The River Etive
May 14, 2014 15:38:26 #
May 14, 2014 21:27:39 #
Lots of folks will love this shot. It has beautiful colors, nice textures, movement in the water and clear focus. What's not to like?
Yet this is not my favorite, and I don't know exactly why that is. I think it might have to do with the tree in the center-top of the image pulling my eye up toward the beautiful sky. But at the same time there is the drama with the water near the bottom of the frame turning a bend around the rocks and inviting my gaze to follow its path downward. So my eye seems pulled upward and also downward and it might confuse me a little -- perhaps.
This is a fine image. But of all the Graham Smith images I have admired, this might not be the one I would select to put on my wall. On the other hand, if I had taken it I would probably be proud of it.
Yet this is not my favorite, and I don't know exactly why that is. I think it might have to do with the tree in the center-top of the image pulling my eye up toward the beautiful sky. But at the same time there is the drama with the water near the bottom of the frame turning a bend around the rocks and inviting my gaze to follow its path downward. So my eye seems pulled upward and also downward and it might confuse me a little -- perhaps.
This is a fine image. But of all the Graham Smith images I have admired, this might not be the one I would select to put on my wall. On the other hand, if I had taken it I would probably be proud of it.
May 14, 2014 21:34:35 #
What I really like about this is how the composition clearly shows the ruggedness of the country. My favorite part of the photography is that the water looks like water, not silk .
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May 15, 2014 06:38:40 #
Graham Smith wrote:
Glen Etive, Scotland.
I like how you captured this scene exactly the way it is with all the natural beauty of the rocks, trees, water and sky. I also like how the water appears to be running water across the rocks, exactly as it was when you took the shot. Very nice.
May 15, 2014 07:23:17 #
I agree with jgordon. When blown up it is a wonderful capture but too busy. If you selectively crop the top from the bottom I find two images that seem stronger than the whole. The top leaving just a hint of sky while having the stream lead you into the. Top of the scene. The bottom would have the wonderful rocks in the foreground and the stream guiding your eye towards the top. Sharp we'll exposed capture as I would expect from you.
May 15, 2014 10:34:40 #
I find this image soothing and truly lovely. The colors aren't over saturated and I love water that looks like water, not whipped cream. I don't know who decided water wasn't supposed to be water in the first place! Anyway, I tried carving two images from this by simply scrolling and indeed two beautiful images could be made. But I like the whole better.
May 15, 2014 11:23:32 #
Graham Smith wrote:
Glen Etive, Scotland.
I always seem to like your landscapes best. I guess I'm just more of a landscape person than a people person. This one is lovely to me with that marvelous cleft in the mountains that moves right into the river with its big old S curve and all that powerful water surging to the front of the frame. The dramatic clouds, strangely formed trees, the chiaroscuro-ish lighting all combine to make this a wonderful image.
I would probably experiment with a fraction of shadow-raising in the leftmost treetop and the darkest portion of the cleft (just to keep the eye from getting stuck in a dark spot), but if it looked funny which it might, I'd give up on that.
Really beautiful image, finely composed and captured.
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