James River

Alpha · Jun 19, 2008

A re-work of an old neg. I'm kind of almost pleased with this shot, taken on 120 PanF. It looks like I shot it with a green filter but I don't really remember.

kundalini · Jun 19, 2008

I learned to water ski on the James River when I was just a wee lad. In fact, I was such a wee lad that the water level rose a couple of inches that year.

Did you want any comments on the photo? Hard to tell these days.

Alpha · Jun 19, 2008

Well it's already obvious to me what's wrong with it. But if you want to comment go for it.

kundalini · Jun 19, 2008

The tones are really good on this Alpha and I do like it. Quite a bit of detail in the treelines. Lovely clouds.

The fist thing noticed was the centered horizon. However, with your low position at the waters edge, it may be overlooked.

Secondly, the rock at the lower left. It's a little distracting. I would like to see either more of it or none of it.

I won't say the tree in the upper left foreground is a distraction since without it you wouldn't have been able to get the first rock (last as the water flows) in the frame. It just makes it a bit left heavy.

I think your timing for shutter speed is spot on. Really like the flow of the water.

Overall, very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Battou · Jun 19, 2008

:thumbup: Thanks for sharing

LaFoto · Jun 20, 2008

Little do I know about the proper use of filters in black and white photography, nor do I know anything about the correct manners to develop black and white film and make good prints, so I cannot really say anything about that.

But I am thankful to Kundalini for offering me the word "left heavy". While I did see the very centred horizon first thing but thought by myself "This is one of the few photos where I can easily live with it", I had a feeling inside me that something was tugging me down on the left, and thanks to Kundalini I now know what it is. It is this photo. More so: that tree. Although ... :scratch: ... cropping that out takes away half of the rock there, which I would prefer to see as whole ... tough one!

OK, what I do like clearly is how both water AND clouds seem to rush from the central left to the bottom and top right (respectively). To my mind, that is the strongest element of this photo.

Hey and Alpha?
Posting pics spree???

Senor Hound · Jun 20, 2008

This is not the James River I know. We have one of those here in Missouri, and your James River is a lot nicer looking (at least the photo makes it nicer looking).

From what kundalini posted, I ask a question. Would it be an okay idea to crop about 1/6th or an 1/8th of the bottom of the photo out? That way, the rock issue is gone and your horizon gets pushed off of center. I am a novice, but it seems that taking care of two problems this would be a positive thing.

The left tree is mildly distracting and does throw off the balance somewhat, but the photo is amazingly well done. I think to a novice, they would hardly care. Now if you're trying to impress someone really advanced photographically, they may see flaws, but I would go as far as to say 99% of the people out there would find this photo spectacular, even as is.

Great choice of shutter speed. I would be afraid to push the blur too far, but it worked! Kudos!

Alpha · Jun 20, 2008

I have no idea what your obsession is with off-center horizons.

But thanks for the feedback.

Battou · Jun 20, 2008

Alpha said:
I have no idea what your obsession is with off-center horizons.

But thanks for the feedback.

Me personally, I like centered horizons, I think it might have something to do with living in a river vally with most to the horions I see naturally as I walk are at two thirds from bottom