Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
I like exploring spatial connections between overhanging, streamside vegetation and flowing water. I found this arrangement interesting and wonder if you do too?
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
Taken this morning along a small Georgia stream. I was attracted to the interplay between the overhanging fronds and the bedrock cascade, which to me conjures the feeling of a fountain and new life springing forth.
Technical Details
Nikon Z7, Voigtlander AIS 58mm f/1.4, ISO 160, f/16, 1/4 sec
Focus stack of 3 images in PS
Specific Feedback
I’m interested in any impressions about overall visual appeal and artistic value. Thanks!
Hi Steve, thanks for sharing your image. I tend to see images as shapes. In your image, I see a number of triangles, especially in the ferns and also a larger inverted triangle in the water. This may also look interesting if the image were cropped vertically. Composition wise, the top and bottom feel heavy with not much connecting them in the center. A crop may help.
This is really cool… simple, elegant. I love how the water parts the two ferns… it has nice flow. The ferns and the water play off of each other nicely, creating nice tension. It keeps my eye on the frame. The top vignette is slightly too much for me.
Great shot.
Very cool indeed - and sorry I copied Matt’s words, but that is what came to mind! I really like the viewpoint and juxtaposition between the ferns and the movement of the water. I also thought how this almost comes across as a composite - and well, it kinda is - only quite the natural layout. Good eye to spot and frame this.
I kinda see what Alfredo is talking about, although I don’t see a crop in there. Maybe a transform to “squash” the water reducing some of the distance between the ferns and the upper water. But that would be pretty drastic. the only other feedback or suggestion I have would be to desaturated the green ferns at the bottom. While it’s really the only thing that indicates new life, the ferns are mostly brown which indicates more fall and transition to winter response for me. But regardless, the interaction between the two elements is the strength here and this works beautifully.
I don’t see a crop here either and IMO it isn’t terribly unbalanced. The ferns have presence because of their placement and their crispness in relation to the softer water. Even though it’s brighter, that softness keeps us from exploring it quite so much.
Little slices like this knock me out and I’m so glad you posted it. Swirling water and ferns, they just go together somehow. Diane picked up on the color family being repeated in the rock and the leaves. You could have a swipe at painting the green over with more golden tones if you want a totally monochromatic look, but I kind of like the little pop of something different there. The triangles and the Vs through out make this work very well - we humans just love repeating patterns. It looks naturally darker on the left edge so I would try darkening the right to reciprocate that and make for a slight vignette. Really gorgeous and just the thing I would try for if I saw it.
I like it as is, too. No way to crop this in my view. My only critique is that I think I see focus stacking artifacts in the upper/mid part of the water. Moving water is very difficult to get right in stacking…since it’s mostly blurred anyway, I usually mask it out and let one frame dominate the area…just a thought.
Other than that, I can just say that I wish I had taken this.
Hi Steve. My initial reaction to your photo is that it brings a smile to my face! The ferns, to my eye, seem to be a pair of hands, opened palms up in a welcoming gesture, inviting the viewer to take a look at the rest of the photo. I like the shutter speed you’ve chose, I think it’s a great choice that has just enough blur but really allows for a nice texture to show through. Beautiful photo, Steve.
Alfredo, while I probably wouldn’t be comfortable cropping from the center, shooting from a slightly lower angle would compress the distance between the top and bottom triangles. I’ll give that a try next time if I’m lucky enough to have similarly interesting patterns going on.
Matt, thanks for your observation about the top vignette. I was definitely trying to isolate and accentuate the water triangle at the top and might’ve gone a little overboard. I like your suggestion, Kris S., about darkening the right side for better balance there.
I agree, Lon, about the orange color of the fronds creating some seasonal confusion. The fronds of this species apparently emerge in orangey gold before turning green like the basal fronds.
I really appreciate your overall reaction, Diane, and observation about the repeating gold in the wet rocks - thanks!
Thank you as well Kris S., David, and Kris W. for your helpful reactions and encouragement about this image! David, I’ll be looking more deeply at any focus stacking artifacts to see if I can mask them out or maybe even remove the farthest back of the 3 images from the stack since it’s all water moving in the background anyway.
The fronds of this species apparently emerge in orangey gold before turning green like the basal fronds.