I don‘t know if you have read Lord of the Rings, but this appears to me as a ruined city (Minas Morgul?) on the edge of the evil land of Mordor. The ruined towers of the once great city point to the sky like skeletal fingers, where the glow of furnaces producing war machinery and the lava of Mount Doom itself paint the dark clouds the colours of fire.
If it’s not that, then it could be a ragged tree-stump in front of a gloriously diffused background.
Either way, it is enjoyable.
Oct. 15, 2025
49
-
-
I like the composition and the light you found here. The elongated teardrop curves into the scene and towards the lighthouse.
Maybe it would’ve worth trying to brighten the lighthouse very slightly to make it stand out a bit from the background. It would have to be very subtle though, as a bright lighthouse would look unnatural. -
Mike makes an interesting point. I wonder if it is the way we read the photo from left to right?
This is the mirror image. I view this from the bottom left , on dry land, and move up the landscape then enjoy the view out over the sea. The scene seems more stable and trusted than the original.
As shown by Minnie, my eye starts over the water and rescues itself to dry land. It is edgier, but the final feeling is positive. So is it this progression from uneasiness to “safety”, which makes the image satisfying? Maybe.
Obviously the textures and the colours in the trees are delightful, and play a major role too. -
Yes, I prefer the panorama too, for the reasons you mention.
The first version is great too and it really depends how they are to be displayed. With a good size, then the panorama, but with limited space, then the first version is preferable. For instance, I thought the first version was clearly better, until I zoomed in and studied the second. -
I see your point, and straightening the railing would probably help. I think my biggest issue against the crop is losing that extra curvature, as you have noted.
I would also like the way the pattern of the leaves seems to be repeated in the clouds.
I like the piece of art itself and also its apparent sibling discovered by Roel. -
Yes, the lilies and their reflection would have made a nice quiet, well-balanced image on their own. The upper reflection destroys the balance in a number of ways and changes the image dramatically, and,
I think, for the better. The lower reflection is on calm water and is like a mirror. The upper reflection is on ripples, which gives it movement and contrast, and adds to the feeling of intrusion. Also the colours clash a bit. I think this added tension gives the viewer food for thought and encourages spending time with the image, which is always (usually?) good. -
Got home just in time to make a few comments before the next thread starts!
Lovely image, and most know I am partial to images of single very simple boats like this in an expanse of water.. I notice them everywhere I go. The effect is a soothing restful one. The colors are nice but not overwhelming. In fact the image might be equally appealing in monochrome. I see the validity of the suggestion of removing the extra sticks but of course I like them (I tend to like way too much stuff in the frame in general) because they are off kilter and interrupt the calm which threatens to become sedative.
-
I am amazed at the art you find and create within common objects (a broken tree or limb?) that would not suggest art in their own right. Yet you manage to create art from them with your old magical lenses. The rich colors and textures are nice, but the bubble bokeh is just delightful and together they make a complete artwork.
-
Love the composition here, the grand fishhook curve of the breakwater wall sprouting out from the lighthouse.. Two thoughts here: lowering the highlights and raising the shadows would give you more detail in the sky and reveal the structure of the lighthouse (I am a big fan of lighthouses, and I'm not alone in that). And you might want to try a version in black and white, I think it would be a great shot for that.
-
These are quite lovely even though they are very simple. The sky is the subject and the sea is the setting. The rainbow is beautiful and the textures in those clouds is pretty wonderful.
-
Remarkable sculpture which you've captured against a lovely backdrop that includes a distant and beautiful scene and a glorious cotton ball sky, my favorite kind of cloud structure. The detail and textures in the figures and the "tree" (whether it was ever real or whether it was constructed is irrelevant) are well defined. It makes a strong impression. I do believe I would remove the lines of the fence. To me they are a distraction from the art of this image, reducing it to a documentary image which I think is unfair. It is more.
-
This is a somewhat confusing shot but perhaps that is the point. The blurred reflections on top don't seem congruent with the beautifully detailed lilies and their reflections in the lower half. The contrast between the two sets of colors and level of detail in the twin subjects are kind of jarring. I'd be tempted to crop out the section with the upper reflections and focus on the lilies but it certainly is attention-grabbing as is.
-
Finding a way to smile during troubled times is an art form in itself.
-
Thank you Mike, Pete and Paula for your comments. IMO picture of just waterlilies would be just another picture I have hundreds of. But with upper reflection makes it something unusual and interesting.