In the Swamp

[Judd Patterson]

Many thanks to Paul for the lift into the swamp yesterday...my Prius wasn't going to make it through a few of those "puddles". We went sloshing through the swamp all day and had quite a time. It is really much more difficult than I expected to organize a good scene with the camera. Add in the occasional torrential rainstorm and some pesky skeeters and you have a full-fledged challenge on your hands! :)

http://www.juddpatterson.com/BPN/swamp4.jpg
Big Cypress National Preserve, Loop Road
Canon 5D, 17-40mm, 25mm
1/5, f/16, ISO 250

Anyway, here is one of my images. I loved the low bromeliad and the scene on the left, but felt that it broke down a bit on the right with perhaps too much dominance from the big diagonal branch and less of interest...but I'm interested in all opinions.

Oh, and see Paul here. ;)
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21507

[Michael Pancier]

you did good here Judd. I take it then that the bugs are still bad? I tried to go through there last week but it was a bad wash out. I'm dying to shoot IR out there.

[Judd Patterson]

Overall the mosquitoes were not terrible, but every now and again you'd hit a little spot where they would be all over you and I'd break the bug spray back out to try and hold them off. In many areas the water is flowing fast and the bugs were not a bother at all in those areas. Next weekend I'm up at DeSoto, but then I plan to give Everglades NP another try.

[Chris Starbuck]

Judd,
Terrific job organizing a fundamentally chaotic scene! The bromeliad really dominates and holds my attention, and the background provides lots of interesting stuff to explore.

I don't find the diagonal trunk too dominating, though it might benefit from a little judicious burn in the upper right corner. My one nit to pick is that black and white whatever in the far right background; the high contrast pulls my eye too close to the frame edge. Maybe a little burn on the white? I think cropping would pull the bromeliad too close to center.

An amateur with the chutzpah to critique an accomplished pro...:D

Chris

[Judd Patterson]

My one nit to pick is that black and white whatever in the far right background; the high contrast pulls my eye too close to the frame edge. Maybe a little burn on the white? I think cropping would pull the bromeliad too close to center.I took a closer look and I think that is actually a Skunk Ape lurking in my background...our local version of the Sasquatch. I think he does need a little burning as he pulls my eye too. Good nit! :)

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Judd,
I know how difficult this really is. Chris caught what grabbed my eye.........and for me...... a crop off the right would remedy that.........since the tips of the bromiliad are out of frame already.

[Robert Amoruso]

Judd,

Agree on the Shunk Ape tone down - it is the second thing that catches my eye.

Overall you did great organizing this. I did find the highlights a bit bright, so I selected them (CRTL>ALT>~), copied to layer and did a multiply blending mode on them to tone them down some.

[Paul Marcellini]

Alright, I was wondering what you came away with. I like a crop from right over to the trees. I think it of course gives you the bromeliad up front but then allows the eye more into the open area left of the bromeliad. This leaves the trees to frame the image both left and right.

Robert's highlight idea does work well too. I did it to the images taken in the brighter light.