Testing my eye

[Rachel Foster]

I think this is pretty good. Is it? Can I recognize good images when I see them?

One of the issues involved with being new is not yet knowing if one has the "eye."

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/annieblues/iciclestem.jpg

Feel free to be blunt.

[Duke Beattie]

Hi..
I also like this.. The only thing I would do is a little crop off the bottom and the right side. Actually I toned down the white on the lower left and kicked up the red/orange saturation because I like the stripe in the middle of the icicle... Of course this is my take on the crop and saturation.
Here is my (quick and dirty) version.. Looking at it on the post I would probably fix the orange stuff on the little balls in the back ground.... make them a little more white like yours..
http://www.pbase.com/dcbeattie/image/90638590.jpg

[Asher Kelman]

Rachel,

I'm in total empathy with the concept of what I think is something biological, possible a twig encased in ice. This is a subject that truly I find fascinating and actually I look to photograph myself when I can.

Here, however, the idea is not, IMHO, translated into the physical form that gives sufficient merit to the concept.

There is no focus on the ice and the highlights are blown and again have CA. Stopping down might be helpful so that the outside of the lens is not needed. I'd do this with flash and 1/250 second and a small aperture to increase depth of field.

Also the composition does not get my juices flowing. Draw a line following where your eye might go to place of interest. Nothing compelling. If not the subject, then at least the pattern and placement of shapes, colors, or textures might seduce the eye. There is little focus and little to focus on. The most interesting part is the background.

I again offer this harsh critique as my humble single opinion. It's just my reaction and judgment.

Perhaps if there was a background for this or at least a title it might mean something to me and create some sequence of feelings and interest. When shooting such a natural phenomenon one has to study the ice and search for and experiment with many different angles. Try, for example including another object in the background with which this frozen form might complete a picture. Literally go around it crouching and going from side to side and then to the back of it or above to find a pattern, a composition that declares "I'm whole". That is your picture! Yes it hard. But if it were so easy, you would have nothing special to accomplish!

Otherwise I'm lost.

Kind wishes,

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

Thanks, again, for the carefully considered critiques. I'm trying to move into "stunning" territory and just don't yet know what makes the difference.

[Kathy Rappaport]

I'm trying to move into "stunning" territory and just don't yet know what makes the difference.

Practice. Lots of it. Sometimes it just happens. But the more you shoot the closer you get to stunning.

[Asher Kelman]

So Rachel, what is the object frozen in the ice? Do you have more images from that subject?

This topic is intriguing since it has the elements of chance as to what get's frozen and captured. Where is this?

Sometimes, it might take brushing away ice that shouldn't be in the picture or else pushing more into the frame or adding one leaf. Depending on your view of things, that might or might not be acceptable to do! :)

I have found that taking a picture of ice from one whole set of angles is simply unrewarding and yet one might find another position which just forms a perfect composition and your heart beats faster. Then you know it, right then you get a thrill as you have that special image to begin your work of making the final photograph.

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

Oh I have many shots of this particular place. It's a vine encased in ice at the side of my house. What drew my eye were the icicles, though.

The other two I liked from this shoot are

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/annieblues/19cr.jpg



http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/annieblues/ice.jpg


and the hops themselves....

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/annieblues/hopalone.jpg


Other shots of the vine were too "busy."

[Asher Kelman]

The first two are especially worthy!

Rachel you have a potential treasure trove to photograph.

The first two are unique and you should try printing. The last one on first look one would immediately ask, "Why on earth show that?", then I realize that the plant is in fact peeping into the frame. However, even that is not enough. There is not enough of it and one cannot see the open face of the hops tip.

Let's see what others think.

Way better work. I must commend you Rachel.

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

That means a lot to hear you say that, Asher. Truly it does.

[Charles L Webster]

The first one doesn't grab me, I think the lack of sharpness, and the distracting blobs of light in the b/g. But the 2nd, especially the 3rd, and the 4th are all good. All show the benefit of your progress. Good work, thanks for sharing.

PS think about the recommendation of that EF-S 60mm macro lens, all these would be good subjects for getting closer with.

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Rachel,

Thanks for being open to both my careful, (but no doubt, at least to the uninitiated, over-) harsh criticism and then to my particular choices of what I find more compelling. It's good to be in a forum where there is that much trust and rapport.

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

Asher, I may not always agree with feedback but I always listen. I "try on" the advice and if it works, I'm thrilled. If it doesn't work *for me* I tuck it away and then come back to it. It may be a case of differing vision, or it may be that I just am not ready to understand the advice. My approach is to be open to all input, see what works, try to figure out what I don't agree with and why I don't, re-evaluate, and if all else fails come back to it until I can answer those questions.

I've learned a great deal and it's because I know everyone here knows more than I even realized there was to learn. Only a fool would turn away from such knowledge and skill without trying to understand the point.

Final point: If I don't want criticism, I have no business asking for it. And I take all comments (here, anyway) as a kindness.

(And, yes, the point of this post is to share my perspective with other newbies who might not understand the value of all of this. I figure there must be one or two people somewhere who know a tiny bit less than me.....maybe!)

[Rachel Foster]

Charles, I'll put that lens on my list. Thanks! And thanks for so much other good advice over the past few months.

[Asher Kelman]

Andreas Kanon has posted an unusual photograph related to yours, Rachel.

It's of a small bird resting on ice encased twigs, and is a must to see in post # 96, here (http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=751).

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

That would be the photo of a lifetime for me.


About the ice series....I like this image but I'm having difficulty pinpointing what's wrong with it.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/annieblues/IMG_9729ed.jpg

I like the light reflecting off the ice the way it does. It's almost magical in a way. But.... I think some of the problems might be that it's overexposed in some places and the reflection becomes glare. I also think the placement of the icicles is off. It fails to achieve symmetry and the proportions are just wrong . The distance between the upper two prongs and the lower four prongs is not a pleasing amount, and the number of prongs itself is not the three or five one would like to see.

What am I missing on critique?

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Rachel,

You're analysing too much. On this basis men and women would never "hook up"! Just look at it as a whole. Why did your brain grab this and get you to press the shutter? My guess is that this is a praying mantis!

If that is so, bring in the right triangle in the histogram and get the ice to be 3 dimensional. Just an idea to look at for fun: I'd clone to continue the embedded twig all through it as part is blown out. Then I'd add black to the left of the picture. I might add a photograph of a praying mantis from the left side of the black you add to be looking in from the laft side.

IOW, this is the very beginning of something creative and one has to be open to differnet possibilities.

At least, I'd consider adding a solid color to the left. You could pick up the sienna color of the embedded twig. Have fun!

Asher