No clue to what I am doing

Thanks for your honesty.

Hello Ludmilla,

 

You have a strong leading line coming into the composition from the lower right corner of the image. I like the image and find it interesting. I think it would have been even more compelling if you had a subject at the shoreline at the lower right hand corner of the building for the leading line to point to.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Guy

1. It's iwejin, not Ludmilla
   
2. iwejin - resize the image to no more than 1000 pixels on a side and save that to post here.
   

Interesting photo. I like it. What is the square grid in the sky? You can really see it when you zoom in. The black snowflakes are annoying although the white ones are fine. Good shot.

lwejin, after reading the constructive suggestions which gyuker and Alan made, I'm going to offer mine by way of slight tweaks to your original image. These involve a crop from the top edge and slight tonal adjustments.

 

I like this. photo. The curve of the stream seems to lead us to an imagined place somewhere out among the mountains in the background. The building looks like an old hotel and the sweep of the roofline and just in general- vaguely suggests an Asian feel.

The black specs(snowflakes?) and "grid artifact" (seen in the large file if you click on the image) aren't; pleasing, but I like the way the lines of the building lead me into the curves. of the creek, which takes me beyond the frame into the unknowable hills behind the building. The photo has a timeless feel- it could be from any era. The closest branches on the right side of the image frame are distracting, a bit much perhaps- but not a total joy killer. I guess I say that because everything else is seen at more of a distance and these branches are way more "in your face" than anything else in the entire frame.

I like this. photo. The curve of the stream seems to lead us to an imagined place somewhere out among the mountains in the background. The building looks like an old hotel and the sweep of the roofline and just in general- vaguely suggests an Asian feel.

The black specs(snowflakes?) and "grid artifact" (seen in the large file if you click on the image) aren't; pleasing, but I like the way the lines of the building lead me into the curves. of the creek, which takes me beyond the frame into the unknowable hills behind the building. The photo has a timeless feel- it could be from any era. The closest branches on the right side of the image frame are distracting, a bit much perhaps- but not a total joy killer. I guess I say that because everything else is seen at more of a distance and these branches are way more "in your face" than anything else in the entire frame.

 

Rider, I kind of like the right side branches. To me, they lead the eye to the left side of the image, specifically to the bulk,ding and the stream.

@michaellinder They do seem to be "pointing" the way, don't they? Looking again, both the branches and the lines of the building seem to lead to an imaginary place, out of sight behind the building and around the curve of the stream.

The snow seems gray to me. A levels adjustment might be considered, not to the point of overexposure, of course, but so the snow appears more white. I think the scene has more life in it than its present tonal rendition is allowing. The flow of the composition, the angle of the building and the movement of the stream are all pleasant, but those branches in the foreground (even though they'll be nicer to look at if levels are adjusted) do seem to be getting in the way, clustered as they are. I think the dark branches at the top center are somewhat of a problem, but don't like cropping that away because of how the crop impacts the top edge of the building, cramping it. It's a case where the perspective when photographing would have had to be slightly different to avoid those branches.

The snow seems gray to me. A levels adjustment might be considered, not to the point of overexposure, of course, but so the snow appears more white. I think the scene has more life in it than its present tonal rendition is allowing. The flow of the composition, the angle of the building and the movement of the stream are all pleasant, but those branches in the foreground (even though they'll be nicer to look at if levels are adjusted) do seem to be getting in the way, clustered as they are. I think the dark branches at the top center are somewhat of a problem, but don't like cropping that away because of how the crop impacts the top edge of the building, cramping it. It's a case where the perspective when photographing would have had to be slightly different to avoid those branches.

 

Sam, the snow indeed is gray; it seems to me that lwejin intended it that way. In my opinion, it fits the overall appearance and mood of the image.

The snow seems gray to me

There dozens of gray shades in this picture. There is dark-gray snow on the brances and white snow on the ground.

We often see gray (or bluish, etc.) snow in person in the evening. We see superbright white snow in a sunny morning under harsh light.

The picture is OK-ish but choppy.

There dozens of gray shades in this picture.

Yes. And no good whites.

Yes. And no good whites.

Maybe there were no good whites in the photographed place?

Maybe there were no good whites in the photographed place?

Maybe, but I doubt it. Besides, I’m talking about the photograph, which is a very different thing from the photographed place.

Maybe, but I doubt it. Besides, I’m talking about the photograph, which is a very different thing from the photographed place.

The first photo in the thread (initial) is brighter than the second one (cropped). It has white areas: those which face the sky are white - on the verge of overexposing. The problem with the photo is not white areas.

Show us your version.

Here the whites

Show us your version.

I don’t have a version. It’s not my photo.

 

Nick’s rendering is over the top. I’m not sure if he meant it as a joke.

What is the subject of the picture? Something wrong with composition here, what was attracting your attention building, river, snow on the trees?

Here the whites

[ATTACH=full]1306685[/ATTACH]

 

Obviously white in a global sense, Nick - results in most, if not all, the white areas being blown out. For lwejin's benefit and for your information, I suggest that he use whatever tools are available on his software to do selective burning and dodging.

The snow seems gray to me. A levels adjustment might be considered, not to the point of overexposure, of course, but so the snow appears more white. I think the scene has more life in it than its present tonal rendition is allowing. The flow of the composition, the angle of the building and the movement of the stream are all pleasant, but those branches in the foreground (even though they'll be nicer to look at if levels are adjusted) do seem to be getting in the way, clustered as they are. I think the dark branches at the top center are somewhat of a problem, but don't like cropping that away because of how the crop impacts the top edge of the building, cramping it. It's a case where the perspective when photographing would have had to be slightly different to avoid those branches.

 

Sam, please see my most recent response to lwejin and also to Nick.

Obviously white in a global sense, Nick - results in most, if not all, the white areas being blown out.

Ruslan was asking for the whites:)

Selective dodging and burning will not save this picture, "garbage in, garbage out".

I disagree, OP's picture is garbage. Equally disagree that it needs 'saving'.