Your Best Photograph from the Previous Month - Critique and Discussion Encouraged

[DDrake]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm flying to Seattle tomorrow—flight's too short for Nixon in China but I downloaded a few of his other pieces.

Regarding Adams, Robert: for me, it's the sequence of images in those books rather than individual pictures that have the most power. Often, there's only a slight variation from one to the next, the photographer moving just a few steps, one way or the other. It conveys a strong sense of an embodied observer embedded in the landscape, so different from that more famous Adams (Ansel), who seemingly went to great lengths to portray landscapes as untouched and untouchable, seen from a disembodied (even floating) POV.

[DDrake]

Another B/W from Grand Canyon North, Toroweep area. BW conversion from Provia100F. 4x5, 90mm Schneider Super Angulon F/5.6@f/32.

Hi Steven,
Your razor sharp focus and DOF tends to keep the middle ground on the same plane as the foreground. Atmospheric perspective and the softness of the clouds creates a nice backdrop—however, the sense of space would be even greater if there was a clearly separated middle layer. Obviously, the arched log is a portal and a frame, but most of what's within the arch (with the exception of the far canyon wall/mesa) is pretty much the same as what's outside the frame. Plus the dark tree (juniper?) on the right blocks the path to the far mesa.

Granted, for those of us who don't have the luxury of canyon lands right next door, there's plenty in the image to explore (the variety of plant forms alone is fantastic). The tonal range is nice, and I envy the crisp focus (still working on that).

Not sure about the cool (cold, really) rendering. I would expect a warmer tone, given the vegetation and the usually yellow character of light in arid places.

[Corran]

Obviously, the arched log is a portal and a frame, but most of what's within the arch (with the exception of the far canyon wall/mesa) is pretty much the same as what's outside the frame.

That's immediately what I was thinking. Get closer and use the tree more directly to frame something. the end of the tree on the right is interesting and could be its own photo, or anchor the photo as a dynamic textured foreground

[Steven Ruttenberg]

You are correct in the arch being the portal or gateway. I was low to the ground and used some tilt and rise/fall to to create tge path into the arch. I was waiting for clouds to hide the sun which was a pain.

I am going back this fall and hopefully the arch is still present. As for cool, it is what I prefer, but slightly warm can work. This was taken early September last year. I am also not a fan of the tree in the arch between line of sight and back canyon wall. I will definitely work it as I will be there for a week.

June 28 I go to South rim for a week then end of July a week to North rim tgen labor day Monument Valley I hope for a weekend. Fall colors in Colorado and wherever else I can get to.

All this critique is helping to prepare.

[CreationBear]

Get closer and use the tree more directly to frame something.

I'll demur--I think the charm of this photo is that it's an "intimate landscape," with the downed tree sharing the stage with the manzanita and exposed strata a bit like a museum diorama. Or movie-set--though Kubrick's australopithecines seem to have wandered off for a smoke.

Otherwise, a strong piece of work to my eyes, with the 5x7 aspect ratio being well chosen.

[Peter De Smidt]

On my monitor, it looks a bit over-sharpened. There's halos around edges.

[Corran]

I'll demur--I think the charm of this photo is that it's an "intimate landscape," with the downed tree sharing the stage with the manzanita and exposed strata a bit like a museum diorama.

I remember hiking part of the Ironwood National Monument and being overwhelmed by all the manzanita and trying to figure out compositions. I'd still like to see a bit more interest under the arch, perhaps just that tree to the right. Certainly a challenging area.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

On my monitor, it looks a bit over-sharpened. There's halos around edges.

That is possible. Sometimes Ioss those, but a lot of times the sharp differences in a gray sky and areas with sharp lines are just that way. But I will certainly revisit that aspect. Sometimes when I use Silverefxpro2 for the final edits it can be easy to over do it.

[Bernice Loui]

Use any critique with extreme caution as it can stunt or alter (not in good ways) development of your individual creative image-making style.

Many decades ago one of my classical guitar teachers would not allow me to listen to any recordings of a piece of music that was being learned and worked on. He said listening to a recording at that point could easily alter my own interpretation of that piece of musical work. He proved to be absolutely correct.

*Learn the fundamental techniques (aka "rules" of composition, effects of tonality and contrast on any given image and all that) then begin to apply these elements to form the into your personal style and "vision" of what any given finished print might be.

As for Digital process sharpening and such. There was a print sharing event some years ago with a local group of LF folks, one of the artist shared a print with me, asked him if this print was digitally sharpened. His reply was yes, the image was made at f90, then sharpened in software. My comment as it looked digital and artificial.


Bernice

All this critique is helping to prepare.

[Peter De Smidt]

It also can lead to growth. It _can_ do a lot of things. 'Can' is a very weak word. You can win the lottery. How likely is that?