C & C requested

[Urbanflyer]

Would appreciate constructive C & C on this image--recently entered in mini-competition receiving lukewarm response at best. The shot I see in preview mode here crops the image but "view image" does reveal the whole thing. Thanks!

[Rider in the Sky]

Hi Judith,

I like your image but perhaps, you'd like to give some exif about it.

Btw, what did you want to say or convey to the viewer with your image?


Thanks.

[dem]

I also wonder what the main subject is. I mean the focal point which you want to draw the viewer's attention to.

To my eye it does not work as a "pattern" image. Not sure that it would work in B&W either. Maybe with a bit more sky in different light the composition can be more interesting.

[IzzieK]

EXIF:

xposure Time 1/320 F Number f / 6.30 Exposure Program Shutter priority ISO Speed Ratings 100 Metering Mode Spot Flash Flash did not fire Focal Length 92mm White Balance Auto white balance Make NIKON CORPORATION Model NIKON D40X LensInfo 550/10 2000/10 40/10 56/10 Lens 55.0-200.0 mm f/4.0-5.6

[Mike Buckley]

This image indicates that you have a wonderful eye for patterns. Unfortunately, the light at the time of capture wasn't nearly as good as your eye. With better light, there would have been more definition between the layers of land and better definition of the shape of the land. Hopefully you can return to the scene when there is better light.

I don't know your post-processing skills, but you might prefer more mid-tone contrast. If this was my image, I would clone to eliminate the tree in the middle of the image because I either want to see a lot more of it or none of it. I would also clone to eliminate the trees that intersect the left and right sides of the frame because I want all sides in this particular composition to be free of trees.

[jcuknz]

An interesting image without any point of interest but compelling and the sort of thing one could spend time looking in a waiting room. On my monitor it looks a bit flat even though using the whole range of tones so I dragged the centre of the curve line down just a smidgin to give it a bit more umf
I do wonder if it is a straight shot if not an editing composite with the sharp delination of the front slope from the rest of the shot ... I can see it would not appeal to many as you found in that competition.

[Stagecoach]

Judith, as Mike has already mentioned I would say the main problem is lighting. The image looks 'flat'.

It may have helped if it were taken from a lower perspective including part of the 'shape' closer at the foreground. If the scene is close to you and easily accessible there's some potential there for early morning/evening light captures.

[Urbanflyer]

Thanks all. Helpful comments. Not a composite--shape definitions just as seen. Will play with it some more with your good thoughts in mind.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Judith,

Firstly; welcome to the CiC forums from me, I think this is the first time I have commented on one of your posts.

Would appreciate constructive C & C on this image--recently entered in mini-competition receiving lukewarm response at best.

I really wouldn't worry about that - I soon learned when I came here that the Mini Comps are OK for a bit of fun, but not very helpful to judge one's progress photographically - there's just too much 'competition' in them from other subjects, some of which will always win out over say; a landscape. That's just human nature.


I find that a 'good' image needs to have a 'purpose'.
Sometimes that purpose is fulfilled by simply having an obvious subject that we can relate to, enjoy, whatever; e.g. a portrait, wildlife, some landscapes, etc.
Other times, say for abstracts, we may not even know what the subject is, so it is more about the shapes and/or textures in the image.

Your shot kinda falls between these, it is a landscape, but one that I suggest, not everyone would necessarily want to be 'in', so it may not appeal to us on an emotional level (e.g. a sunny beach scene may appeal to more people).

As others have mentioned, it doesn't have a clearly defined subject, so it is almost an abstract, but that prominent tree does rather attract the viewers attention, but (I find) its position within the composition isn't ideal - if it could have been slightly lower and to the right, it would have been at the lower right 'thirds' intersection.

I also agree that (especially the half tree on left edge) doesn't help.

The processing (apparently Paint Shop Pro 16 and PS CC 2015) hasn't done it justice either, John's version is better, but I think it might have stood a little more saturation (or Vibrance).


One final aspect which hasn't done you any favours is that I believe you uploaded a large image to TinyPic, which TinyPic has reduced to 1599 x 1008 pixels, in doing this, it is somewhat softer than it could have been. Best practice (for on-line use here), is;
after all processing, save the image full size as a psd
then down size to say 1500 x 950-ish
then apply some final sharpening using UnSharp Mask with; Amount 100%, Radius 0.3px, Threshold 1
then Save As a different file name, as a jpg image
then upload that (if the image is uploaded at less than 1600 pixels on longest edge, TinyPic won't reduce its size)

I appreciate that's quite a few negative things I/we have said, but please don't be discouraged, tackle one thing at a time, until you get it 'gripped', then move on to the next.

Final thought:

I actually think landscapes are a very difficult genre of photography to be successful with - I don't do it much, I find it too difficult to find a scene that is;

artistically appealing,
not marred by something else (e.g. untidy background, sky issues),
lit well at the time of day I am there,
acceptable weather conditions.

Cheers, Dave

[Urbanflyer]

Thanks, Dave, and all others who commented. After working through several approaches, and asking myself the questions you all suggested about what I wanted to convey, I have come to this one. Any final thoughts? Is this an improvement or just different? I really appreciate the learning opportunity here.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Judith,

That is definitely working better as a composition.

Now I feel I want to go and see what's in the gully.

Cheers, Dave

[Mike Buckley]

Much, much better composition! Even so, I would eliminate the small part of the tree on the left.

[Urbanflyer]

agree--good thought