This is a lovely scene. It's very soothing. I think your tones are very good and the DOF carries me through the image. For my eyes it's a bit busy. There's a lot going on here. To some that's a good thing. Even though the clouds are pretty, I think I'd like it better without them - or not so many of them - as that adds another busy element to the scene. Does the show you're entering have a theme?
Hi, Kathy, thanks for your thoughtful comments. They make re/evaluate the sky!
A theme? No!
( when they called it “Open” they really meant it!)
Dave
In this version, the cloud highlights seem overblown, also there is quite a bit of "noise" in the cloud area. If you use a gradient filter on the sky, you should be able to adjust the gradient to remove both the noise and the overblown areas - maybe try the "haze" filter and then de-noise. Almost looks as though the sky came from a different source than the landscape capture. Geometrically, the shot looks good.
Hey Dave,
For me, it seems a bit too busy as a B&W composition. I think with the leading line (water channel) dividing the foreground interest, mid-ground, and background through the middle with the added clouds, the crop could be tighter. Maybe only one tree on the left instead of the two?
Again, just my thoughts on an otherwise great shot.
Hi, Ourspolair,
Points well taken,
As one generally an acceptor of some clipped cloud highlights, the largest here are indeed of concern. This is the actual sky , by the way, and was a major stimulus to the capture.
The 18x48 print, when examined at reading distance, does easily reveal the sky noise, but it is of no consequence at NVD of 5 to 7 feet. I’m considering a mild local denoise with the treatment brush as a possibility if the noise is objectionable to most commenters.
Thanks much for your thoughts and suggestions.
Best regards, get vaccinated, stay safe, and stay well,
Dave
My first thought was that it would make a heck of a fine large display print. I like it just the way it is. The noise as seen in DDL, contributes rather than detracts. A very good photo.
Uuglypher wrote:
Critiques welcomed.
Dave
Hi Coz in the Colonies. To my eye the basics of this photo are sound. The eye is encouraged to go deeper into the scene and there is enough to sustain the viewer's interest. However, while some people may be able to tolerate noise, I'm not one of them, especially where skies are concerned. To my mind softness is one of the qualities that make skies beautiful and noise can undermine that aspect of them.
I see what looks like the signs of generous amounts of sharpening. My suggestion would be to back off with the global sharpening and add some local sharpening to the line of trees across the middle. My other suggestion would be to slightly brighten the shoreline that's visible beyond the channel through the reeds in the middle distance. It would enhance it's role as an eye attractor.
quixdraw wrote:
My first thought was that it would make a heck of a fine large display print. I like it just the way it is. The noise as seen in DDL, contributes rather than detracts. A very good photo.
I agree with Quix. There is so much TEXTURE in this image that all of the noise in the sky seems like it belongs there as a contributing element. Beautiful (that from a guy who is not a fan of B&W).
I think it should not have anything cropped off but my eyes go straight to those clouds. To me it looks like the clouds are the focal point of the picture. I think if they were softened a good bit, it would be the perfect landscape.
JMHO.
Dave, I suppose some of the comments are valid, and all are well intentioned. What I also know is that photography can serve as an index to memory and this looks like an image that would bring back some great memories of being there. I also know that this image is a generalized overview of the area, and there are some incredible stories that cold be told by focusing on the details.
It's a lovely photo and I like it a lot. However, in the download it appears pretty grainy.
RodeoMan wrote:
Dave, I suppose some of the comments are valid, and all are well intentioned. What I also know is that photography can serve as an index to memory and this looks like an image that would bring back some great memories of being there. I also know that this image is a generalized overview of the area, and there are some incredible stories that cold be told by focusing on the details.
So ... do ya like it or not?
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