[Pavel]

hmmm what do you think? I keep on getting back to these types of photos and like them. I do not feel I got the real hang of them though. They need to be bright and colorful and have shapes but not be as crisp as this one and yet softer photo or post-processing seems to produce muddy results. I know it need some cropping from the top

[Toad]

well, I kind of like it. I like the bright spots of low focus and the color wash. On the other hand, I think it lacks for a solid focal point. If there was a bicycle or a car or a hiker coming up the path, there would be more reason for me to take notice. As it is, if this were in a gallery with 50 other pictures, I would pass it by quickly. Nice effect - give me a focal point. Sorry for being harsh - bu this is critique, y'all...

[Irma]

Hi Pavel,

About colors... (you know it is at the moment my concern... )

I see a very limited palette. I am missing a spot of color to compensate the green-yellow.

The effect looks like bokeh... I think if you could blur a bit more and not to have that pattern, as in watercolor... more watered down (?) dilute... and maybe less contrast.

About direction, I see your picture a bit static. The only directional lines I see are those two at the left but they are very short to really give the push to direct my eye to some other interesting part in the frame. I like a lot the effect of those two lines btw.

Thinking about the bright spots in the path... maybe if you tried taking the picture from a lower angle you can have all those bright spots together and work with them as one element of light in your picture?

I know this picture can't be taken again, but maybe for the next images, you might like to find an angle where you can confine the bright areas and use them as one more subject in your composition.

Hope this helps, Pavel...

[Pavel]

Thank you Robert and Irma.

@Robert. Your point is well taken. The photo would look better with a recognizable visual anchor - there is no excuse. I had a friend there with me and I considered asking him to walk there for me, but at the end I did not. At this point, I am trying to figure out what makes a photo of this type work. I love the idea, because it frees you from the slavery to shapes, patterns and textures, but it demands a lot from colors and tonality. There is also a need for a balance between "butteriness (?)", which is great in small patches but often boring and flat looking on the whole photo and more defined out of focus photo that is richer with patterns which may feel harsh but which also help the viewer in orienting within the photo and give enough information to give the eye an idea what it is looking at. I am trying to understand how to improve my in camera technique to get more predictable results and and to refine post-processing methods.

@Irma. I struggled with "watered down" back and forth. I tried reducing local or global contrast, saturation, I softened the photo etc. When I did any of these, the photo started looking washed out like a photo with low contrast or it had a sheen that you see if you soften photo too much. I tried 2 different versions of this image with different in-camera softness too. Perhaps the day was too bright and light was too harsh for taking this type of photo. But I agree and I see what you see. I was unable to get what my inner eye saw. About the vantage point. I keep on struggling with that in this and other "regular" photos. If I go really low, I loose the triangle of the converging diagonals or the triangle becomes a very small part of the image I often do not like that, unless I use an ultrawide, but than I loose the foreshortened perspective. None of my "road photos" ever come out right. I do find the bright spots on the road distracting and I tried to tone them down. Your idea of combining them and using them is brilliant and creative - I never thought of that. The lines which I hoped will work for me were primarily the imaginary converging diagonals of the road defined by color. There are also the vertical of trees on both sides. I think you are talking about the lines made by the highlights on the left, which i see as a part of the converging diagonals.

Thank you both sincerely for taking time to comment. As you see, I was very interested in your response and it made me think.

P

[Zig]

Fascinating direction. My own guess is that one starts the journey, then assesses results, then modifies the next thing so as to actually work out what one is exploring. If this were my shot, I'd say to myself that this was a means to an end...see where you go, experiment...and sooner or later you'll see what tones, textures, colours work: it may well be that then you go onto shooting stuff at the widest aperture, and telling yourself, say, to use any lens you have, but with the "restriction" of shooting wide open. When I've done this, I've become aware that shooting handheld becomes more adventuresome, and one starts having a freedom and spring in one's step; it also reveals the major textural differences in "bokeh" between one lens and another.
I'd say, stuff everyone's opinions, enjoy the steeping stones and the journey, and see where it gets you: into a more texturally-aware, colour and tone-conscious, pioneering space, I'm sure.

[Pavel]

Thanks Zig for the voice of reason and for independence and just having fun. It is just that here i could always get a good advice and if somebody can kick me in the right direction, so much the better. And yes, I do shoot wide open these photos and I shamefully admit I use tripod only as a last resort. I am having a lot of fun, but I also want tokeep on improving, which is not work or stress for me, but real fun. Take care and enjoy the summer. Pavel

[Irma]

And I thank you Pavel, for posting this and showing that there is no better way to improve but by showing your work. I've been hiding my pictures because of the fear that they might not be good. And how will I know if nobody sees them, and talk about them?

Your are showing courage and trust in what you are doing. When I saw your picture I imagine I was walking the same path with my reflections. I trust they work, maybe I don't make them work too well. Maybe I don't know yet how to express my idea with them, but I am already in the way, and one they I will make them talk...

and I love that Zig gave his comment on this picture too, because while I was reading his comment, I was feeling as if he were talking about my own work with reflections.

[nia]

This should be enjoyable, and yes also inspirational, I am just watching and reading, thank you for all your contributions, you are amazing dear Pavel, I loved what you tried, but I am sure, it would be so nice to go on...

Thank you,
with my love,
nia

[Zig]

"Inspirational" is a word I definitely agree with: Irma's and Pavel's textural adventures gave me the suggestion to go out the other day and shoot a field of cowslips(wild British flowers), which I'm pp-ing at the moment.

[Don Schaeffer]

Water color is not just out of focus image. There is little to grab the eye in this picture. It just looks like an experiment gone amiss.