Critique for my 4x5 landscape photos

[kuparikettu]

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to advance my landscape photography (esp. LF) shooting skills this summer. I'm still somewhat beginner, both in LF and landscape photography -- I have less than three years (and 30 exposed sheets) of experience shooting LF.

Thus I'd appreciate it if you could offer some comments, insight and critique on the following photos I have taken in June and July (click to see them larger in Flickr):

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/382/19557328749_2563f14c8c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vNdqtg)
A Breeze from the Lake (https://flic.kr/p/vNdqtg) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/477/19803156710_899d38b55f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/waWmyo)
Landing Strip (https://flic.kr/p/waWmyo) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/265/19996361801_91d83f48e6.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/wt1zGD)
Fields of Mist (https://flic.kr/p/wt1zGD) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/380/19803156370_c4b9b192c6.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/waWmsw)
Longing Embrace (https://flic.kr/p/waWmsw) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

[Jim Becia]

Heikki,

They all are well exposed and well composed. If I had any critique to offer and it really is not a critique, it would be on #3, I just happen to dislike the power lines, but there is really not much one can do about it. Otherwise they are very nice pastoral and woodland images.

[Bruce Barlow]

Power engineers at electric companies are all frustrated photographers, intent on ruining good compositions by placing lines in precisely the wrong locations.

[kuparikettu]

I guess the next step for me is buying the book "Photoshopping Power Lines Away for Dummies" ;)

[Bruce Barlow]

My son tells me it's actually pretty easy, but don't ask ME to explain it...

Can someone enlighten us?

[vinny]

The top half of the first one looks like you over-used a grad filter or something else. The trunks are darker as they go up, the opposite of what I'd expect.
The foreground in the last three isn't very interesting and those shots would make good panos if the foreground was cropped out.

[Jim Jones]

Certainly the foreground in the last one could be cropped some. The foreground in the 2nd and 3rd does add to the sense of location. The second one feels tilted.

[kuparikettu]

Thanks Vinny!

The first photo has seen some "photoshopping" with an added vignette to make eye focus in the middle of the photo. I wasn't too happy with the original so that photo has been worked most.

As for the rest, I'll try cropping. It's just so hard decision when one is infatuated with having those sharp, in focus plants in the foreground. ;)

[kuparikettu]

Here's the new version of #4: I cropped it and cleaned the power lines (not difficult, just tedious...). Certainly looks better! Thanks :)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/403/19979978726_7fe095bbf0.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/wryBzQ)
Longing Embrace (final version) (https://flic.kr/p/wryBzQ) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

[Alan Gales]

There is an old saying in photography. If your image isn't working then get closer which is essentially what you ended up doing by cropping the last photograph.

This saying has probably helped my photography more than any other. :)

[kuparikettu]

There is an old saying in photography. If your image isn't working then get closer which is essentially what you ended up doing by cropping the last photograph.

This saying has probably helped my photography more than any other. :)

Yeah, you are right. I thought about it when I was there -- but as I didn't have rubber boots I hesitated to go and see if I would be able to attract some mites.

I guess good rubber boots should be the next object for my GAS... :rolleyes:

[Deval]

I think you're off to a great start. If you are looking for things for critique, in the second picture, even though there are few yellow flowers, the foreground isn't as strong as the mid and background. I might have tried an alternative composition at a different time a day with the midground as the foreground, the vertical field as the midground and the sky as the background. If the possibility exists(as in you live near these scenes), I'd revisit at different times of day to see if light can help you a bit more.

I really look forward to seeing more of your work.

[Alan Gales]

I agree with Deval. You are off to a good start!

[Michael E]

The first image does nothing particularly wrong - but nothing really right either. It's a bit indecisive. But I couldn't tell you how to improve it...

The second image is strongly tilted clockwise. The change in perspective from foreground to background (looking vertically down vs. looking horizontally) is very confusing for me. I would have reduced the foreground and given more space to the clouds.

The third and fourth image are well seen and well composed images with great colors. Congratulations! I would even leave the power lines. They keep the image from becoming too sweet.

Keep up the good work!

Michael

[sun of sand]

Successful thread

[richardman]

Critiques?...

Find images that you like, compare them to your own. Which set do you like better? and why?

Then make more of that.

[kuparikettu]

Many thanks everyone for your advice and your kind words! I'll try to put all of that into practice when I have the next opportunity to load my holders and expose some 4x5s :)

[redshift]

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to advance my landscape photography (esp. LF) shooting skills this summer. I'm still somewhat beginner, both in LF and landscape photography -- I have less than three years (and 30 exposed sheets) of experience shooting LF.

Thus I'd appreciate it if you could offer some comments, insight and critique on the following photos I have taken in June and July (click to see them larger in Flickr):

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/382/19557328749_2563f14c8c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vNdqtg)
A Breeze from the Lake (https://flic.kr/p/vNdqtg) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/477/19803156710_899d38b55f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/waWmyo)
Landing Strip (https://flic.kr/p/waWmyo) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/265/19996361801_91d83f48e6.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/wt1zGD)
Fields of Mist (https://flic.kr/p/wt1zGD) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/380/19803156370_c4b9b192c6.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/waWmsw)
Longing Embrace (https://flic.kr/p/waWmsw) by Heikki Repo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50301855@N06/), on Flickr

I think the first shot is great, I'm drawn into the photo. Maybe it could be cropped a little to avoid tripping the eye on the log across the path.

Landing strip bothers me a little. The foreground diagonal lines lead me out of the picture and the horizon is off.

There is an excellent photo in Fields of Mist. I would do a vertical composition with the bottom right corner starting in the area of darker green foreground bushes.The slight diagonal of the remaining foreground bushes would provide great depth perception without blocking entry into the photo. This same slight diagonal would lead nicely to the tire track and then to the solo trees at the edge of the mist. I think that would make a very compelling landscape, I'd be drawn across a room to look at that.

Longing works for me in the original and in your cropped version. I think there is also a very compelling crop, again vertical starting about a third of the way up the right side, just below the darker clump of grass. The left edge of the crop could be a little left of the largest white flower head in the very center of the original shot putting the half dead tree in a sweet spot.

For me, the best attribute of these images is their ability to be compelling in black and white. The light, contrast, and composition will survive very well without color. I think they would be "fine art" if cropped and printed well in B&W. Try separating the color channels in Photoshop to see what I mean.

[Vaughn]

Over-all, I would suggest allowing atmospheric distance to give your images a feeling of distance, and depth to the image. If you are using a graduated filter, consider backing off a little in its use.

Looking good!