I love this picture, to the point I want to print it, but I don’t like it. I can’t pinpoint…
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Love - Hate situation…
- Thread starter JoelKlein
- Start date
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It's a nice scene, but the bright highlights and overall contrasty lighting is a bit difficult. You might try doing some highlight recovery and maybe a bit of vignette(edge burn) to see if you can tone down some of the brightest highlights. The bright leaves near the center and especially the very bright foliage in the upper left are a bit distracting to my eyes and detract from the tranquility of the scene. The reflections are nice.
MikePDX
Active member
Here is a thought. Take it for what it is worth. Is it possible you like a part of the image and are conflicted about the whole? Being fairly new to this forum, I don't know if it is appropriate to modify your image. But since it is in the critique forum, I gave it a try.
What I saw was a different picture entirely - the interaction of the plants in the water with their reflection. So I did a quick crop to see what it would look like. There would still be work to do on this version, but you get the idea.
What I saw was a different picture entirely - the interaction of the plants in the water with their reflection. So I did a quick crop to see what it would look like. There would still be work to do on this version, but you get the idea.
My thoughts exactly. However, if it was me, I would bring down the exposure on the bright leaves top center. It looks blown out to my eye.
Wow, that is a great idea.
I got confused with the hanging stuff on both sides.
Now I see, it’s lacking DOF, f/2.8.
The shutter is higher because I was in slow moving pontoon boat.
This is on Blue Cypress Lake
John Navitsky
Well-known member
alternately, BALANCE the hanging stuff. that is to say, crop off a bit on the right so it matches the stuff on the left
There are 2 NEFs I'm stuck with.
Feel free to experiment.
Let's see what we can come up with.
Feel free to experiment.
Let's see what we can come up with.
MikePDX
Active member
Here is my take on the first one. I want to emphasize here that this is simply my impression. We all see different things in a photo and there is no absolute right or wrong answer. You may not like this at all - that's OK. I'm just showing a different way of approaching the image.
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I see the idea, keeping the background darker.
I actually like it! I didn’t think of that approach, because I liked the idea of seeing the background expanding deeper.
What I’m learning from you, is to pick a main subject and stick to it, then make everything around compliment and blend in. Now the front main elements pop.
This would be a good candidate to printed on metal.
Question is if I should choose semi gloss or high gloss.
Winston Churchill (Sir)
Well-known member
The original you posted will make a great mural. Which is different to a smaller print.
MikePDX
Active member
Here is a quick take on your other image using the same thought pattern. I'm not sure it works quite as well in this example. I would love to have seen more of the reflection in this one.
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Which original post?
How big of a size would you suggest?
Winston Churchill (Sir)
Well-known member
This full size image. Not for a normal print - but for a mural - as you would get in a restaurant or such - then it is a background image to a room
I also do like the crops others did for normal prints.
I processed this entirely in NX.
My idea was to edit like shooting with a prime lens vs using a zoom which is working differently with the brain. I don’t have access to masks.
I asked my brain what it wants…
My brain said:
I like the overwhelming scene as I saw it, the eyes can wonder around from the left highlighted to the front right out of focus, which creates a 3D effect, then to the front bunch of leaves, then to side bunch, then to the back, then farther back into the trees, then up the back trees.
I could be totally off, I’m sharing this discussion to gain clarity. Because landscapes with water is tricky to learn the skill, I can learn more techniques and knowledge.
My idea was to edit like shooting with a prime lens vs using a zoom which is working differently with the brain. I don’t have access to masks.
I asked my brain what it wants…
My brain said:
I like the overwhelming scene as I saw it, the eyes can wonder around from the left highlighted to the front right out of focus, which creates a 3D effect, then to the front bunch of leaves, then to side bunch, then to the back, then farther back into the trees, then up the back trees.
I could be totally off, I’m sharing this discussion to gain clarity. Because landscapes with water is tricky to learn the skill, I can learn more techniques and knowledge.
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hef19898
Well-known member
Personally, I think the hanging branches on the right are a bit distracting. That would work, of there were similar branches on the top, framing the water plants in the middle. The crops focusing on the center work great, and having a ton of pixels to play with allows you to do so.
One other things, but that might be my screen, the picture is a tad too over saturated for my personal taste. Nothing to bad so, and if the scene actually looked a lot like that IRL, I take no issue with it whatsoever.
One other things, but that might be my screen, the picture is a tad too over saturated for my personal taste. Nothing to bad so, and if the scene actually looked a lot like that IRL, I take no issue with it whatsoever.