Smoke on the Water

[Ed Vatza]

Can we hear a Deep Purple guitar riff, Akos? :D

Image made in Delaware Canal State Park (PA).

Canon 30D; 24-70mm f/2.8L lens; tripod mounted.

(1/40 sec @ f/16; ISO 200; +2/3 EV)

[Lance Warley]

Deep Purple? You young guys crack me up.

Beautiful image, Ed. I love everything about fog, as long as I'm not driving in it.

I wonder if it might add some interest by cropping the white sky above the trees. That would put more emphasis on the trees and the reflection, which is really where the drama is. It would also give more of a lower eye-level perspective, which could also add to the drama.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Ed, Agree with Lance on the crop. This would also take the waters edge out of the middle. Fog creates a nice mood and you have caught it here...

[Alan Melle]

I like the mood in this one! I'll go the opposite way on a crop recommendation. Cropping the top would truncate the trees visible in the fog. I'd crop the bottom about half way up to the sticks in the water on the right side. This also make the "horizon" less centered. Just another opinion. Very nice image!

[Julie Kenward]

Or...you could take a little off the top and more off the bottom and go totally pano. I also did a slight curves adjustment and burned a few of the twigs in the water for more emphasis. This is a beautiful zenlike image, Ed. Nice going!

[Cindy Cone]

Very nice mood, Ed. I think it could be cropped either way and be interesting. I also like the pano by Jules.

[Ed Vatza]

Crop the top! Crop the bottom! Crop the top! Crop the bottom! Crop the top and bottom! Aaaarrgh!!!!:eek::eek:

As Alan pointed out, if I crop the top, I am truncating the trees. I didn't want to do that!

On to cropping the bottom. Actually I did crop the bottom from the original. I stopped where I did because....

if you look carefully at the bottom you will see the hints of color from the reflections of trees through the fog and on to the water.

So I guess it comes down to whether you are comfortable truncating trees or reflection through the fog. I was not. I guess that's why I like it just the way it is! :D:D

[Alan Melle]

The nice thing about critiques is that they are neither right nor wrong. They are simply another persons opinion and you don't have to accept them. They may give you something to think about but they are still just someone else opinion. In the end what appeals to you as the artist is what counts.

[Ed Vatza]

I understand completely, Alan. I've pretty much been here since Day 1 and have received and given my share of critiques. Early on, I just accepted everything that was said and made the changes. Now I trust myself more and try to defend what I do when I can and make changes when I agree with them. Therefore, I presented a different crop in "Blizzard of 'Banes" in OOB today and will stand pat here on "Smoke on the Water".

But let me make it clear that I do appreciate and value each and every response. ;)

[Robert Amoruso]

Julie beat me too it, just what I was going to suggest. Well done composing the strong branch in the front and to the right. With the crop it all falls together.

[Julie Kenward]

And you are absolutely right to do so, Ed! I think we all realize that a good image has multiple possibilities and occasionally we all see something different. It's why each of us is our own artist with our own thumbprint on our photographs.

You should always do what makes you happy with your work. Don't mind us...we just love to drive a good man to distraction. :D;):D

[Valerio Tarone]

Deep Purple? YES!!! Ed, I had loved a lot to see your image. Cropped ? or not? I see the reflections in upper part completely. I think well of it . .....never to be too fan .

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Ed,
Maybe they were all thinking of me with the crop tool while I'm in alaska:D. I agree with you on no crop off top.....I like the whole top.......I would try just above your signature.......when I scrolled....that just worked for me. Nice mood and simple presentation. Deep Purple was my favorite band in the early 80's........I'm doing my best air guitar now! Dahnt, dahnt, dah,......dahn't, dahn't, dahn't, daah......!

[Morkel Erasmus]

very nice mood in this - I agree, crop some off the bottom and maybe just a little off the top.