mikelgondra

This is a part of a series of 7-8 images of a tree in monochrome versions.

Your comments are most than welcome.

I like a lot images with lonely trees in a "dessert" - with no people - landscape. The light tones and colors are brilliant but I would have croped a little different - the right hand side light is a little disturbing to me and would have chose a more horizontal composition. Thanks for shrg. Ikusi arte. See you. Josemi Gondra.

Hola, Ricardo,

Una bonita imagen con unos fantásticos contrastes de color y luz y una mágica atmósfera en un paisaje idílico. No sé si esperaste el momento de luz ó te surgió pero, es lo mismo, lo has hecho perfecto. Por otro lado, en cuanto a composición es la típica imagen para mí muy difícil de "decidir" el encuadre, ya que las luces en las nubes altas "despistan" mucho para apreciar el verde de abajo - el verdadero protagonista de la imagen - en todo su esplendor. Quizá es muy radical, pero you veo dos fotos: las dos fabulosas, por cierto - 1) la parte baja de la foto, cortando arriba justo cuando acaban los montes, donde la luz en las campas y los árboles de primer plano son rematados por el fondo de colinas y bosques y 2) eliminando el primer plano de abajo - aprox. 1/4 de foto, en este caso el protagonista clásico es la niebla entre los bosques del fondo y el fulgor que sobresale arriba. Es muy difícil encontrar imágenes como ésta en que puedas sacar dos fotos de nivel muy alto, pero lo has hecho.

A nice image with lovely color and light contrasts and magic atmosphere up and down. It is the classical example where it is difficult where to cut or make the crope of the image. I can imagine also two fantastic images, one 3/4 down, eliminating the high clouds over the hills that disturb the green light in the valley and another with 3/4 upper part of the image where the classical starring role is the mist and clouds over the forest and hills. Both are idilic and magic. Congratulations. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, John,

Fog is a lovely and amazing subject in all times and places. You took here a very smart, ellegant, interesting and - very important - simple picture. An image that could transport our minds to past, to adventures, to other centuries, when these ships were travelling thru the world transporting merchandises of any kind and a group of seamen souls. Thanks for sharing a part of yours. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, again,

Much better than the group image. I would insisit on closer crop to avoid so many elements in your image. I like the clothes and the atmosphere in this one, predominating the "agressive " red. Josemi Gondra

Hi, Mark,

I do not usually critique this photo cathegory but I did it today. You are asking for an open critique and I am your first volunteer, Thanks God, at least I took one !!

I could agree with some of your comments, the pose of the singer is OK, may be the pose of the guitar is OK and the background girl at the battery seems like a Budda statue, too static. There could be some elements or individuals that could be the main subject or "leit motiv" of the photo - for me it is important or basic to find the  main starring person or object in an image - but, on the other hand, there are too many objects that are disturbing the photo itself: the tv on the left, the bag on at center, the coloured carpet-floor, the ceiling light and its return flash from the background wall, and so many other multiple objects at floor in the distance. For next image I would suggest you to concentrate in selected elements or person and shoot: the singer, the guitarist hands, the drum player, or the face of one of them, but everything at the same time, in this case, it is giving a negative impact of disturbing. Ikusi arte - see you in basque language. Josemi Gondra.

A mountain portrait, one of these days you stay better at home: it was

rainy, windy and the temperature was cold. Gorbeia mountain at back

(around 5,300 feet).

Hi, John,

One of the best image in this section. Her smile looks so natural and spontaneous - or she is an excellent actress. The color harmony atmosphere created between the wood floor, the white coffee armchair and her skin with different orange and "lighter" tones - hmmmm, where sun usually does not reach. I only miss to see some closer the color of her eyes. But, in counterpart, her hair seems to be magic and beautiful. I do not know why you choose a horizontal size for the image, but I admit the empty space in this case is helping to give "enchant" or peace to the model pose. Congrats, John. Ikusi arte - see you in basque language. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, Cal,

I like the color composition, the atmosphere and the strange tones you got in the image. A closer crop would be better from my opinion, the houses in the hill are too small to get a role in the picture and I do not see any interesting aspect in the short distance  - except perhaps, you would loose part of the symetry in the mountains. Thanks Cal. See you. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, tiantai shannong,

Light is ok, the place looks peaceful and the sky is giving magic light to the scene; the composition is also original with just a little crop of earth and around 3/4 or 80% of sky, that´s ok. But I think a horse is always a horse and here it seems to be a spider or an ant, a light closer crop or shorter distance to the horse when shooting would  have helped to give it more starring role maintaining the big distance in the background of mountains  and sky. Other alternative would be to eliminate the composition with the horse in one side, but the photo would loose some personalty; from my opinion I prefer photos with some animal or people on them that those from lonely places. Thanks for sharing. See you. Josemi Gondra.

P.D.: Asia is Great !

This clock was located in King´s Cross Saint Pancra´s station in

London. I took it in my last travel escape there last eastern. Thanks for

yr. comments.

A historical name for a very british pub. Thanks for your critiques or

comments.

Hi, Frode,

I was deeply impacted by your old cottage image when revising landscape photos. A lonely house and a creative sky is a let´s say quite common subject BUT:

 - Originality comes from your color treatment, close to black and grey in the terrain and the old house in ruins and full colour in the sky.

 - Some light grey tones mixed in the sky with blue, pink, orange are helping to make a softer contrast with the dark first distance.

 - Another main detail that also impacted me is that those small holes thru the wood material of the house are also showing a clear sky and giving the photo its individuality and "enchantment".

- The composition with the hill coming up from left to right is very singular giving a very equilibrated diagonal composition.

Thanks for sharing. Wndrful photo. Ikusi arte - see you in basque language. Josemi Gondra.

P.D.: I think you have not abused of posttreatment (I do not like usually), but I could be wrong. Usually, some photo masters could do a lot of post treatment and make it "natural".

Hola, Agustin,

He caído por aquí por casualidad y me he entretenido un rato con tus preciosas imágenes, tanto de Cantabria como de otras costas y lugares. Tu Canon no es la de un principiante y consigues unas fotos bien compuestas y con gamas originales. Esta en concreto sobre una gama completa de azules con una gotita de tonos violetas y el blanco es una composición que me ha llamado la atención. Vas por buen camino; suerte.

I found your gallery going for a walk and I enjoyed a lot your landscapes of Cantabria (Spain) and other places. You should not title like beginner because your compositions are good and your color tones are original. In particular this image with blue, violet and some white is very very good. Go on, Agustín. Good luck. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, Per,

I love images with lovely trees because they give us a lot of opportunities as those with lonely people. In this case, it is a very curious, uncommon crop with that rock ridge with the tree (?) in the first distance and that more curious background with pink tones and strange shape. I would suggest, as some other critique, a little closer crop, both to increase the share of green color in the image (orange and pink are too dominant now) and to guess the size of that pine tree. Is 1 meter high, 3 or 15 meters ?? No idea from my part. Thanks for sharing. Josemi Gondra

I think it is one of the best image in these revivals of your civil war two centuries ago. I like the position both of his right hand and his face in a down angle showing the bad thinking of all battles and wars. A great war portrait, but full of peace at the same time. An image to think, that´s good. Bye, Jim. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, James, or Jim, as you want:

General composition is correct and color balance is also well done. I assume it is an image taken from a vehicle or not with a long meditation. To improve the photo, I do usually prefer a crop with some more sky, 50 or 60% would be better because the green trees down are too homogeneous - and that´s boring. And if the "theme" or main object in the image is that face in the mountain, I would suggest to zoom a little to increase its size; now it is a little too small. Is that face Crazy Horse ?. Thanks for sharing. Josemi Gondra.

For all people that admire suspense movies. I saw this sequoya tree at

a London natural science museum and inmediately I was transported to

A. Hitchcock film "Vertigo", that scene when Kim Novak put a finger on

a tree and pronounce these words. Hope this could serve as a

hommage to them (director and actress). P.D. My "special effects" are

usually horrible, but I try.

P.D. II : I didn´t know what category to classify this image. Pls. help me

if you know.

Hi, Saad,

It looks decorative. I enter it because I found it a little irreal due to water tube separating equal images, like borders of same images. Color, light is OK but I miss some different object or theme that could give some more impact to image (person, towel, shadow,...). See you. Josemi Gondra.

The image is taken from Cadiz coast (Andalucia, Spain). The green pine

trees forest is in Cadiz and the mountain in the far - around 20-30 miles

crossing the Atlantic sea (Mediterranean sea is some miles on the left) -

is north mountains chain in Marocco. There are not too many places in

the world where you could photo two continents in same image.

Hi, Harry,

From 3 versions of this mountain I chose this one because I prefer those images that hide something from others that show too much. Hiding is the beginning of mistery and secrecy, and you are opening other people´s imagination to "see" the photo.

I think it is something lack in all 3 images and that´s dimension or size comparison. Because of clouds, I think this is a big mountain, but it could also be a small peak with some smog clouds passing quickly impulsed by wind. What is the dimension of the Alpamayo ?

Thanks for sharing. See you. Josemi Gondra.

Hi, Harry,

Thanks, I feel part of your deep feelings in some of your images. With this one, you could put the entry image to some children short story in the land of magic. It is really a very fine, delicate and soft image with nice dark-light contrast with some grey in the middle, what is the beginning of softening contrasts. I love these color tones - dark blue, light orange, and greys in all their tones. Thanks again, nice mountain ridge. Ikusi arte - see you. Josemi Gondra.

Kaixo, Txaro,

I would choose this from some of your sunset surf photos. The composition is superb and the instant you take is very well done, perhaps you tried 100 times before, but you never know when you take it. Now with the digital it is much easier because you solve the doubt in 2 seconds (with review function), but 20 years ago, the magic instant was when you developed the images in the shop or your laboratory.

I see we share both painting and photo funs, water colours in your case and oil painting in mine and we are both from Bilbao. I try to improve my compositions both in photo and painting by reading, studying, sharing knowledge and being always very curious with other´s works; think it is the way to improve everyday. Thanks for sharing. Un zazpi/zazpi para tu imagen. Ikusi arte. Josemi Gondra.

Fine, very fine image. High grade of sensitivity. Very soft playing with dark-light contrast. Details help - ring in the thumb, girl´s hand, t-shirt with horizontal lines. A very great composition I needed to stop here and say it to you, Ramsey. Thanks for sharing. Ikusi arte - see you. Josemi Gondra.