yardkat

Beautiful tones! Perfect focus and DOF!

This is a reworking of a previously uploaded image.  Based on some feedback, I did some additional cleaning and think it works better.

I have to agree about the backdrop, perhaps it doesn't necessarily need to be ironed, but maybe the model needs to be farther away from it and it needs to be out of focus. Since the backdrop is the lightest thing in the image that's where the eye goes...so instead of seeing the figure, it sees sharp wrinkly backdrop. The really prominent elbow also distracts from the form somehow.

I like the direction this image is going.

I love the trio of people and how they complement the incoming water.  The muted tones are wonderful. Very simple and elegant.   Great image!

I was pretty much going to say exactly what Joseph Marsh said.  The lighting is beautiful, the muted tones are fantastic, but there is too much of that cloth in the lower 1/3 of the picture, and the light reflection on the bottom right corner is distracting.  You could *almost* get a square crop out of this. I would also try to get rid of the round object (is it an apple?) and the clump of plant material at the middle right hand edge of the frame.  I don't mind the scattered detritus, but that clump right at the edge of the frame is also a distraction. The table leg on the lower left should go also.  But again, lots of great light, tones, and the shape of the heather is great, the tones of the vase and wall are fantastic.

As others have said, simple yet beautiful.  Less is more. Beautiful shot!

Yes, what Elisabeth said! The balance between foreground and background is great, and the color scheme looks like you picked it out of a design book or something! Congrats!

Love the Aussies! (I have two reds...)

What a lovely candid shot! Congratulations!

Thank you for your kind comments on my photos as well! We are all learning! Best of luck to you and your wife, and enjoy your travels!

Thank you everyone for your comments!

I do like this.  I've come back to it a couple of times, and I am drawn to it.  I like the composition, and the crop works for me. I love the line of the trees.  I do like the texture, but could possibly do with just a hair less of it.

I like the painterly effect from the softness of the waves and layers of light in the sky, like a watercolor painting.  I almost wish the moon weren't there.

Yep, this time of year southern Utah is pretty hot. It's nice in the early spring and late fall, but then there are no leaves, which is ok actually because there are also no tourists! ;)

On my monitor the foreground is just a little too dark, it makes the image seem unbalanced between the dark foreground and light background, particularly the tall rock on the left of the image. The emerald pool is also too dark, in my opinion.  One can't really see the color, and if it were lighter it could balance the darkness of the wet rock, while adding contrast to the light background. It would keep the viewer's eye in the foreground, instead of drifting up off the top of the photo.  It's such an iconic location.

Yay for rescued dogs! I really like this photo, the lighting on the dog is perfect, and I don't know what her expression means exactly, but I like it. Nice work!

Fantastic light!

Beautiful! Love the tones, love the sky, love the square.

Both your portrait submissions that I've seen have been lovely.  Nice lighting, great expressions, nice tones in the BW conversion, a nice softness in the tones and sharpness on your eyes. I think you should stop apologizing and calling yourself a novice, this is lovely work!

I like this image very much, I wish I lived in that apartment. ;) I like the toning quite a bit, but might wish for just a tad less blur, but it's just a matter of taste.  Still a lovely image!

Thank you for your thoughts!

Very strong graphic image!

It's captivating, I keep coming back to it. Love the tones!