Photo of the Week - #5 - 10/19/21

A day late this week due to the PN certificate having expired ... thanks for your patience.

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The slant horizon is distracting to me. I don’t mind slant horizons in many compositions, but here I feel it doesn’t serve any purpose, either adding to the mood or a story.

The converging tree trunks in the foreground do not lead the eyes to anything particular. So, the viewer keeps wondering where to look next.

The more interesting elements in the scene seem to be the half-submerged wooden stubs on the far right, illuminated by the setting sun.

At the end, I feel this scene could be made into one about shapes, forms, textures and contrast, by using a longer local length, stepping further and increasing the size of the background wooden stubs relative to the foreground tree trunks, filling the frame. Right now, it’s more of a landscape, where the tree trunks disrupt the aesthetics, instead of adding to it. That’s my impression so far. Let’s see what others have to say.

For me an enjoyable photo.

I liked the way the fallen trees lead the eye to the lake, unless a blind person was looking at the photo.. The busy background focuses the eye ,and adds to the overall scene.

Obviously, the horizon is distracting, but I do not know the level of ability in editing software the photographer has. Which to my mind is the problem with this thread....poorly thought out without any understanding of the photographers ability or vision.

The tree sucked my eye in and then over to the distant left, the glow of the sun on the tree stumps: if that was one of the objectives of the image, then it worked on me.

The remainder of the composition is 'edgy' and 'uneasy': not in a negative way, more in a confused, tending to be abstract.

I reckon I generally like it - the chaos is stimulating.

WW

I actually replaced this after Michael's comment. I straightened out the horizon and did some minor cropping. My goal was to highlight the convergent lines of the trees in the foreground with the calm lake, sky as background. I do get the comments about the lines of the trees not leading to anything. The newer version below really only addresses the tilted horizon.

Lessons learned. good feedback everyone!

I'd be curious to see a different approach than straightening the horizon, though it would requiring reshooting. There are times when a skewed horizon works with a particular perspective and composition. My thought here is that the converging lines of the trees are handled in a somewhat typical way, losing some dynamic possibility because they converge so centered in the frame. Especially when the perspective is low to the ground, there can be a leaning sensation created in a photo born of how we often do see things when we're that low. So a different angle on the trees and a more skewed approach overall to what is already a cluttered but not distractingly or overly-cluttered landscape would be interesting to explore. Without that different angle or perspective, it's simply a study in converging lines without breathing much life into the photographically familiar.

Hmm... digesting this and knowing the location considering how to get the different angle(s) aka skewed perspective. I know that I could get some of the background on the right where additional dead trees are. I would lose most if not all of the converging lines in this shot. That said, I have several additional shots at this and other spots around the reservoir that highlight the lifeless trees and the dramatic character they have. Easy enough to go back there for another shot, although the trees are always changing as is the water level. I took this photo when the water level was substantially reduced and I could venture out into the reservoir. Last time I was there the water is quite high which would kill a retake of this particular shot. Its worth going back out though, so I'll see what I can do.

Thanks!

This version is much better and I love the texture of the foreground tree trunks leading into the glass-smooth water. Those darn horizons were never a problem for me with a view camera, but that was then and this is now! Nice photo, Mickeysimpson!

Thank you AJ!

The straightening of the horizon does improve the aesthetics a lot. The color palette is also quite nicely captured. However, I also agree with Sam's comment. I feel, there is a lot of potential at this location. I have to go back couple of times to a spot before I shoot something that I actually like. Its a lot of fun that way to revisit a known location multiple times, each time some new idea popping up.

That's a big part of photography, learning from your mistakes, trying different angles, etc.... Makes the whole process fun.

There's a lot I like in this photo including the light, the colors, and the contrast between the tree trunks and the tranquil background. I'm less enthusiastic about the symmetric composition. This results in the tree roots being centered in the photo and the tree trunks left and right (as objects and as 'leading lines') having equal visual "weight.

You might want to experiment with cropping left and top to get a less symmetric composition. The right tree trunk then gets relatively more 'weight' than the (partly cropped out) left one. The roots shift from dead center to the top-left quadrant in the cropped photo. Through the extra 'weight' of the right tree trunk, more visual emphasis is given to the stacked diagonal and horizontal 'lines' on the right of the photo.

Looks nice after you straightened it mcikeysimpson. Just for fun, look at it with a crop down from the top to just at the top of the clouds on the right. Not the little wisp, but where the cloud formation starts a little above the right most tree. :)

I'll give this easy edit a shot today.

There's a lot I like in this photo including the light, the colors, and the contrast between the tree trunks and the tranquil background. I'm less enthusiastic about the symmetric composition. This results in the tree roots being centered in the photo and the tree trunks left and right (as objects and as 'leading lines') having equal visual "weight.

 

You might want to experiment with cropping left and top to get a less symmetric composition. The right tree trunk then gets relatively more 'weight' than the (partly cropped out) left one. The roots shift from dead center to the top-left quadrant in the cropped photo. Through the extra 'weight' of the right tree trunk, more visual emphasis is given to the stacked diagonal and horizontal 'lines' on the right of the photo.

Hi Mike. I'm going to try this today. Thanks!

I really like the 'Photo of the Week' threads because I learn so much from them! @samstevens, I haven't posted many photo's to PN for years but for the ones you can find, I'm happy for these to be added to the 'pool'.

Mike

learning from your mistakes

I don't see this as a matter of mistakes. Each outing, whether it results in a keeper or not, is a building block, part of a process. I look at your photo, the first and second, and see potential, not mistake.

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I don't see this as a matter of mistakes. Each outing, whether it results in a keeper or not, is a building block, part of a process. I look at your photo, the first and second, and see potential, not mistake.

.

Don't worry Sam. I welcome feedback of all kind. That's how we learn. I've just opened the photo to try a couple of different crops. And Mike seems to have the same outlook.

Mick

Don't worry Sam.

I wasn’t worried or trying to protect you from anything. I’m perfectly ok giving and getting criticism, but honestly don’t see criticism as a form of correcting mistakes. To me, mistake means there’s a right way and a wrong way, and I generally don’t buy that. One could look at your original and say, “It’s wrong not to have a straight horizon. That skewed horizon is a mistake.” But, to me, the lesson is why and how a skewed horizon does or doesn’t work for each given photo, not that slanting a horizon is wrong or a mistake. That’s why, instead of suggesting you fix the horizon, I offered an alternative view of figuring out a composition and perspective where a skewed horizon could be effective and expressive. When I think in terms of mistakes, it brings to mind correctness and standards. When I think in terms of creative process, it brings to mind finding personal ways to flout those standards and go for the unusual.

If anything, I wonder if your crooked horizon was more an accident than a mistake. Did you notice it? Was it deliberate? I get the feeling you didn’t and it wasn’t. Next time, you probably will and can choose how you want your horizon to be rather than it just happening.

I wasn’t worried or trying to protect you from anything. I’m perfectly ok giving and getting criticism, but honestly don’t see criticism as a form of correcting mistakes. To me, mistake means there’s a right way and a wrong way, and I generally don’t buy that. One could look at your original and say, “It’s wrong not to have a straight horizon. That skewed horizon is a mistake.” But, to me, the lesson is why and how a skewed horizon does or doesn’t work for each given photo, not that slanting a horizon is wrong or a mistake. That’s why, instead of suggesting you fix the horizon, I offered an alternative view of figuring out a composition and perspective where a skewed horizon could be effective and expressive. When I think in terms of mistakes, it brings to mind correctness and standards. When I think in terms of creative process, it brings to mind finding personal ways to flout those standards and go for the unusual.

 

If anything, I wonder if your crooked horizon was more an accident than a mistake. Did you notice it? Was it deliberate? I get the feeling you didn’t and it wasn’t. Next time, you probably will and can choose how you want your horizon to be rather than it just happening.

Hi Sam. The crocked horizon was more of an accident born through haste during post. As for mistakes, I like to tell people that I thought I made a mistake once, but I was wrong. Seriously, I'm in my 70's and I've made some mistakes along the way. This forum is to me a place where I have benefitted from some good constructive criticism. I welcome it all.

Mick

OK, so I have played around with a few different crops on this photo and tweaked the shadows a bit. I think that all of the suggestions were great and I am pleased with the results. This is the crop that I found most appealing to me so far. I've trimmed the top while retaining some great clouds and blue sky. I trimmed the left side to get the roots towards the upper left quadrant and eliminate the trunk on the far left. The dead trees and drift wood on the right are more prominent in this crop. I think that this improved the overall composition. I am still playing with this shot and have more shots of this specific location with slightly different angles that I am playing with as well.