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Comments
Hello again, welcome back to the Critique Gallery!
I really like this. It would help to know your thoughts, but I like the way that this breaks the 'there must be a focal point' rule. The subject is the colour and the contrast.
I've added two modifications, the first with only minor tweaks. I lightened and brightened a bit, then did some very gentle dodging on highlights, burning on shadows, which I think improves both the flowers and the sky.
Then an alternative crop, portrait, with a higher horizon. Landscape format leads the eye to explore horizontally, where there is really no progression here. Portrait leads the eye upwards, which for me is much more satisfying. But that's how I see it.
Moira
I really like this. It would help to know your thoughts, but I like the way that this breaks the 'there must be a focal point' rule. The subject is the colour and the contrast.
I've added two modifications, the first with only minor tweaks. I lightened and brightened a bit, then did some very gentle dodging on highlights, burning on shadows, which I think improves both the flowers and the sky.
Then an alternative crop, portrait, with a higher horizon. Landscape format leads the eye to explore horizontally, where there is really no progression here. Portrait leads the eye upwards, which for me is much more satisfying. But that's how I see it.
Moira
You want anyone to say anything?
That's fine and makes me feel you would he happy with any type of comment, but it really helps a critiquer if you give some idea as to why you are seeking critique, then the comments that you receive can be much more in tune with your needs.
I like the simplicity of this and, of course, the total contrast between sky and flowers. The flowers are nice and sharp with the focus tailing off at the back, but the sky looks to be replaced, or at least altered, which is ok if that's the effect you are looking for, i.e. strengthening the dichotomy by turning the sky to black and white and giving it some extra blur. Obviously, with the flowers in colour and the sky in mono, it can't be said that this is untouched or natural, but there are so many things we can do with images nowadays, we can suit ourselves as to how the end result looks.
Personally, I would prefer to have the sky in colour and the flowers a bit brighter. I like the one dominant flower bottom centre, which is where my eye first landed, so you could say it's a focal point. But you could ignore that if you prefer Moira's idea of breaking the rules. On that subject, you have divided sky and flowers nearly in the centre, which again breaks the rule of thirds rule quite satisfactorily.
Pamela.
That's fine and makes me feel you would he happy with any type of comment, but it really helps a critiquer if you give some idea as to why you are seeking critique, then the comments that you receive can be much more in tune with your needs.
I like the simplicity of this and, of course, the total contrast between sky and flowers. The flowers are nice and sharp with the focus tailing off at the back, but the sky looks to be replaced, or at least altered, which is ok if that's the effect you are looking for, i.e. strengthening the dichotomy by turning the sky to black and white and giving it some extra blur. Obviously, with the flowers in colour and the sky in mono, it can't be said that this is untouched or natural, but there are so many things we can do with images nowadays, we can suit ourselves as to how the end result looks.
Personally, I would prefer to have the sky in colour and the flowers a bit brighter. I like the one dominant flower bottom centre, which is where my eye first landed, so you could say it's a focal point. But you could ignore that if you prefer Moira's idea of breaking the rules. On that subject, you have divided sky and flowers nearly in the centre, which again breaks the rule of thirds rule quite satisfactorily.
Pamela.
"anyone say anything..."
or........
or........
I get the Dichotomy intention but for me this is just not working, maybe it would be better the other way round with the flowers desaturated.
I think it's the harsh line between the sky and flowers that is bothering me and the perspective of the sky. Did you replace it totally ?
Dichotomy images can look very surreal and intriguing, this one just looks like a desaturated sky, sorry to be negative, there are a couple of positives, the focus of the flowers falls off nicely and your detail looks ok.
I will have a go at a mod, see what comes out in the wash.
I think it's the harsh line between the sky and flowers that is bothering me and the perspective of the sky. Did you replace it totally ?
Dichotomy images can look very surreal and intriguing, this one just looks like a desaturated sky, sorry to be negative, there are a couple of positives, the focus of the flowers falls off nicely and your detail looks ok.
I will have a go at a mod, see what comes out in the wash.
Quote:Dichotomy is defined as a sharp division of things or ideas into two contradictory parts. An example of dichotomy is grouping mammals by those that live on land and those that live in water. A separation or division into two; a distinction that results in such a division.
That's how I understand it.
So, I did a mod.
Cropped to put the horizon on the upper third.
Applied a painterly effect to give the impression it was raining upwards and downwards.
Added the Goldfish in the sky to be very contradictory.
Well, it's different, may not be something you were aiming for though
It would be good to hear what you think of the result, or at least what processing you did and why, what were you looking to achieve?
It's interesting how grey skies do have some hint of colour which makes a pure mono sky look surreal. If that's what you want, then ok.
So, taken at face value, it's tonally flat and Moira's first mod just boosts brightness and contrast sufficiently to grab the viewer's attention.
It's interesting how grey skies do have some hint of colour which makes a pure mono sky look surreal. If that's what you want, then ok.
So, taken at face value, it's tonally flat and Moira's first mod just boosts brightness and contrast sufficiently to grab the viewer's attention.
Sorry I'm late on the scene...
I'm in two minds about this: I think I can see what you might have been aiming for (the brightness of flowers in the foreground, under grey skies), and it's a good idea. Whether it's strong enough without somewhere for the eye to come t rest in the image, I'm less sure.
And the horizon itself niggles, for me. I suspect that you've colour popped the flowers, and there's something a little unnatural about the sharp dividing line when the fall-off of sharp focus leaves the horizon slightly soft. If you did digital work, you need a softer brush, I reckon, to leave the softness. Alternatively, I wonder if the clouds really need to be strictly monochrome?
Another possibility is that you've put the clouds in from another shot entirely - that's OK, but the same consideration applies to the horizon.
Either way, though, I'd suggest that you take care that in doing something really clever in editing, you don't lose sight of the basics: Moira's slight increase in contrast makes the image work far better, I think. It's an easy mistake to make, and one I've been guilty of this week...
I'm in two minds about this: I think I can see what you might have been aiming for (the brightness of flowers in the foreground, under grey skies), and it's a good idea. Whether it's strong enough without somewhere for the eye to come t rest in the image, I'm less sure.
And the horizon itself niggles, for me. I suspect that you've colour popped the flowers, and there's something a little unnatural about the sharp dividing line when the fall-off of sharp focus leaves the horizon slightly soft. If you did digital work, you need a softer brush, I reckon, to leave the softness. Alternatively, I wonder if the clouds really need to be strictly monochrome?
Another possibility is that you've put the clouds in from another shot entirely - that's OK, but the same consideration applies to the horizon.
Either way, though, I'd suggest that you take care that in doing something really clever in editing, you don't lose sight of the basics: Moira's slight increase in contrast makes the image work far better, I think. It's an easy mistake to make, and one I've been guilty of this week...
