Burnt grass

[Bulgart]

Hi everyone,
I took this shot on my way back from a hiking trip where I used my new camera for the first time. I saw a field where the grass had just been burnt and I thought it might make a great b/w photograph. I did convert it to b/w and I played with highlights and shadows just a bit to contrast better.
Please give your critique on how it could have been better. I don't know how much I like the composition, I think I might have been better if I didn't chop the top of the tree, but I am not sure.
Thank you in advance.
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture f/9.0
Focal Length 28 mm
ISO Speed 200
Burnt Grass by bulgarts, on Flickr

[Murtasma]

I don’t think the black and white conversion shows the viewer that the grass is burnt. If you take a picture of green grass and covert it to black and white you can take the greens in the image and make they black and basically have the same exact image as you have here but where the actual grass was green. I think the conversion actually ended up loosing a lot of the power of the image had it been in color.
2. Technical Points

a. Dust / distractions- The subject of the image I believe you wanted to be the burnt grass but with the conversion the subject is actually the tree. There are also trees in the background which complete with the shape of the tree in the foreground which makes it just look like a jumbled mess. I think a wider aperture could help blur the background trees some but you would likely have to increase your focal length to keep the apparent size of the background trees smaller then the foreground trees.

b. Unwanted Blur - none

c. Focus - Focus looks good

d. Accurate Color /White Balance - N/A I’d preferred to see this image in color.

e. Contrast - I like the strong use of contrast in the image but I think it would look better in color

f. Lighting - Looks like it was shot in mid afternoon due to the shadows on the tree. I think this in color with a polarizer would make for a nice deep blue sky.

g. Aperture Selection - I think something wider may have been more appropriate with an increase in focal length to keep the trees in the background from blending together with the foreground tree. Personally the composition I believe needs to be changed.

3. Artistic Points

a. Crop – The crop is ok but I think a composition that focuses attention on the bunt grass would make for a more powerful image since burnt grass is unique were as a tree like this is very common.

b. Aspect Ratio – Landscape seems appropriate but I think getting lower to ground in color using portrait may have worked better.

c. Fore / Middle / Background – There really isn’t a strong separation between the foreground, middle and background which is key for having a visually impacting landscape image.

d. Rule of Thirds / Centered – Composition seems very busy with lots of elements (mostly branches) competing for attention. I don’t think a slight change in camera perspective could change this.

e. Color / Tonal Range – I would love to see this in color the burnt grass could be a great tool to separate the tonal range of the image. Because the grass is black and the rest of the image is gray it really doesn't draw the viewers eye to the grass.

f. Types of color (Primary, Secondary, Complementary) – No comment here since color isn’t really the focus on the image.

g. Too Vivid / Not Vivid Enough – No comment

h. Diagonals / S-Curve / Leading Lines – No strong use of lines to guide the viewers eye around the image. I think a lower perceptive with something sitting in the burnt grass like a leaf or even better a freshly sprouted blade of grass if you could find one would help keep the eye focused where you want it in the image.

4. Was there use of visually interesting elements to guide the eye around the image. – not really
5. Dark / Light

a. Are there too many dark or light areas – No.

b. Balance – I think the image would balance better in color

6. Emotion

a. What is the mood – I’m really not feeling anything when I look at the image. I know there is an image to be made here however since burnt grass is very unique. Contrasting burnt grass (death) with life would make a great image.

b. Was that the intended mood – no

c. Did they succeed in telling the story? – I think the conversion lost the focus of the image which you explained was the burnt grass. I also think the image needs a stronger composition and subject to really make the burnt grass a major visual element in the image.

d. Do you like the photo? Why or why not - not really but I know this would be an awesome spot to make a fantastic image that contrast life and death. If the grass is till burnt I would revisit. This area might even call for a posed shot. Bring something with you like a sprout and plant it in the ground surrounded by the burnt grass with a shallow depth of field. I even think just shooting straight down in color could lead to some really fantastic texture images.

e. Would you hang it on your wall? Why or why not – With a revisit and the focus placed more on the burnt grass contrasting death with life would be an image worthy of framing and hanging on the wall.

5. Good Points – I love the fact that you have burnt grass on a scale like this. I think it’s a fantastic spot to make an image that tells a story..
6. Points worth improving – I think you should revisit this location with a vision in your head. It’s not often your presented with a location like this. I would try making texture images and something that contrasts life and death. I think the black and white conversion took a lot away from the image and the grass should be the subject. The image was shot at eye level which automatically puts the grass in the lower part of the frame (typically a a place where the eye spends little time) I would try getting low to the ground to fill more of the frame with the grass. Since the area as a whole seems somewhat boring I probably would’t include it. I would work on a smaller scale just focusing on the grass. Please go out there while the grass is still like this. I bet the same image in color would hold my attention more.

Thanks for sharing!