Loner

Wonderful lighting on this image. While this image has enough merit to have it chosen as photo of the week, there are many other images in your portfolio that are even stronger for me, and more breathtaking. A merit to you! A great collection in all, glad to see you recognized for it.

 

Regards, Harry

mmmm, I can feel the light here. That's a good characteristic for any photo to convey...the feeling of light. The title, as indicated above, could be better. I dont get a feeling of loneliness at all as there are so many rocks, waves, mountains, clouds, etc. I agree we're probably supposed to commisserate with the tree, but I don't see this as a lonely place at all. About the image having a passing interest, it's unfortunate that excellent images such as this are so common these days, at least among photographers. Having no personal knowledge of, or experience with this location, I too, am willing to enjoy this picture for a short time and then move on, and I don't mean this to be a critique against the photograph, but rather against an image-rich culture, or the fact that, as a photographer, I've seen so many wonderful images that it's too hard to please me.

and of course, Simon is right that a larger version of this would overpower some of the more constructive comments offered with critical intent. A large photo at arms length is quite impressive, true, while the same image from further away has to depend on more than its textural details. Regarding a large (wall size) image, an art teacher tried to instruct a group of students: "This image was made large for a reason. The artist is trying to tell you somethng. You owe it to him to try to understand what he's trying to communicate." In some cases, large size doesn't make the picture better. Most of us would probably agree a much larger image would make this picture more interesting, at the very least. But would it be better? Who can really say?

Were we to submit our work based on what we thought would get us "published" or please the masses on PN we would have to change our title from Photographer to Illustrator. Shoot and post what pleases you. SWG

The sky is pure drama and the quality of light is amazing. Great post processing as well!!

Amazing !!!

May be the lack of the horizon (only curves of the hill) make this photo interesting. It adds to the dynamics of flowing water.

Very stunning image, Simon, with a 3 dimensional feel to it. This quality gave me an immediate sense of presence/ being there. The rock striations read in common rule of thumb bottom left to top right path and I liked the way you anchored and balanced the opposing direction; water in the lap and the gnarly looking tree. You have a gift of a great eye for composition. Keep painting with light!

After reading some new comments on this page as well as the photographer's comment, I'll have to agree with him and disagree with those who found this picture "too" busy. At a larger size indeed, the busy foreground will just look rich and interesting. But there's another point I'd like to make, in general, to defend all busy BUT WELL COMPOSED AND ORGANIZED PICTURES.

 

Who said an image should always be simple, minimalistic or almost minimalistic ? Just look at our paintings History ? THOUSANDS of VERY busy paintings have made it to the best museums in the world. Why would it be different for photography ?

 

In all art books and art classes, I've never read or heard anything like "A picture should have FEW compositional elements". What I've read and heard is that there should be ONE LEADING LINE in the composition, and that this line should be unique and would precisely LEAD the eye in one single direction. Besides this lead line, by the books, it seems we can have one, two, or at most three lines of secundary importance - "secondary lines". But these should not compete with the main line, and rather, should help it to "rule" (to organize) the frame.

 

Now... A CLUTTERED composition is a composition where the eye is lead in more than one direction, and therefore feels lost. Here I think we have one leading line - from the water in front to the far central mountains. And all other lines in this composition are converging to the center of the image - to the same place where the main line takes the eye. Basically it's a very simple composition - a bit like a star with all branches leading to the same center. It is a symetrical composition in essence, although some asymetrical elements here and there help us to escape boredom.

 

The tree for example can be seen as a distraction - taking our eye away from the water-to-mountain main line for a moment -, and yet, this tree has its roots on one of the secundary lines that lead to that center. The tree, to me, is therefore an element of asymetry that breaks the potentially monotoneous "star-composition", and I don't see it as conflicting with the structure. And so on.

 

In short, I feel this picture is very well organized so as to lead the eye very strongly, and all secondary lines and elements are placed well in the main structure. These secundary lines are not competing with the main line, and so, it's busy, but it's not *too* busy.

 

Of course, each viewer may have his own preferences, but absolutely speaking, a picture that's "too" busy - or "cluttered" - is one where composition fails due to a poor organization of the lines... There is no such failure in this POW.

simon: In my Mind , I wonder at the aspect of the lonley feeling you have protraid here in the foto. Each aspect seams to hold its own space

but I wonder if this could have been shot another way to give the tree a better feeling of being alone : My question is really as to how much time spent in the field and how much time in the dark room spent on this foto:

are they equal or does one out weight the other: if so which is which:

Many thanks for all the contructive comments everyone.

Lauren, I spend alot of time looking at maps for potential photographic locations, this was a speculative trip, I have never seen any other pictures from here. This was very isolated, at least a mile from the very small path running up the side of the glen and several miles from the nearest road. I didn't see a single person in the hours I was out so I suppose the 'Loner' could easily have been me!

I spend as much time as possible either taking photographs or finding places to take photographs and as little time as possible at the computer. The computer time involved with this image was just a fraction of the whole time taken. I try very hard to get as much right at the time as I can, I get very annoyed with myself if I even have to crop an image due to some careless error. Simon

Simon...I am a big fan of your work!! This is a great one of your many masterpieces! I don't agree that it is busy.... I think it is the type of landscape that creates that impression but how often we see a landscape like this here in this forum? I think it is original and beautifully captured.. a very well deserved POW!.....regards, Rajeev.

Astonishing but typical light, textures and details, Simon. A glorious capture with exceptional dimension and depth.

lovely pic....i would never get lonely if i get to build a cabin, and settle here.watever effort has gone into making this pic look like this...natural or unnatural ways,its greatly appreciated.great visual indeed.

very good work.

congratulations

stunning. so well balanced and lit..i wish i took this photo!

Nicely manipulated in Photoshop? Superb composition and use of contrasts.

gorgeous! i love how the water almost looks oil-painted into the photo. so beautiful!

Very strong image. You were able to capture the ruggedness of the terrain very well. Perfect exposure. Great job!

beautiful image,,, i love the classical nature of the soft light,,,.. 7/7

A lovely and beautiful landscape scene!

I've made an example to let you see what it needs imho...!

Best regards, Wim

The Loner represents the photographer on one in a vast wilderness. The image is perfect.

Superb composition.

Amazing shot like many in your portfolio! Truly great and inspiring work you have Simon. Without the tree it would be a real nice shot... with the tree it takes this to the highest level. Dreamland to say the least. Thanks for taking the time to comment on my image.

WOW.. thats all !! Love everything about this picture. Perfect.