Last Gasp

[Paul Lagasi]

With the see saw weather we've been having the past few days, I saw this reflection on the way home from work. Its probably the only open water fro miles and the evening sun was glistening in it.
This morning its -16C and with the wind chill its -36C (-35F) so no matter I am not leaving the house (blood thinners will do that to you).
I used Topaz effects on the image trying to make it look painterly.
I posted some of my favorites from 2013 on my blog....Ciao for now, from the frozen north

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Really pretty scene Paul. Love the light! I might clone out what looks like a building in the back. Was this processed with Fotosketcher?

[Dennis Bishop]

Very nicely done. Both the receding groups of vegetation throughout the image and the reduced contrast at the top give a wonderful sense of depth. I think what looks like a building to Jackie may actually not be one, but it did briefly catch my attention when I first looked at the image. I'm not at all sure it's necessary to do anything about it, but -- if you were going to -- my suggestion would be to darken it slightly because snow would appear darker at a greater distance.

[Anita Bower]

It definitely looks cold, cold, cold. A pleasing composition. I like the position of the vegetation lower right, middle left, upper right--they balance each other nicely. Nice effects you created on the snow. I like that I can see and feel the shapes of the snow mounds. The buildings don't bother me as they are not particularly obvious. The only thing that bothers me is the sun itself--it seems too bright and warm for the rest of the scene. Maybe giving the sun some color so it isn't white? I do like the sun rays coming into the image. Do stay warm!

[Paul Lagasi]

Anita: The sun may appear warm but here in the north, it is usually very cold when the sun shines....lolol..but I see your point. Jackie..I checked the original and there are no buildings, its just a layered landscape. Thanks Dennis

[Nancy Bell]

My thoughts are very similar to Anita's, especially concerning the sun. A very lovely image but the sun is so bright that my eye keeps going to the top. I played with cropping some of the sun away, leaving just the rays radiating into the image. I liked that as a possibility. That way your eye easily sees the interesting layers and colors of the snow and the stream winding back. The glow on the water picks up the sunlight nicely.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Beautiful scene, Paul. The sun is interesting - but as commented on above it seems a little too warm for the scene. I like the painterly look and it does look cold