Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: MattNQ on May 01, 2014, 12:38:17 am

Title: Pandanus
Post by: MattNQ on May 01, 2014, 12:38:17 am

Pandanus trees always looks like they escaped from a Dr Suess book.
(http://mattlarsen.smugmug.com/MonochromeMagic/Infrared/i-p5kfS4v/0/L/P4230771_edit%20%20mod1t-L.jpg)

Title: Re: Pandanus
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on May 01, 2014, 03:49:32 am

It doesn't work for me. It's a shot of some steps, with the trees being lost against the dramatic sky.

Jeremy

Title: Re: Pandanus
Post by: MattNQ on May 01, 2014, 10:20:46 am

Thanks Jeremy,

They do get a bit lost. I tried a few different composition with those stairs, but I think I failed to get anything to really match what was in my head

Here's a couple of shots sans-stairs . I have possibly lost the plot on all three. ::)


(http://mattlarsen.smugmug.com/MonochromeMagic/Infrared/i-zBC4kzg/0/L/P4230903_edit%20mod2-L.jpg)

(http://mattlarsen.smugmug.com/MonochromeMagic/Infrared/i-G3rs7KX/0/L/P4230877_edit-L.jpg)

Title: Re: Pandanus
Post by: RSL on May 01, 2014, 10:23:12 am

I'm with Jeremy, Matt.

Title: Re: Pandanus
Post by: PeterAit on May 01, 2014, 10:29:42 am

I tend to agree with Kikashi. If the tree along the left edge were not there it would be a lot better, but I don't suppose you could have cut it down! The sky is a bit over-dramatic, IMO. Just because you CAN get a sky that looks like the wrath of god does not mean you SHOULD!

Title: Re: Pandanus
Post by: MattNQ on May 01, 2014, 10:40:24 am

Thanks Russ & Peter. Appreciate your feedback.

I do have some images I haven't got to yet. Might start again with less heavy-handed pp. 

I am perhaps a little too partial to a 'Wrath of God' sky  ;D

Title: Re: Pandanus
Post by: RSL on May 01, 2014, 11:22:03 am

I love wrath of God skies too, Matt, but I don't think they work well with closeups. You need some space for them to work. Here's an example. I don't want to grab your thread, so if you don't want this here, let me know and I'll dump it. I've overdone it more than a little bit just to make the point.

Title: Re: Re: Re: Pandanus
Post by: MattNQ on May 01, 2014, 05:27:14 pm

Quote from: RSL on May 01, 2014, 11:22:03 am

I love wrath of God skies too, Matt, but I don't think they work well with closeups. You need some space for them to work. Here's an example. I don't want to grab your thread, so if you don't want this here, let me know and I'll dump it. I've overdone it more than a little bit just to make the point.

Thanks Russ. Happy to have this here - I am here to learn. I guess the trick with these type of landscapes  is to approach it more like a portrait (of which I have done very few) - choosing (and process to suit) a  background that doesn't try to compete with the subject.