Wednesday Photo Critique #10, 02/06/2013

Jagged. Arches National Park, Utah, 2013

For this week’s image I have chosen a recent monochrome conversion of a landscape detail made on the Park Avenue Trail in Arches National Park, Utah.

And my standard call before I proceed: If you have been lurking about this web site and you’d like me to use your image for a Wednesday critique, just send me an e-mail (see Contact tab). That way, you can save me from critiquing my own images–which would be a welcome relief! Oh, and no names will be mentioned–it will be an anonymous critique.

OK, back to the photo o’ the week…I have my critic’s hat on and I am pretending this is the first time I’ve ever seen this photograph…here we go…

The metadata: Nikon D90 (1.5x crop factor sensor) with Nikkor 70-300 f/4-5.6 zoom at 260mm, f/8, 1/640, ISO200, tripod used, outdoors with partly cloudy skies.

And following my 7-Step Critique Guide…

1) EXAMINE. This is a monochrome image that is all about angle, curves, line and texture, the principal subject being the jagged diagonal line, or crack, running through the frame from bottom left to top right.

2) EMOTIONAL RESPONSE. My initial response to this image is that I am looking at a rather imposing feature of a larger landscape–perhaps I feel a sense of drama in what looks like a heavily scarred cliff face. There is a certain weight to it that carries with it the implication of the almost uncomprehensible eons of geologic time that went into its creation. Also implied and left to the imagination is a larger landscape beyond the frame. On just a simple visual level, one could simply spend time enjoying the various textures, lines and curves carved in the rock.

3) TECHNICAL POINTS. Technically, the exposure and contrast of the monochrome conversion seem very well done. Not all black and white images require the full gamut of tones from pure black to pure white, but this is one that just begs for it–and, to my eye, it looks like that has been achieved. I also like that detail is still visible even in the shadows (this, possibly aided by a partly cloudy sky rather than full-on, high-contrast, sunlight). The metadata shows that an effort was made to get as much sharpness in the original capture as possible: f/8 is a good, sharp f/stop for this lens, the shutter speed was plenty fast, ISO was set as low as possible, the lens was not used out to its extreme of 300mm which would have brought in some softness, and the camera was set on a tripod. (I would hope that mirror lock-up or exposure delay mode, with a remote trigger, was also used to eke out the last bit of sharpness.)

4) ARTISTIC QUALITIES. Obviously, the strong diagonal line in this composition is what caught the photographer’s eye. There are actually two main ones, as the shadow adds a parallel to the original. Also, these major diagonals can be found rhymed in several other places throughout the picture with smaller diagonals. Remember that the diagonal tends to lend an image a sense of dynamism, tension and power. In this case, there is even a bit of a lightening bolt metaphor–although aimed upward. My eye tends to move up and down the main diagonal, with side trips off to each side to explore the other details, then I return to the “anchor” of the main diagonal again. On the lower left side, I see an area of nice curved lines that add a contrasting element to the theme of diagonal lines (or, maybe they don’t fit in with the theme?). Finally, the texture is quite interesting and varied and has enough detail to keep the eye entertained for more than the usual few seconds.

5. POSITIVE POINTS. I like the general idea of selecting a small portion of a larger scene in order to imply that wider scene. I also like the simplicity of the composition and the tonal range of the monochrome treatment.

6. IMPROVE. At this point, I’m at a loss as to how to improve the image. I think one either likes it as it is or one doesn’t. If I had to nitpick, I might consider trying a version with the white spots on the right side cloned out (assuming your ethics allow this)–it might give the photograph a cleaner look.

7. OVERALL. This is certainly an image worth trying to print at, say, 13×19 (or perhaps larger if you have the available pixels) on a good quality fine art paper. I would call it an average nature/landscape photograph.