Landscape in Chile for C&C (first photo in the forum)

[Leticia Gaidon]

I'm not professional at all, I am just a beginer with a hobby ready for learning.
Regarding the photo: We were coming back from Atacama Desert. I took this picture near the border with Argentina (Paso de Jama).
Ready for C&C.
Thank you all.
Leticia.

 

[Rich Ardt]

Not sure where to start... I could stare at this photo for a long time, simply because of that stark landscape and oh man how I would love to see the Atacama, and all southern Chili and Patagonia.

From a purely technical point of view, it's not bad. Exposure is fine, though I would like to see a bit more contrast.

The time of day when this photo was taken is not ideal. A landscape as bland as this needs soft light to exclaim its brilliant solitude. I would like to see scale. I would like to understand what is connecting me to the other side. Where are you standing? Some foreground interest perhaps...

An uninteresting sky such as this is not too much to do about, but to crop it so it occupies less space, and focus more on what could be more interesting down here. A plant? A rock with some texture? Who knows exactly where you are...

The lines in this place seem to be what you need to work with. An interesting curve of the shoreline perhaps? I see a "snapshot" of a landscape which begs for patient exploration (i do understand that most probably you were just passing this place in your journey). Would like to see more more images of this trip of yours... Don't be shy

 

[Steph]

Very nice. Simple and effective composition that, to me, emphasizes the harsh climatic conditions of the desert. I also like the fact that you did not over-saturate the colours and did not boost the contrast too much. Well done and thanks for sharing. Hope to see more from the same place.

 

[Steph]

Not sure where to start... I could stare at this photo for a long time, simply because of that stark landscape and oh man how I would love to see the Atacama, and all southern Chili and Patagonia.

From a purely technical point of view, it's not bad. Exposure is fine, though I would like to see a bit more contrast.

The time of day when this photo was taken is not ideal. A landscape as bland as this needs soft light to exclaim its brilliant solitude. I would like to see scale. I would like to understand what is connecting me to the other side. Where are you standing? Some foreground interest perhaps...

An uninteresting sky such as this is not too much to do about, but to crop it so it occupies less space, and focus more on what could be more interesting down here. A plant? A rock with some texture? Who knows exactly where you are...

The lines in this place seem to be what you need to work with. An interesting curve of the shoreline perhaps? I see a "snapshot" of a landscape which begs for patient exploration (i do understand that most probably you were just passing this place in your journey). Would like to see more more images of this trip of yours... Don't be shy

I think that is a bit harsh. Of course this picture does not follow the rules from a landscape textbook:

1-Do not shoot during the day (only during the 'golden hour').
2-Had some foreground interest
3-Give a sense of scale
4-Only shoot interesting skies

IMHO, even if this picture does not follow all the rules I think it is still successful. To me it is intriguing because you don't have a sense of scale. The straight line of the shore, the 'uninteresting' sky and the harsh light emphasize the harsh conditions encountered in the desert. As for this landscape being bland, I totally disagree: look at all those subtle tones in the mountain complemented by the blues in the sky and the water.

 

[Rich Ardt]

I think that is a bit harsh. Of course this picture does not follow the rules from a landscape textbook...

If I seemed "harsh", it's not my intention, though I don't think I did. If I came across as proclaiming the image to be completely unsuccessful, that was not my intention either.

But, if I DID get Letitia to think about it, then I absolutely succeeded. And THAT was my sole intention.

I am very critical over my own work. I guess sometimes too much. And you will find my complete honesty in my thoughts over images that I comment on. It's my hope that nobody will ever find my comments to be "destructive", but "constructive" only. That is my one and only aim.

Rules are there to be broken, once you know them, and you know how to intentionally break them successfully.

I do not know everything. I have much to learn. And one of the best ways is looking at others images, and thinking: "What would I have done to make it even better, if at all possible."

 

[CareToPose]

Yeah, it is nice. It's soft to the eyes. Hmmm.. . maybe cut down a bit on the top part, the sky? I would agree with Rich. The three parts - sky, hills, shore/beach - each seem to be in a race for attention.

 

[Leticia Gaidon]

Thank you all for your comments, I really appreciate that you take your time to teach me and be worry about my feelings.
Answering some of your questions, I must say that I was travelling to the border to Argentina and in that area there is no place to sleep, so we were running with a broken rent car ooooppsss
The light of the desert is strongly hard and the landscape too. If you are very very lucky you could find a bush. You know? In Atacama there are places where didn’t rain for more than 500 years!!! Amazing!!!
I have some pictures in sunset and golden light but I didn’t know that was a rule (?!)
Steph thank you very much for teaching me the rules and be so sweet. Rich and CareToPose thank you for your critics.
I send you a BIIIIGGG HUGGGGG :hug::

 

[Rich Ardt]

Oy Leticia,

Hm, there is no rule that says a photo MUST be taken in golden light. And maybe I was a bit over-enthusiastic in my visualizations (everything happening in my minds eye).

I was just saying that the time of day was not ideal. What I meant by that, was that in my minds eye, I saw some more definition in the hills. When the sun comes from top, there are very little shadows. If the sun were more from the side, it would have created more definition in the hills, shadows and texture.

But you see, now you come into contact with the concept of "light". Without light, photography would not exist, because all that photography is, is the capture and interpretation of light.

We speak of hard light (in the middle of the day, like your Atacama) when the shadows are very dark and harsh, or soft light, when the shadows are not so intense and more subtle (like earlier and later in the day, or on a day when it is covered with cloud).

Also, of course the colors are more intense when the light is less hard.

I realized that you were on your way somewhere when the photo was taken. Of course the desert is not a place where you can just change your "schedule" in a moment. There are so many places where I have been, and just didn't have the opportunity to be there at the "perfect" time. I still took the photo. But I always wish I could go back. But there are so many new places too.

Anyway, there is a lot to learn, and photography is really an interesting subject. A subject which of course, starts with light...

Hope you will stick around and post more photos, and learn more, as we all do...

Salud y amor! :hug::

 

[Leticia Gaidon]

Rich,
Thank you for your message, regarding the idea of come back you remind me the “trauma” of not taking one picture at the Red Lake in Bolivia (Atacama Desert too) I’m still regret for that and I could come back and take it. We always hope that.
I was conscious that the best light to take a picture is in the sunset or daybreak (the last one only possible if I come back from a party and didn’t sleep jejejej) but I didn’t know that was a “rule” even if it isn’t a fixed rule. You expressed wonderfully everything about the light, also I saw a lot of books regarding this subject in libraries but I must learn so many things that I didn’t know where to start…Now I know that I should buy one of these books. It is the moment to do it.
Anyway with all your help I now that I would be well oriented. Gracias for your help.
Be sure that I’m going to continue posting photos, at least for learning from all of you.:razz:
LOL.
Leti.