Florida waterways

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
Hey guys would love to get a cpl critiques on this image.
D90
70-300 @f13 1/250 and ISO 400

Basically I am looking for thoughts on the composition and over all image feel. Is the image over saturated or just enough to bring out colors? and of course your over all opinion of the image.

20110827_4138asSmartObject-1.jpg
 
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PhotoAV8R

Senior Member
It looks like a scene that would benefit from an HDR technique. Getting enough light from the vegetation would otherwise likely blow out the clouds & sky.

BWTHDIK
 
Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
Oh no this is exactly they type of info I asked for. Now to do a true HDR i would have needed to bracket the shot, which I didn't. I could do a mock HDR with a single RAW image copied and adjusted for highlights and shadows.
Mind you this image was actually darker than this in the lower portion and the sky was near blown out. I have enhance saturation and masked the sky and brought down the exposure level.
I am not a fan of many HDR images because they are generally over done. I prefer the natural feel that HDR imaging was originally meant to show. just my opinion.
I do still have the unedited Raw image.

Took me a while to figure out what BWTHDIK meant. thats funny
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Composition:
I'm just not "feeling it". I don't understand what you are trying to say with this photo, nor do I see what made you press the shutter button. Personally, I don't see any elements of good composition here. This is a landscape shot taken in portrait orientation that disobeys the Rule of Thirds. Breaking the rules isn't necessarily a bad thing...when it accomplishes the artists' vision...but here it just looks out of place.

Color:
As-is, this photo is kind of flat and lifeless. I agree that HDR would've given this photo more "pop", simply because that's what HDR does. However, a single image HDR isn't going to help. People tend to forget what HDR stands for and why it's used in the first place. Single image HDR isn't really much of a dynamic range, it's just tonemapping. Because you have very little tonal range here, the effort would be wasted.
 
Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
Anthony Hereld said:
Composition:
I'm just not "feeling it". I don't understand what you are trying to say with this photo, nor do I see what made you press the shutter button. Personally, I don't see any elements of good composition here. This is a landscape shot taken in portrait orientation that disobeys the Rule of Thirds. Breaking the rules isn't necessarily a bad thing...when it accomplishes the artists' vision...but here it just looks out of place.

Color:
As-is, this photo is kind of flat and lifeless. I agree that HDR would've given this photo more "pop", simply because that's what HDR does. However, a single image HDR isn't going to help. People tend to forget what HDR stands for and why it's used in the first place. Single image HDR isn't really much of a dynamic range, it's just tonemapping. Because you have very little tonal range here, the effort would be wasted.
Click to expand...

Which would be why I did not use HDR. I actually know what HDR is supposed to be...
I disagree with you on composition but to each their own I guess. Might get your ruler out for the rule of thirds. It follows both the rule of thirds and the rule of leading lines almost to the letter. I do think you hit it on the nail though. I seen something in the colors while I was there but there is no real story to tell here. I think that may have been my problem with it... Thanks
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
Johnathan, I think your choice of using vertical was a good one because I think the real attraction in this pic is the reeds against the water. I think you just included too much in the photo. I'm at the point that whenever I shoot a landscape, I autobracket for HDR, even though I don't always process for HDR. I believe in keeping my options. You can always throw out captures, but once you move the camera, that's it.

Post processing is more than just fixing or enhancing a photo. It's also about discovering what inspired you to press the shutter. Not every photo has to tell a story. Photography is very personal . . . we take photos of scenes that make us feel a certain way, and sometimes the "aha" moment doesn't happen until we've "played" with the photo for awhile.

I seldom download someone else's pic and process it, but I took this liberty with yours because it was just easier to show you than to write it all out. I think your photo has merit and I like the feel of the grass against the water. I get a nice feeling from it and can almost hear the breeze through the rushes and smell the grass and water.


waterway-Edit-Edit.jpg
 
Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
hahaaha thats not bad. Like the shading makes it look like a ray of sun hitting the reeds. adds a lot of color to the image. I agree, many images have no story, but all should create some type of feeling. something to draw the person into the image.

One of the reason I do not shoot bracket for HDR much is because I am not a huge fan of it. I feel that many people over use it to make a photo something it is not. HDRI was meant to bring out detail and contrast in an image, not make it look like a dream or a cartoon. Yes I am one of "those" guys lol. I love HDR when it is subtle and not over bearing. I have about 10 HDR images in my collection and each one I knew thats what I wanted to do with it.
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
HDRI was meant to bring out detail and contrast in an image, not make it look like a dream or a cartoon.
Click to expand...
The photographer is in control of the process. I see many of the same arguments about HDR as I used to see about film vs digital, or that age-old argument about "purists". That's what your statement reminds me of. Use it or don't use, your choice. HDR is a tool. A photo like yours, I would have shot for HDR because of the broad range of tones, and I can guarantee that it wouldn't have looked like a cartoon, unless I wanted it to. You asked for a critique, and I think we delivered that, with one of the options being "HDR".
 
Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
Oh absolulty!!! and I appreciate the suggestions. I am not anti HDR, just not a fan of many of the overly enhanced ways it gets used lol. And you guys are probably right using HDR would have more than likely helped this image a lot. I did not bracket so the image can not be used for HDR.
thanks
 
R

Rick M

Senior Member
Take a look at Rick's (Axeman) entry in this weeks challenge. In my opinion it is one of the best HDR's I've seen in a long time. I do feel the original image is a bit flat and lifeless.
 
Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
cnyram said:
Take a look at Rick's (Axeman) entry in this weeks challenge. In my opinion it is one of the best HDR's I've seen in a long time. I do feel the original image is a bit flat and lifeless.
Click to expand...

Yeah that is pretty nice. Good use of HDR. It is when the sky starts looking like a rainbow or images to that effect that I do not care for. It is just my opinion...
And yes My image was very flat and lifeless with basically 3 colors in the entire image. I do like what Helene did with it. really brings out the colors and makes the image much more inviting. IDk what the deal with the shot was. the sun was right, I was at a rough 90 from it. it just did not come out as I seen it... which was why i asked for the critique. Unfortunatley most of the answers came in the direction of post processing Vs in camera. Not a bad thing, just not completely what i was trying to figure.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
Yes, unfortunately, what we see isn't always what we get! Sometimes I think I've captured a gem, and it turns out to be a dissapointment. On the bright side, at least the film and developing was cheap!
 
Johnathan Aulabaugh

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
hahaha yeah that it was. whats bad is I have gone down that rd a dozen times and not found what i am looking for picture wise. I did get one image that some seem to be liking but it feel incomplete to me.
 
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