RE: April PUG - comments - looooong

[Thomas Cakalic]

Dag,

You wrote:

Thomas Cakalic - Desert Mist
I think the interesting part of this photo is the tree and background on the 
left. The right and lower parts doesn�t add anything to the picture, 
especially not in view of the title. Use some extra time, take another photo 
and the result will be better.

----------------------------------------

Thanks for taking the time to comment on the photo "Desert Mist".

While I realize this is very subjective, I would like explain my photo.

I didn't want just a picture of a tree and background. Had I gotten closer 
or zoomed to that point, the mist "effect" would have been diminished.

What I wanted was the elements that got me excited at the time. Standing 
face to face with the edge of the massive red rock cliff, it's rough 
foreground texture, it's running laterally across the photo from right to 
left guiding one's eye to the tree, the stripes in the higher rock face that 
run parallel to the foreground ridge,  the contrast between the blue sky and 
red rocks included in such a way that the sky is an important, but not 
dominant part of the composition, and finally, obviously the tree and the 
mist.  Of course the foreground part fits into the the title... there are 
two words 'Desert' and 'Mist'.  This was the 'Desert' part. :)

This was a deliberate and thought out composition that, to me, captures the 
"feeling" of being there.  As I remember, I was close to the tree at first, 
and it, by itself was not satisfying.  I then scrambled "through the scene", 
hopping over the edge of the foreground ridge, to set up the tripod.  
Normally, I find myself 'subtracting' from my original idea to eliminate 
unwanted elements.  This time when I asked myself "what is it that excites 
me about this?", I discovered it was more than the tree and the mist.

It was not just a quick snap as your words "Use some extra time, take 
another photo and the result will be better" imply. :(

I am disappointed that I only had negative film at the time and not 
transparency, as well as the crumby Costco automated mass-production scan, 
which could probably use a few minutes of corrective manipulation.  I should 
have scanned the negative myself, but was pressed for time.

Tom

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