Aspen Shadows - Opinions wanted

Opinions wanted - does this work at all for you?

I made this one as an abstract of shadow and light, using Colorado aspens as my subject. I am curious how it strikes you.

Feel free to be quite direct. A blunt critique style works fine for me.

Chamonix 4x5
Nikkor M 300mm
FP 4+ B&W film

Harley,

Many people might find this busy, but they've never been in an aspen stand crowded with trees. That's the feeling I get from this photo. An Impenatrable maze of trunks and branches. I like it, it's a picture you can study, and see more and more.

Paul

As a jpeg here, it doesn't do much for me. Have you made a print of it? I've found that certain images look much different as prints.

- Dan

I like it a lot. The darks aren't too dark and the lights aren't too light. Could be busy for some but a scene like this is very interesting to me.

It works for me, Harley. You have the right amount of direct/indirect light here. I'm guessing it's filtered through some clouds/haze, otherwise the contrasts probably would have come out too harsh? As Mike said, the highlights and shadows are contained well, so the result is soft and pleasing. The composition is busy, but it forms an interesting abstract pattern so it's cohesive enough for me.

Harley,

I'm torn on this. On the one hand, I like the graphic nature of this and Dan may be right, it may look completely different in print. On the other hand, I wish it was softer, less harsh - but then you might lose the graphic appeal. I do get the feeling of a bamboo jungle though.

My only suggestion would be a crop from the bottom. This loses the reference to the ground and perhaps makes this a bit more abstract?

Lon

Harley, this image generally works for me. But I find the dark branch in center frame to be a little distracting and the very thin trunks a little distracting as well. That being said, I agree with Paul that this totally has the feel of being there. Best Regards.

Harley, I think you could have fit in just one more tree somewhere in there..,..

Actually, it's nice. Busy, but I believe that was your intention. I'm wondering if you wish you had made this on an overcast day. I do.

That there is a nice thicket! Shadows look good to me, with enough detail and separation. I wonder what a horizontal pano would look like? Might be an interesting abstract.

Very nice Harley, the density adds a lot of mood, and the exposure is superbly controlled - it adds so much depth. I like the comp, though Eric's suggestion of a pano crop might be worth trying out for fun as well?

Harley,

Compositionally this works for me and the light-dark balance is nice. I think soft printing would be very nice; this version is a tad too contrasty given the subject matter.

-P