A new landscape hopefully incorporating feedback from the last one

[terrib]

I have to admit that my last thread left me slightly frustrated and confused at first. I concentrate on one thing and seem to lose the rest. So I'd like to start with a fresh composition (taken the same day) and see if I've made any progress in being able to assess its worth based on the feedback that you all so kindly gave me on the last one. I really appreciate all of your time spent! Thank you.

1. This picture is as composed in the camera except for straightening due to me leaning over the river .

- I like that my eye is led from bottom right, to the left, and then up toward the bit of sky
- The bush on the bottom left does not bother me because it joins with the bushes above to sort of frame the river bend
- I don't like the bright rock on the bottom right and I wish I had the little bit of sky back that I lost to straightening.
- Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with this image



2. Same scene as composed in the camera.

- The bush on the left is now too big and distracting
- The subject river doesn't fill as much of the frame
- I think there is too much sky but I like that the trees at the sky don't seem chopped off



3. This image is cropped from #2 and I think addresses the things I didn't like in #2 and brings back a touch more sky and the tops of those trees. I like this one best although #1 is a close second.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Terri,

I agree with your assesment and prefer #3, with the small exception of the two or three grass stems in front of the rock, lower left. These are mostly missing in #1, not sure if by cloning or other means.

I might also burn the rock leaving the frame on right hand side slightly, just so it isn't quite so bright.

Good progress, it has been a pleasure seeing you get to grips with these things, not least because it makes me think too.

Cheers,

[terrib]

Thank you, Dave. Now how did that grass disappear in #1? Anyway, all your points are well taken. Thanks for your time!

I have to admit that I'm wavering back and forth between 1 & 3. The river just seems to carry me through the picture more in #1 (albeit upstream!)

[Polar01]

Terri: you are paying more attention to details, that is one thing that a lot of people do not do, and you can explain why you like it. I still have a hard time doing that part, I generally use "I liked it, so I took a shot". I have some questions, how long between taking the two images 1 and 2,(as 3 if from 2). Image 1 was shot I believe at a slighty different angle or zoom setting as there is more bottom and right side of it compared to #2. You stated that you leveled it, this you should have removed some of the image off the bottom but there is more of that large rock stream showing. It is the same scene but shot differently.
I am going to make a suggestion, take a look and give your thought on it, use the side scroll up and down and aline the bottom close to where the 3 rocks in the stream on the right hand are, I picked the one about 1/3 of the way from the right in the middle of the stream. This will remove the large rock on the left with the branch in front of it, giving the image a wider feel and depth. Just my thoughts, isn't photography fun, it is not just seeing the image in front of you, but seeing the image that you wanted in front of you.

Cheers:

Allan

[terrib]

Allan, #1 was taken 18 seconds after #2. I was squatting down in both pictures but in #1, I scooted closer to the edge and leaned as far over the stream as I could because I was trying to move the edge of the bend on the left as close to the edge of the frame as possible and move all of the stream out of "smack dab" center as it was in #2. Problem is, leaning the way I was, I did not have my camera level. I also was pointing slightly further down, getting less sky and more of the bottom rock. When I straightened in PP, I lost even more sky and also the bottom of the bottom rock. Hope that made sense...

Thanks for the suggested crop, but I'm not sure about it. I like the wide angle crops on lanscape images, but in this case it removes more of the river which lessons its dominance in the image.

[Donald]

I have to admit that I'm wavering back and forth between 1 & 3.

That's fine and is a perfectly legitimate part of the process. What is wonderful to read is the in-depth reflection and analysis in which you have engaged in order to assess and develop your performance and your learning.

It always frustrates and disappoints me when people think it's a case of pointing the camera, clicking the button, posting it and then asking 'What do you think?'. I think that if we're serious about learning and developing, then we have to involve ourselves in this level of assessment.

[Mike Buckley]

You're really nailing this stuff about composition, Terri. It's not just the improved quality of your compositions, but it's also your informed comments about them. You seem to be at the point now that you could show your images to ten different people and get ten different opinions about relatively minor details.

By the way, that wasn't you leaning toward the river. That was the river leaning toward you. All rivers have a way of doing that to photographers.

[Ken Curtis]

Hi Terri. A comment on the top photo. When I first looked at this image, my eye went immediately to the rock in the lower left. That is because it is so bright. I like your composition and would simply darken the top of that rock and the other at the bottom. Those rocks provide a nice sense of place and anchor the image. Your eye will then go to the brighter areas of the image, which are the other rocks and the whitewater.

Another thing to try is to darken all the rocks so the eye focuses more on the water, and bring up the shadows in the trees a bit to hold the eye upstream.

My two cents worth, or maybe it's only a penny's worth. You captured a very pleasing image, and with a few small tweaks, can make it outstanding.

[dje]

Terri this is a lovely shot, no matter how you crop it. Well seen. Colour and light are
good and I like the way the river winds through the shot.

Dave

[terrib]

Thank you Donald and Mike for your always encouraging comments. Y'all are helping me immensely. I do sometimes worry that my threads are too wordy for a lot of people but if nothing else, writing it all out helps me organize my thoughts!

Ken, I appreciate the suggestions. I do need reminding that I can selectively modify certain elements. I keep trying to lower ALL highlights rather than selections. Still learning a lot about PP.

Dave, thank you for your kind words.

I appreciate all of your time and efforts! Thanks so much.

[Donald]

I do sometimes worry that my threads are too wordy for a lot of people but if nothing else, writing it all out helps me organize my thoughts!

I just wish that more people would behave in the same way.

Now, that is not to be critical of the way in which different people approach learning and development, but I cannot move myself away from the basic principle that one of the fundamentals of developing our skills in photography is training ourselves to critically analyse and appraise our own work.

I would suggest that the fact that you are doing this places you in a very strong position in terms of that development and pathway to improvement.