Rock Spirit on Mount Mitchell

MRRiley · 11-19-2009, 03:16 PM

Here is one I've been playing with from Mount Mitchell, North Carolina. At 6,684', this is the highest point in North America east of the Mississippi River. This rock & trees are just feet below the summit making them the highest trees on the east coast. Wonderful foggy day to boot!

The overall mood and lighting reminded me a lot of work done by Jerry Uelsman, a photographer and graphic artist/darkroom wizard whom I greatly admire. So I decided to see what I could do with it. The nude figure is from a studio session I attended last year and the model's name is Jackie (Echoe).

Naturally, it's not up to par with Jerry's work but I'm fairly happy with the result.

Opinions?

Mike

Last edited by MRRiley; 11-19-2009 at 04:21 PM. Reason: updated with correct photo

Damn Brit · 11-19-2009, 03:29 PM

Hey Mike, I'm a big fan of Uelsmann myself. I just picked up a book oh his called 'Yosemite', you should check it out if you're not familiar with it.

As for your image, I like it but I think it could do with some more work. I think if this was Ueslmann's he would have done it slightly differently in one of two ways. He would have either blended her in with the trees or he would have put her off to one side.

Here's a few suggestions and I think any or all could be used. Take down the opacity of the model to make her more of a ghostlike image. Make her a bit smaller in the frame. Swivel her round 90 degrees so that she lines up with the trees.
I think an issue with this image is you haven't given yourself much foreground to work with.

BTW, let me know if you'd rather have this in 'Critique'.

MRRiley · 11-19-2009, 03:56 PM

Good points Gary. My bad on the transparency issue. I uploaded the wrong danged version, but even in the right one, she wsnt as transparent as she should have been in the small version. I punched up the transparency and as you suggested, made her a bit smaller. I tried her up in the tree earlier, but it just didnt work. I have other poses which I may try that with though.

For now she will remain a supine rock spirit...

I replaced the original photo with the edited correct one. Thanks,

Mike

p.s. it's fine here unless you really feel it needs to be moved. IMHO critique is implicitly invited when you post something and folks are free to criticise my work just as much here as in "Critique."

MRRiley · 11-20-2009, 12:29 PM

OK folks... critique away!

11-19-2009, 03:16 PM	#1
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Rock Spirit on Mount Mitchell Here is one I've been playing with from Mount Mitchell, North Carolina. At 6,684', this is the highest point in North America east of the Mississippi River. This rock & trees are just feet below the summit making them the highest trees on the east coast. Wonderful foggy day to boot! The overall mood and lighting reminded me a lot of work done by Jerry Uelsman, a photographer and graphic artist/darkroom wizard whom I greatly admire. So I decided to see what I could do with it. The nude figure is from a studio session I attended last year and the model's name is Jackie (Echoe). Naturally, it's not up to par with Jerry's work but I'm fairly happy with the result. Opinions? Mike Last edited by MRRiley; 11-19-2009 at 04:21 PM. Reason: updated with correct photo

11-19-2009, 03:56 PM	#3
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275 Original Poster	Good points Gary. My bad on the transparency issue. I uploaded the wrong danged version, but even in the right one, she wsnt as transparent as she should have been in the small version. I punched up the transparency and as you suggested, made her a bit smaller. I tried her up in the tree earlier, but it just didnt work. I have other poses which I may try that with though. For now she will remain a supine rock spirit... I replaced the original photo with the edited correct one. Thanks, Mike p.s. it's fine here unless you really feel it needs to be moved. IMHO critique is implicitly invited when you post something and folks are free to criticise my work just as much here as in "Critique." Last edited by MRRiley; 11-19-2009 at 04:24 PM.

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11-19-2009, 03:29 PM	#2
Damn Brit Guest	Hey Mike, I'm a big fan of Uelsmann myself. I just picked up a book oh his called 'Yosemite', you should check it out if you're not familiar with it. As for your image, I like it but I think it could do with some more work. I think if this was Ueslmann's he would have done it slightly differently in one of two ways. He would have either blended her in with the trees or he would have put her off to one side. Here's a few suggestions and I think any or all could be used. Take down the opacity of the model to make her more of a ghostlike image. Make her a bit smaller in the frame. Swivel her round 90 degrees so that she lines up with the trees. I think an issue with this image is you haven't given yourself much foreground to work with. BTW, let me know if you'd rather have this in 'Critique'.

11-20-2009, 12:29 PM	#4
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275 Original Poster	OK folks... critique away!