Path to the Lake

[utsc2006]

Hi all,
I shot this a few weeks ago but it has grown on me but I'm not sure why. Does it feel out of balance with more bush on the right than the left? Is the top sky/water section too boring? Just looking for some general critique. It's a location I can go back to easily - so any suggestions would be great.

Thanks



EXIF
Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: No Flash
Focal length: 50mm

[EasternSierra]

It seems a little flat. There's not a lot of range between your darkest tones and your lightest tones. It seems very narrow in this respect. More contrast could help this, and would also serve to create more seperation in the bushes along the path.

Compositionally, I would like to see the horizon more towards the upper third...maybe a longer view of the path leading to the beach front, angled to reduce the amount of visible sky. If you go back and there are dramatic clouds there...go the other route, and reduce the foregroun, giving preferance to the clouds. But as is, I would give preferance to the path leading to the beach.

Other than that, it looks pretty good to me. Just a bit of contrast and a slight compositional adjustment, and you have a really nice shot. Works well in Sepia, too. It has a nice, slightly aged, and peaceful feeling to it. Nice touch...

[shell]

Overall, I also like the photo.

I have to agree with the above post in the suggestion of perhaps showing a longer trail of the posts, which would be nice. That is (obviously) the subject/most prominent thing in the image, so even more pronounced would be good, I think.

Not knowing what is behind you, or how many posts there are, to (possibly) help solve the "too much bush on left" asymmetry question, could it possibly work to turn more towards the left, have a longer leading line of posts, but could it be at a slightly more diagonal angle? I have not taken any photos with leading lines like this and am completely unsure of how it would turn out (because most seem to have them centered, as in your photo).

I also like the sepia tone, adding to the feeling of beach relaxation. And if you happened to be there on the perfect day, I think more white surf churning would be kind of cool to see. But like I said, if it were the perfect conditions (and how often does that happen).

[san_at_cliff]

Nice tone in a way, but for some reason looks a bit flat to me. Clouds in the sky might have helped.

[utsc2006]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I will go back on a night with more interesting weather. Not sure how much more of the posts I can get in..I took the shot sitting on the ground up against a fence lol.. but I will try some different ideas when i go back.

[Ukshutterbug]

how about making the image Square, I think this images allows for that.