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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hi Viren. I think this is well composed and shot. I don't see much in terms of technical improvements to be made. You have pretty well nailed the symmetry in this one, which I find not easy to do in architectural shots such as this.
I wonder what look or feeling you were going for in the shot? To me it is a little dark, which gives it a bit of a gloomy feel. I think the lack of more active human element (e.g., a bustle of people moving about) adds to that feel. I know you mentioned the parked cars, but I think without them that the image would feel somewhat clinical. I guess at the end of the day I am saying I currently don't get a strong emotional feel from the image. I think that could be changed but you would have to decide what direction to take things. |
Sep 17th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hi Dan. Time stands still … but I guess, sadly, it does not if you are moving on from the group. I am sorry to hear that. I've considered your comments & suggestions, as well as your images, of great value in helping me grow as a photographer.
This one is another classic. Form and color coming together in a way that is difficult to articulate but signature to your style. Your subject here of the sea and shore is perhaps one of the most ever changing. But you've allowed us to pause that, as I think you must have in being there, and enjoy all that that particular moment in time allows. Perhaps there is a much greater message in that.
If you are indeed leaving, you will be missed. I hope that photography continues to fill your heart as your images and wisdom has done for us here.
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Sep 16th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hi Gloria. This is indeed an interesting find; I am not sure I have ever seen such an invisible horizon without there being so much fog you could not see anything. The clarity of the boat and piece of shore with the seamless blend of sky and water gives it a very magical sort of feel.
I agree with other folks on the boat orientation and the closeness to the edge. But I have a different take. Even after fixing that, I think there is a problem in that the scene is so binary with the boat and land/lighthouse that I find my eye bouncing back and forth with nowhere to rest. The two compete with each other. I'd vote for an even more minimalistic version where the boat is eliminated altogether. I think that further allows one to appreciate the uniqueness of the seemless sky / water interface. And I find the lighthouse beautiful and interesting by itself with the warm light coming in from the right side. Just another opinion.
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Sep 16th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Thanks Gloria. Yes, I believe words accompanying the photo help a lot. But I think the pinnacle achievement so to speak is being able to communicate the story without the prose. Certainly a work in progress for me.
I agree with you that some crop could help. Looking at the print I made which is sitting with a mat frame over it, I'm realizing the mat is covering part of the right edge (outside of the big tree). I think even that amount of crop makes a big difference. |
Sep 16th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hi Ye. This looks like a very beautiful spot to enjoy an evening, as well as take a photo or two. The image you captured showcases well the warm orange of the lights and building against the cool deep blue of the post sunset sky. I particularly like the reflections of the lights in the water. I would love to see more of that perhaps at the expense of negative space at the top. I am also a big fan of sun stars, and you have the beginnings of nice ones on the bridge lights. Stopping down might bring those out more, albeit at the expense of an even longer exposure. Looking at the image full res there does seem to be some noise and quantization "banding" going on in the sky. You have room to smooth that out in post processing without loosing anything. Finally, I find myself more interested in the bridge than the building structures, perhaps because the bridge and lighting is simpler and more repetitive in structure. But it leaves the frame and draws me out of the image on the right. Perhaps there could be a different composition more focused on the bridge? Just a thought if this is a spot you frequent. |
Sep 14th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Thanks Dan. I admit I am still working to unpack all your comments. Having now read "More than a Rock" I appreciate Tal's view (which I believe I am not assuming too much to conclude you strongly share) that personal expression trumps pretty much all else. Of course, the "anti-Tal" part of me is still reading between your lines looking for the review.
I don't really feel competent to paraphrase Tal's position, and doing so anyways I will surely overstate it. But he and others seem to convey an either-or debate. At one end all that matters is one's own view; that is the personal expression rules end. At the other end, what matters is the opinion of others; that is the beholden to Instagram likes and dislikes end. Of the two options, I agree with Tal that the place to be is the former - the masses be damned, make images that make your own heart sing. But that might not be the right end for the beginning novice. Knowing little, it is perhaps far more important to receive the feedback of external reviews - even ones (e.g., Instagram) which might not be particularly enlightened.
The real problem then is for neither the master with the experience, confidence, etc. to listen only to their own heart, nor the novice who is better served integrating and averaging the opinions of others as they rapidly learn. The real problem - the one with which I struggle practically and philosophically - is the in-between. The middle is messy. How much do you trust your heart? How much do you listen to others? Do you work only where you can satisfy both? What is the path to get better most rapidly? What does getting better even mean?
I don't know if this is the best or even an appropriate forum for such philosophical discussions. But I feel such discussion is important to my growth as a photographer. So I appreciate you opening the can of worms and letting me at least frame the problem.
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Sep 13th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hi Hara. Thank you for the comments which are very helpful. I am curious on the first point - that your eyes go to the branches - which ones is that? Is it the branches on the far right edge? Or somewhere else?
On your second point, I did play around with a softer look, but it quickly seemed like it was looking "out of focus". Maybe I pushed too hard with the softness as it were. But your point that there is not enough differentiation with the rest of the frame is well taken. I am wondering if I can maybe warm it up (or cool the rest down) to try to otherwise get the separation. I will experiment.
I love your third point, which I think is saying that the small window may feel hopeful, but that it is overwhelmed by the dark gloomy feeling which surrounds - particularly the large tree. EXACTLY! That is what I am after. The foreground is the gloomy real world, while the door through to the magic world shows a glimpse of hope. The two are in tension. The fact that overall it comes out "gloomy" further emphasizes how hard it is to find that small way through to the magical land. You've given me hope that it might actually be possible to convey such a complex message and have some people hear it. THANK YOU!
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Sep 13th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Thanks Bob. I printed this one before posting, and of course had to adjust a bit for the print. The net result was that the print end up a little darker (the foreground) - not quite as far as you've gone, but a bit. I like that better, and I think that helps focus the viewer (my eye at least) through the "door".
I don't know what a Diamond gradient is. I will have to look that one up.
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Sep 13th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hi Haru. I think my compositional comments would be similar to Dan's, that overall it is busy, or at least the front portion is. I love the layered hills and tonality there. I also love the small isolated tree and reflection in the lower left - it has a truly beautiful form. I don't think the bright ice is problematic since you can just darken it down. Interestingly my eye does not really go or settle there but to the high peak in the upper right, perhaps because of the bright snow, but also I think because that area is not as busy. The "busy" aspect comes from the rest of the trees.
So, is there a way to simplify (other than get that drone)? To me the isolated tree in the lower left is the star of the show. All else is supporting. So what about a long pano crop with the top edge just excluding the ice? It could preserve the mountain, but more subtly through its reflection. It also is interesting and draws attention to the "star" tree in that that is the only thing presented as much more than a reflection. Sorry, I'd show you what I mean but I am not in front of Lightroom right now.
I think you are choosing some challenging scenes of late, and I think that is great. I don't know that I am any more successful at such complex scenes than you. I don't know what your thought process is when confronted with a complex scene, but I will offer that I sometimes try to very deliberately make a mental list of the things I like about the scene, and then force myself to understand what I like most among them. The challenge is then to focus on that element and exclude or minimize the rest - that is often hard because I want it all, but that rarely works.
Keep the faith. My experience is also that progress is not often linear. We struggle and then all of a sudden there is a breakthrough. I will say I look forward to seeing your new image each month.
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Sep 10th |
| 96 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hi Bob. I like the lighting and the colors that you've found in this image. There is a strong contrast between the greens of the foliage and reds of the desert rock and ground. But I don't think there is a strong focus in this composition, and my eye wanders around quite a bit without a clear place to rest. I am also pulled to the cliff on the left because it is large and bright, but I don't think it is really the subject.
To emphasize the jeep paths more, which seems to be your focus from your comments, I would try cropping the left - most or all of the cliff, and then try cropping further from the top and or bottom. I think that tightens in on the curved paths making them more the subject, and simplifies things overall. Again, with beautiful colors and the soft light that bring them out, I think it is worth playing further with the tighter compositions. Sounds like it was a very memorable trip. |
Sep 5th |
6 comments - 4 replies for Group 96
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6 comments - 4 replies Total
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