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Alexander A's picture

First Post - Critiques Encouraged Please

I prefer long exposures and am completely awestruck with running water. I can't get over the effect it has

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7 Comments

I believe your first image is the strongest out of this set: you have some great leading lines along with a bit of foreground that adds depth in a great way.

If you use the good aspects of your first photograph as a starting point, I truly believe your other two images could become much better. To me, they are just photographs of the waterfalls with very little going for them. However, if you were to shift your perspective a bit and use the running water as a leading line to the fall or another subject - maybe throw in some rocks as the foreground - and you would be left with a beautiful image, if done correctly.

I hope this advice finds you well and I look forward to seeing more of your work as time goes on.

Thank you for the reply! I'm still pretty new so I appreciate the feedback :)

I'll try to remember the leading lines bit of advice for when I go back to the second image's spot. Question though: would using the waterfalls as a leading line to something as simple as rocks really make that much of a difference? Or was that just an example in that I should try to find another subject and use the water to flow into said subject?

So when I mentioned the rocks, I simply meant putting some rocks in your foreground to introduce more depth in your image. However, using the waterfalls as leading lines towards a single rock could also do quite well. Honestly it all depends on what you want your subject to be. Play around and keep posting here - you'll improve in no time.

Hello Alexander. To me, your bottom waterfall image is the strongest overall. I think the first image is marred by the blown out sun and the blown out reflection of the sun in the water. Way too distracting for me, shooting directly into the sun like that. The second image of a creek or river is marred by blown out highlights as well. It's very difficult to get an image of water that is balanced in contrast when part of the water is in sunshine and part in shade. In the last image, you do not have that contrast problem. The light is pretty uniform throughout. You've slowed the exposure down (perhaps by using a polarizer or ND filter) enough to create an attractive silky look to the water. Nice job.

I agree on the second image, should have gotten there earlier in the morning or just come back later at night. But I sadly didn't have time :'(

Thank you for the reply and the feedback!

Though I do plan on going back in a few months when it's colder so we'll see what happens!

All the sites look like excellent photo locations. You're right – going back when the light is right will make a big difference.