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Critique from Mono Challenge
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22/04/2022
Jenny says : Only five entrants for the challenge so far and one is me! This style of mono is really one I love and keep trying to get better at. I have books by Adams, Mc Cullen and Gareth Martin for inspiration. Anyway, for what it's worth my comments are as follows:
Graham: Going to the USA as a source is a good idea and I like all three of yours. Mt Shasta is very much an Adams style with the mountains sky and snow- nicely contrasty and the sky is powerfiul - reminds me of the cover picture on his book "The Negative" that Frak bought me recentl.y I find the sky a bit too black in Utah, but the Niagra photo really lends itself to the increased contrast you gave it.
Jane R; I think you could be even bolder with the range of contrast especially with the Chapel photo even though some judges balk at it !! I like the Bench at Crow point with the dramatic sky and lovely dark bits Just wonder if compositionally the bench might have been better if captured more diagonally? I think the best of the three is the Dark Clouds over Appledore for contrast and composition. Just convince me that the horizon is actually dead horizontal.
Pamela I know you say this is not your thing, but you were the first oe to send stuff. I like the Layers of Life but think the range is a bit limited for mono . Better in colour I'll bet. The tree in Alone and Proud is one I have often thought to stop and capture and now I shall! I love the sky and the shadows cast by the trees out of shot. The alleyway of trees in This Way Please is a nice subject Maybe get rid of the sky top left entirely and increase the contrast as far as you dare !
Jill As you sa,y a lovely misty morning which is a bit of a challenge for the Adams etc style as it lends itself more to high key images. As always fantastic compositionally and the mist makes it very atmospheric in all photos. 2 and 3 have the full range of white through black and I particularly like the deep black reflection of the swan in 2- really caught my eye.
Pamela says:
GRAHAM never ceases to amaze me. I spent hours at the Somerset Levels trying to catch an inkling of Adams. In the meantime Graham goes all the way to America and back. How does he do it??? Three stunning photos. My favourite is Mt Shasta.Great contrast, full of interest and intrigue.
JENNY. Lovely detail in Alham Valley1 and edited but it must be my eyes. I can't see the difference between them?? Great reflection in A Valley 2 and I like the way the clouds sit behind the tree.
JANE Bench. Fantastic sky. I think Jenny mentioned something about the position of the bench. For me it's a bit too dominant and straight on. Could you have taken it from a further back and left more space between the top of the bench and the horizon? I like the layers in Chapel.. I think I would have got rid of the bit of white on the left hand side. I think it's an interesting photograph. Dark clouds is forbidding and moody, full of atmosphere with the light just hitting Appledor.
JILL I just love Chew Lake 1 and 2, great mist, beautifully taken. They are my favourites. Winners as usual.
Graham: Going to the USA as a source is a good idea and I like all three of yours. Mt Shasta is very much an Adams style with the mountains sky and snow- nicely contrasty and the sky is powerfiul - reminds me of the cover picture on his book "The Negative" that Frak bought me recentl.y I find the sky a bit too black in Utah, but the Niagra photo really lends itself to the increased contrast you gave it.
Jane R; I think you could be even bolder with the range of contrast especially with the Chapel photo even though some judges balk at it !! I like the Bench at Crow point with the dramatic sky and lovely dark bits Just wonder if compositionally the bench might have been better if captured more diagonally? I think the best of the three is the Dark Clouds over Appledore for contrast and composition. Just convince me that the horizon is actually dead horizontal.
Pamela I know you say this is not your thing, but you were the first oe to send stuff. I like the Layers of Life but think the range is a bit limited for mono . Better in colour I'll bet. The tree in Alone and Proud is one I have often thought to stop and capture and now I shall! I love the sky and the shadows cast by the trees out of shot. The alleyway of trees in This Way Please is a nice subject Maybe get rid of the sky top left entirely and increase the contrast as far as you dare !
Jill As you sa,y a lovely misty morning which is a bit of a challenge for the Adams etc style as it lends itself more to high key images. As always fantastic compositionally and the mist makes it very atmospheric in all photos. 2 and 3 have the full range of white through black and I particularly like the deep black reflection of the swan in 2- really caught my eye.
Pamela says:
GRAHAM never ceases to amaze me. I spent hours at the Somerset Levels trying to catch an inkling of Adams. In the meantime Graham goes all the way to America and back. How does he do it??? Three stunning photos. My favourite is Mt Shasta.Great contrast, full of interest and intrigue.
JENNY. Lovely detail in Alham Valley1 and edited but it must be my eyes. I can't see the difference between them?? Great reflection in A Valley 2 and I like the way the clouds sit behind the tree.
JANE Bench. Fantastic sky. I think Jenny mentioned something about the position of the bench. For me it's a bit too dominant and straight on. Could you have taken it from a further back and left more space between the top of the bench and the horizon? I like the layers in Chapel.. I think I would have got rid of the bit of white on the left hand side. I think it's an interesting photograph. Dark clouds is forbidding and moody, full of atmosphere with the light just hitting Appledor.
JILL I just love Chew Lake 1 and 2, great mist, beautifully taken. They are my favourites. Winners as usual.