Covid restricts our moves more and more, so I need to stay close to home. A reason to visit this moor area once again.
Nitrogen deposits from nearby agriculture, from traffic and industry have enriched the soil and moor grass has replaced the original heather vegetation. Fortunately, the area is part of a NP, and the ground water level is kept high in spite of the demands of the agriculture in the neighbourhood (they like their land dryer). Underground water barriers try to satisfy the contrasting desires.
The image is more or less backlit, the low sun is just out of the frame (left edge). This is a composite of 3 exposures.
Specific Feedback Requested
The image is a bit cropped, mainly at the bottom, what do you think about the crop?
What about the sky? It was a bit dreary day, with sometimes the sun peeping through, as in this moment.
Any other comments are, as always, very welcome.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: Yes
Pentax K5, Sigma 2.8/17-70mm @39mm, ISO400, f/10, shutter speed 1/200, 1/800 and 1/50sec.
I feel your pain. Fortunately in our area we are now able to get out into nature with minimal restriction, but back in the spring of last year they basically closed all of it; it was a pain for photography for sure!
I agree the sky looks a little dreary, and I wonder about focusing a crop on the foreground. The shapes and shadows created by the interplay of the grass and water are the more interesting areas for my eye. That might give it a more abstract feel, but might be worth playing with.
Hans, yes, COVID means staying close to home. I think your pano crop works very well here. I also like the mix of grass and water in the foreground. Looks like an interesting place to explore. There’s quite a bit of softness around the near trees as they cross the distant trees and the sky. I’m thinking that that softness may relate to how you combined the 3 exposures.
This is not for everyone but I really like this image. The word ‘moody’ is used too often in criticism (especially with fog) but this one is just that. It’s not that the image is moody as much as the person who shot this. The distant trees seem out of focus. I sort of wish they were in focus but their lack of clarity does add to the mystery (another word we use too much) of the image. Kudos for creativity on this one.
This does have a certain mood, as Igor said - winter austerity. The crop looks fine to me; all the elements in the frame feel balanced. The sky is a bit bright compared to the rest of the scene. Perhaps bringing down the highlights a bit would even it out. But it’s lovely as is, too.
Thank you, @Igor_Doncov, @John_Williams, @Bonnie_Lampley and @Mark_Seaver. Igor hit the nail with his remark, that the photographer is a bit moody in this case 
But he will survive.
@Mark_Seaver: the softness is definitely a result of the merged exposures. I have a different version, from 2 exposures and some more hand craft, that is better in this respect, but I like this one as well. It is indeed an interesting place to explore (if you like to see more: http://www.hsphotography.nl/engelstalig/peelhtml_e/index.htm).
I’ll try the suggestions made by @Bonnie_Lampley and @John_Williams, about the sky and the crop.
Thanks again.
