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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 93 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hi Michael, I appreciate how you didn't present the traditional/overdone curve in the river at Deadhorse. Instead you have shown a more unique view. I love the texture in the horizontal lines. This is something that I don't normally see from this spot. The way the rising sun's light casts itself gives your image a gritty feel that I think adds to its uniqueness. The Southwest has a harsh environment and you captured it well. |
Mar 20th |
| 93 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hey there Paul, nice going here. Your clouds are spectacular! I also like the mist presented in the right side of your frame. These proved mood and drama. Your composition is good too. What works nicely here is the relationship between the rock embankment of the left and debris pile on the lower right. They form a path for my eyes to travel up and onto the trees and mountain.
You are really coming along. |
Mar 20th |
2 comments - 0 replies for Group 93
|
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hands down, this is my favorite image of yours that I've seen so far. I love the visual motion presented in your picture. The forefront buildings curve off to the left in such a pleasing way. And who can argue with your color palette? The orange/pink and blues complement each other very well. It has a pastel feel. The green trees complete it nicely. As I've said before, I love the way you see. I look forward to future images you submit. |
Mar 20th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hi Gerard, I held back on commenting on your photo. At first view, it felt highly busy. But as I always preach to my fellow photo Club members, 'have an open mind'. I had the feeling this would grow on me. So I waited.
After many viewings, I fell in love with your photo. It is a very profound image. As described in your title, you presented the concept of, 'The Rule of Odds'. This is where you have an odd number of elements present in your visual story: The plant, houses and graveyard. In my opinion, this is brilliant. You portray the harshness very well too. It has a gritty, hard life quality that adds to the story. And the muted flavor of your tones add to that.
At first I thought your framing was too tight. It felt visually contrictive. But, again, after several views, this is the way it's supposed to be. It's a constrictive way of like. Making it more open and with vivid colors would contradict everything this image is about.
In my opinion, this is National Geographic level photography. |
Mar 20th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hi Dale, the colors of the trees are very pleasing and project a positive feeling, especially against the complementary color of the grass. Your sky is not blow out. Otherwize the whole mood would be different. Your intent with the leading lines of the trees work nicely. The sweeping tree branches with their vibrant color all point to the left and make for a well balanced composition.
To answer your question, I'm afraid that I will probably be in the minority. I feel the peaceful mood would be enhanced if the photo didn't have the human element present. It's the park benches and little garden border that is most distracting to me. The ladies walking tell a nice story, but I don't think it would hurt your photo if they were removed. Moreover, this is only my opinion, based on how I see the world. It's your photo that represents how you see. People make art based on their own life experiences and outlook. This is what makes looking at each others images exciting. I am always told, "Go with what works for you." Regardless, it's a wonderful image. |
Mar 7th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
From my point of view, this is perfect, Robert. Your composition with the S-curve, your choice of color and the darkened tone is very pleasing. There's not much more to ask for in a well conceived image, regardless of how you saw it in your mind before capture. All of us, I'm sure, can relate well to having an image in mind and never really being able to reach it. But as presented here, it is fabulous.
I love how three corners go into complete darkness and how the sand ripples on the right radiate away from the highlighted dune crest on your upper right third. Then a lesser highlight is found on the lower left third. These are perfectly placed power points that interact with each other brilliantly. Personally, the abstract form and magenta color appeals to me.
A critique isn't always about pointing out flaws in an image. It is also a way to let the image maker know that they are on the right track. I've said it before, Robert, you are a true artist.
One side note: Do you regularly calibrate your monitor? From your description, it sounded like you guess on the brightness and contrast based on how you might think others are viewing your photos. Although a lot of people have their monitor's and mobile devices too bright, many don't. Some have them too dark. It's impossible to predict what the average display is set at. I believe if we have properly calibrated displays, our images will look good to an average amount of people and our prints will look as accurate as they can. |
Mar 7th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I thought of the tilted trees too, but chose not to dwell on it in my review. I shoot at 16mm a lot and have to fight tilted trees all the time. Try going into PS, make a Layer Stamp (PC: Ctrl/Alt/Shift/E). Select the area with your lasso tool at about 15 soft. Then, Edit>Transform>Warp and move the selection to straighten the trees. A little finesse might be required. Move the little points in the direction you need. Then click the checkmark on top when finished. You might also need to create a mask, or clone, in order to clean up sections. It's actually quite easy if you are comfortable in PS. Good luck. |
Mar 7th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hi Robert, thank you for the nice words. Coming from you it is extremely validating. You brought up a topic that would be an interesting discussion. That is, how much do we say about our images in our descriptions? If I hadn't said anything about my concern that the photo might be overcooked, you wouldn't have thought of it. But instead I influenced you, the viewer, and pointed out a flaw that you might not have seen. I have always been a big believer that an image should speak for itself. But in a critique setting where we are essentially seeking help, knowing the image maker's thoughts and concerns often makes for better images. Anyway, thanks for your wisdom. I learn a lot from your comments and from the images you show. |
Mar 7th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Yes, Cheryl, Paul is right. This is an absolutely terrific image. The day Dale posted this, I instantly saw yours and had to look at it for a long time. Your B&W rendering is spot on. I particularly like how you gave your whites a distinctive silver effect. (I guess that's why NIK calls their B&W module Silver Efex Pro.) Your whites really make your image pop nicely. For your capture, you caught the dappled light very well. Random points of light illuminating various areas in your scene is very striking. Your Blacks, especially on the right hillside are nice and deep. I would like to see the same deep blacks on the left to give your composition some balance. The clouds and big sky effect give your image scale. Many people on the internet who think they are The Photographic Trend Setters are saying shots with lots of skies make images feel too "weighty". I don't necessarily agree because every image has it own story. But the sky in your photo creates a powerful mood. Like Paul said, yours is worthy of display and I look forward to seeing more of your B&W work. |
Mar 5th |
| 96 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Thank you, Paul. Actually this is not from Yellowstone. It's about an hour up the road from where I live. |
Mar 5th |
7 comments - 1 reply for Group 96
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9 comments - 1 reply Total
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