Trees and reflections in morning

Wow... this is absolutely stunning! The image is beautiful, the photo is expertly executed - but that toning... wow, that just takes it to a whole different level! Simply beautiful in all respects!

Peter.

Yeah, I kinda like it. (great job on the toning as well.)

I really want to like this photograph, but I'm really distracted by the sun flare - it's so overwhelming that it takes over the rest of the picture space. In effect, it becomes the subject of the picture instead of a compositional element that enhances the whole. The tones in the water are lovely and the composition is very nice, but that flare is too much for me. I've been watching your work in the galleries and you're doing some good stuff - keep at it!

I like the photograph with about 60% of the area above the upper trees cropped out. It eliminates the breadth of the upper flare and more sharply defines the sun's rays and ties it more to the sun reflection in the water.

Nice toning as others have said. I like the image.

You're asking if the beam of light works here as an element of the composition - and for me, it definitely does. As effectively as the shoreline acts as a horizontal split in the image, the vertical beam splits the image in half yet again, and I absolutely love the effect here. Very clever; a pseudo-mirror from side to side. Plus, the tones are lovely, as is the subject matter. I think you have a real winner with this one.

Thank you all for taking the time to look and comment. It's interesting that your comments mirror my own thoughts and reservations about the photograph. I think I'll leave this one alone for a while and keep exploring.

All the best,
Daniel

Well, I think it would have been beautifully printed without the beam of light, but a little flat content wise.
I remember a show at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts called American Sublime, filled with paintings of the Hudson River school. They were filled with obvious symbols of a religious nature, and perhaps that was not your intent, but it sure feels like some sort of divine intervention (probably not very sound advice from an agnostic, but I try).
What ever the intention was, it's an extraordinarily powerful photograph that speeks volumes to me.

- Thom

Magical !

Love the tones....the flare does kind of distract me...otherwise nice.

-John

Nice shot, beautiful refections,great print, somewhat surreal with the sun beam / glare dividing the scene. Definitely a nice place to go back and shoot other times of the day.