Island Snow

[Jared Lloyd]

Despite the fact that I live on a little barrier island just off the coast of North Carolina, every once in a while we do actually get snow. Yesterday happened to be one of those days and we received a whopping 2 inches!

The photograph was made in a place called Nags Head Woods which is owned by the Nature Conservancy and is primarily made up of a 15,000 year old dune system which is now completely forested. Even though this photograph may look like the mountains, it is in fact nothing but really old sand dunes.

Critiques of this image are greatly appreciated.

Jared

http://webfarm.foliolink.com/Artists/19010/Images/1202009113931PM__DSC2163.jpg

http://webfarm.foliolink.com/Artists/19010/Images/1202009113959PM__DSC2163.jpg

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Jared,
It really does look like a forest and if you hadn't told us......I wouldn't have known! I like where you placed the road in the frame as it makes a nice leading line. Don't know if you have seen the other winter images similar to this.......but I often find the forest gets a bit too busy into the canopy......although you have minimized it quite a bit.......I might go for a bit more off the top.....to about 1/2 inch above the Y on the left tree....this does a few things......it repeats the y pattern a few times again in the tree.....and puts us a bit more into the scene without our eye wandering into the canopy where it gets uninteresting. Let's see what others chime in about that. I do feel you have captured the modd and feel of the snowy dune forest.........so nicely done!

[Robert Amoruso]

Jared,

I think this is a killer image. Besides the road Roman mentioned, I like the play of white snow to green canopy. A 2" cover was just right to get this affect.

I am not sure where Roman is recommending the cut - perhaps he can post a recrop to demo. I am OK with the crop as presented. I like the branch going across the top of the frame coming from the left tree.

[Judd Patterson]

This is awesome Jared! I like this as presented and feel that the shapes visible in the canopy only add and don't detract (although Roman's advice is very applicable to most similar images). Awesome road position and I love the subtle greens and red/browns peaking through the snow. Thanks for the background information also...very cool to know.

[Rene Quenneville]

Outstanding image.
There is a vertical wood post at the end of the road that could be removed (if you are ok with cloning). It is such a dramatic lighting that a little burning in the corners and along the ridge could reveal the subject even more. It has also a great potential for black and white. I would leave the crop as-is.

[Jared Lloyd]

I really appreciate everyone's compliments and suggestions on this. Roman, I tried cropping like you mentioned but it just didn't have the same feel for me. Rene, I will try taking out the tree at the end of the road and see if that gives it a better composition. I had actually considered it before as it comes very close to the edge of the road. I think that if it was off to the side ever so slightly than it would add to the photograph but as is, you may be right.

Oh and Roman, feel free to do a crop and re-post as maybe I am just missing what you are seeing.

Jared

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Jared,
Here's the crop I was talking about and for me......this gives the road a bit more prominence......not sure it's better....just a different look. Let me know what you think.
PS I re-added the border back as i cropped it off from the top.