Critique ARAT Another rock, another tree.

[gchappel]

Not sure why black and white photographers love to take pictures of dead trees, but we do.
This was blue hour just after sunset. I am not even sure I understand where all the shadows are coming from.
They were faint, but enough to let me control my framing.
They became much more obvious on the long exposure as the water smoothed out.
Yup, just another dead tree, but I like this one.
I have to do something to the bottom left corner- that is a lens vignette. Tried to lighten it, and that looked wrong as well. Will play with it later if this ever goes to print.

gary

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[Mike Buckley]

Goregous! Minimalism at its best.

My simple solution about the dark area in the bottom left corner would be to crop to eliminate it.

 

[Bart]

For me, this is a wonderful image as is, Gary!
The only thing I "register" of the lower half are the two darker grey lines that point me to the tree configuration holding up the sky.

 

[gchappel]

I looked at cropping it differently, but I liked the shadow coming out of the corner. If I cropped it higher it also put the horizon too close to the middle.
Always something- and like almost everything in photography- there are compromises.
Thanks all
gary

 

[Palouse]

A ballerina in wood! simply stunning.

 

[Allan]

I too would crop off the bottom. However, this is a wonderful image, composed, shot and processed fine!

 

[Binnur]

Stunningly beautiful!

 

[gchappel]

I printed this 20x20".
It just took 2nd in the local art club annual show- about 100 entries. Mixed media.
I expected the wave photo I had posted earlier (at the beach) to do better, but judge liked this one.
Judges are always interesting. You never know what they are going to like
gary

 

[Bart]

Congratulations, Gary!

 

[Butlerkid]

Congrats! Well deserved! Between the two images, I think this is the more unique. Perhaps that is what got - and held - the judges attention.

 

[gryphon1911]

Not sure why black and white photographers love to take pictures of dead trees, but we do.
This was blue hour just after sunset. I am not even sure I understand where all the shadows are coming from.
They were faint, but enough to let me control my framing.
They became much more obvious on the long exposure as the water smoothed out.
Yup, just another dead tree, but I like this one.
I have to do something to the bottom left corner- that is a lens vignette. Tried to lighten it, and that looked wrong as well. Will play with it later if this ever goes to print.

gary View attachment 1689034

ARAT all day if you keep putting out images like this!

We love the monochrome for this subject because it accentuates the shape and the form. Color is not relevant here. Lovely shot and thanks for sharing it.

 

[Clix Pix]

What a fantastic image! Congratulations on the 2nd place award!!! Definitely deserving and then some! The winner must've been a super duper knockout to have beaten this one!

 

[gchappel]

Thanks again. I bounce images here all the time, see what works.
This is a great site for useful help and critiques- we can all learn. (Especially me- I can get sloppy in post)
The show was a mixed media show. These are tough to judge- hard to compare a photograph with a marble sculpture or a large chair skillfully made from a piano. The best of show went to a large oil painting of the artists mom. It took my breath away- and was imho the best piece entered. The glow in the painted facial expression was spot on- you could feel the older women's joy almost like a friend had entered the room.
I was shocked and surprised my piece took second, photography is often not well respected in the world of mixed art.
This piece moves really well- like a dancer- when it is framed and hung. Will be on my wall when it comes back in a month or so. Might need to get even bigger.
I do find it interesting that in my own work, the vast majority of images that do well in local shows or accepted for publication are monochrome. They are also my favorite. Color and I do not get along as well.
gary

 

[Mike Buckley]

These are tough to judge- hard to compare a photograph with a marble sculpture or a large chair skillfully made from a piano.

I would argue that they shouldn't be compared for the obvious reason you mention.

 

[SFIND]

Congratulations, Gary. This is definitely an image worthy of such recognition and to be printed and displayed that large.

 

[gchappel]

Thanks all. I shot for several hours here, but this image just worked.
I will say, printing your work changes everything. One of the best things I ever did was get a large 44" printer.
I find large prints wonderful.
But then you rapidly run out of walls
gary

 

[Butlerkid]

..........
But then you rapidly run out of walls
gary

How do you display them? Frames would be expensive....and then matting. Do you use somethink like the Xpozer system Bay Photo offers?

 

[gchappel]

How do you display them?

Yes the size is an issue. Since I want to print myself much of the time, systems like the xpozer don't fit my workflow.
I am very lucky- one of the local framers and I have become friends. I run 20-40 large (38x28" frames or larger) a year through his shop for the last several years.
My last frame was 38x28". It was a floating mount of a metal print- so no glass. It was under $200. These are nice 3-4" black wood frames, with archival mats and backboards.
He gives me great service, prices and ideas. It took a while, but I finally settled on 2 basic size frames for the house- I have about 10 of each. We made them so I can just exchange the prints in a few minutes. I have 3 large flat file cabinets that can store prints up to 24x36". They are filling up as well.
But there is something about a large print. I wish I was like some friends that actually prefer a small print they can hold.
Me, my 44" printer is sometimes too small.
Anyone that has never done it, try printing an image LARGE. It is an addiction.
gary

 

[JW53]

Gorgeous print and one that benefits from being printed large. Love how the clouds on the left seem to explode vertically up from the two branches while the clouds on the right explode horizontaly from the dark horizontal right branch. Congrats on beautiful image.

 

[Spirit Vision Photography]

I really like it. Exposure time? I wish that I had decent post processing skills. I have to work on that. Well done!