What are your thoughts when you see this.

I don't think I have ever posted a photo to this thread but i would like feedback on this one.
Please be harsh where required.
I need both technical and emotional feedback.
What is the picture portraying to you when you look at it?



My thanks in advance

I think using a circular polarizing filter may have been beneficial to reduce the glare from the water. Also maybe a shallower DOF to make the leaf pop out a bit. I am not very good at giving critique. Compositionly it is great.

Now tell me what were your thoughts when you were taking this photo?

I like it the way it is. Yes a polarizer would have eliminated some of the reflections but if we could take the most perfect picture. It will have faults to someone.

I like the leaf's contrast to the pattern of "glare" on the water. I took the liberty of making a couple LR adjustments for my harsh critique. Nice shot. Great first post.

The reflections are perfect and make the picture as much as the leaf. Without the reflection you wouldn't have the interesting patterns.

I like the way Singlrosa enhanced the leaf coloring to make it pop.

Finally, for me, to be perfect I would have liked for the leaf to be in more so it wasn't so crowded against the side. But, I also understand that may not have been possible and you moving to get a "better" position could have lost the reflections.

Great photo imo. I could sit and daydream staring into this photo.

To be honest, and it's maybe harsh, the beauty of water in these kinds of shot is, to me, exactly in the overabundance of reflections. If I don't want reflections, I photograph a wall.

At times a CPL eliminates what I consider the best parts.

I like the composition but would have preferred the real water.

To add; I'm a reflection freak, at times I shoot ducks only for the reflections in the water surrounding them and care little about the ducks themselves.

First off I'll say I like the shot. I makes me think of... Just being able to drift along. No thought, certainly no worries.

Almost a Zen state.

I like that you've left just a little room on the left edge. For me, it's creating just a hint of tension that the leaf is about to drift away. Any less room and it would just look "cramped"; much more room and the tension would dissipate. As for the reflections on the water I think they're what make this shot work. I think it's because there's such a good balance between the reflective and the non-reflective and how they're patterned across the frame ... Patterns are powerful. A polarizer would have enervated the shot in my opinion and I'm a huge proponent of the CPL. This is one of those shots where someone has taken what would normally be a distracting element and turned it around to make it work in their favor.

The only thing I might like to see would be the leaf on the right edge of the frame instead of the left. Maybe...
....

I think a year ago you would not even have attempted this photo. Let the journey continue. I use a polarizer almost always but it probably would have defeated the effect in this instance

My first thought when I looked at your photo was, Wow, great composition to get a shot with the leaf reflected in the water.

Second thought was I really, really liked this photo!

Third thought was how calm and peaceful the image appeared.

Fourth thought was that I *might* have moved the leaf a little higher and more to the right to surround it with more water...if the image would allow.

Fifth thought was my head hurts from so much thinking, need more coffee.....lol

I agree with the masses above, the refection helps make the shot.

The shot give me a feeling of Serenity when looking at it. Amazing that such a simple shot can evoke such emotions.

Nice Job.

I like it a lot. Good artistic expression. I guess maybe a little more color pop in the leaf but is good the way it is.

I am looking on a less than great monitor at work, so I won't comment on contrast or color. The pattern of the water and the solitary leaf on the left make for a great composition. It is peaceful, and calming. This is the kind of shot I like on a wall in an office or waiting room. It is soothing.

I'll add that I like the fact that the leaf is on the side of the frame, and not at a traditional 1/3 spot in the picture. The rule of thirds wouldn't work as well with this shot in my opinion.

What a surprise to wake up to so many comments and all of them valid and positive.

I have heaps of space around the photo so can move the leaf to any part of the frame that I choose - I will definitely play with it some more to view different options.

I do like what @singlerosa did to it as it gives if it a lot more punch!

I get the message about the CP filter and never even gave that a thought. Not thinking is one of my major problems!

My intentions when going for a shoot were two fold:
1. To test my lenses for sharpness as I had just tuned them in with the help of Don
2. Hopefully to get lucky and find a shot to enter into my local club competition next month

The shot I was really looking for was a feather floating past but the ducks weren't fighting or preening and this leaf floated past.

The sad thing about all the comments is no-one mentioned the word "texture" and the competition is for texture.
To answer @Scott Murray my thoughts when taking this photo were "Does it match the criteria I have in my non-thinking head of texture?"

I am still not sure it does.
Although the leaf is the star of the photo I was hoping the texture of the water would shine through.

Without the leaf it would have been a bit bland in my opinion.

Lawrence said:

What a surprise to wake up to so many comments and all of them valid and positive.

I have heaps of space around the photo so can move the leaf to any part of the frame that I choose - I will definitely play with it some more to view different options.

I do like what @singlerosa did to it as it gives if it a lot more punch!

I get the message about the CP filter and never even gave that a thought. Not thinking is one of my major problems!

My intentions when going for a shoot were two fold:
1. To test my lenses for sharpness as I had just tuned them in with the help of Don
2. Hopefully to get lucky and find a shot to enter into my local club competition next month

The shot I was really looking for was a feather floating past but the ducks weren't fighting or preening and this leaf floated past.

The sad thing about all the comments is no-one mentioned the word "texture" and the competition is for texture.
To answer @Scott Murray my thoughts when taking this photo were "Does it match the criteria I have in my non-thinking head of texture?"

I am still not sure it does.
Although the leaf is the star of the photo I was hoping the texture of the water would shine through.

Without the leaf it would have been a bit bland in my opinion.

Click to expand...

Well apparently I am the only one thinking the CPL would help so no biggie

I did a google search for texture, check out some of these for ideas - https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...ed=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=texture+photography

Scott Murray said:

Well apparently I am the only one thinking the CPL would help so no biggie

I did a google search for texture, check out some of these for ideas - https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...ed=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=texture+photography

Click to expand...

Thanks Scott. You may have been the first to mention it but others agreed
I will check out those links

Lawrence said:

Thanks Scott. You may have been the first to mention it but others agreed
I will check out those links

Click to expand...

No actually they said it was better with out the CP lol so its only me but I am used to being the only one doing something lol

Waves are texture, so it fits, it's just not what I would normally think of in those terms. I'd be thinking sand or bricks or the rough edge of a rock or something. But, that's just me.

Moab Man said:

The reflections are perfect and make the picture as much as the leaf. Without the reflection you wouldn't have the interesting patterns.

Click to expand...

Horoscope Fish said:

I think it's because there's such a good balance between the reflective and the non-reflective and how they're patterned across the frame ... Patterns are powerful.
....

Click to expand...

Lovin Our Life said:

I agree with the masses above, the refection helps make the shot.

The shot give me a feeling of Serenity when looking at it. Amazing that such a simple shot can evoke such emotions.

Nice Job.

Click to expand...

cbay said:

I like it a lot. Good artistic expression.

Click to expand...

I think this pretty much covers it. I might have enhanced the leaf just a bit but not much. I like it.

You must have a really nice camera!

Well, if you have, as you say, a lot of room around the leaf so that you can move it, you might want to try that just for your own satisfaction but I would say beyond that, you are just about ready to print this puppy. And i think it will do well in that photo contest. the one thing I would do is move the watermark to the right hand corner and lower the opacity. Keep us apprised of the final outcome. You have winner on your hands.

I'm really not the person to give an opinion, but I will say I like the original photo over singlerosa's version. To me Singlerosa's version looks more like a leaf stuck in a syrupy muck (thick oil slick. Ha!) Probably my laptop, but that is me. Ha! Like I said, however, I am really not the one to listen to because I am learning and don't know much about what's good or bad. LOL