P.S. BTW, where was your avatar photo taken? It looks like a lovely place!
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Thanks for the feedback folks, I appreciate it.
John - Large prints are definitely my preferred viewing method. I've been thinking about increasing the resolution of my images online though. It's a balancing act between making them large enough for people to get a good impression of, but not so large that others have to scroll to see them or that they become attractive targets for image theft. I just need to pick a resolution and update my batch script.
Lisa - The avatar shot is from the Columbia River Gorge (http://www.pbase.com/jkohn/2009_oregon_columbia_gorge) in Oregon, specifically Elowah Falls(link may not work at the moment due to PBase problems).
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Me too. My favorites are #5 and #8.
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Jeff: They put me in mind of Clyde Butcher's work, and you can take that as a compliment!
Mike.
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Dark, ill-omened. I esp. like #5 and #8.
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Jeff, That's seriously good black and white.
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Jeff, That's seriously good black and white.
I agree!
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Thanks again guys.
Mike - I love Clyde's stuff from Florida.
By the way, I know what you mean about letting your images sit for a while. It helps you remain objective in your evaluation of your images.
Yeah, I think we've all head the experience of coming home from a shoot and being initially disappointed that the images don't match the experience of being there that's still so fresh in our minds. In this case I had my mind made up about the images even before the initial review, and it really took some time away from them to be able to come back and evaluate them more openly.
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Here's another vote for #2. I like the simplicity of it, and the tonal qualities. All nice, though, especially for a "lost" opportunity.