I'm entering this photo into a local contest and would like some C&C, please.

[texkam]

OK, sorry the dig on Auburn's FB and BB teams. It was just too easy to go there. This photo (and the other) doesn't speak to me in any way, so I'll invite you, the creator of it, to educate me the viewer. Could you argue the merit of this (or either) photo? Tell me/us what you feel makes the photo outstanding, unique, visually interesting. Why does it speak to you? While I see some visual movement in it, I'm lost to what makes this contest worthy. Explaining one's thought process can be a beneficial learning experience for both parties.

 

[amolitor]

Too busy, too open. All the shots, all the versions, there's just too much STUFF in the frame that's not pulling its weight. Get closer, a lot closer, and get the irrelevant crud out of the frame.

The waterfall is nice, there's a fine "local tourism calendar" shot in there. I like the dappled light, I like the rich greens. But there's rocks all over the place, and a great big tree with a bunch of weedy vine stuff on it, and a railing and a couple MORE trees in the background and and and.

Also, watch the "sharpen" lever, I think you might be pushing on it a bit too hard.

 

[texkam]

Too busy, too open. All the shots, all the versions, there's just too much STUFF in the frame that's not pulling its weight.

This is why I am inviting the OP to give us an explanation of his intentions. If he wants to argue that this is somehow a deliberate technique a la Andreas Gursky then the merits of that explanation can be debated.

 

[Buckster]

Looking at the first shot.

Not really a fan of the HDR/tone-mapping or whatever process you used that bunches the histogram up in the middle, leaving virtually no true blacks and whites, which lowers contrast, and makes it all more muddy-looking. I think a bit of work with Brightness/Contrast, selectively on the darkest parts of the image, selected with the color selection tool, then some work with overall levels of the scene as a whole to bring those blacks and whites back does wonders for it, personally.

It's also leaning to the right (clockwise) by about 3.17 degrees, per the reflection of the right edge of the bright rock to the right of the right side drain hole.