The Promised Land

[Greg McCary]

No political or enviromental statement intended. Credit to my wife for the title. My concerns are the limbs on the left and does the road cutting through the shot help or hurt? The only processing done other than the conversion to B&W were some limbs cloned from the right side.

[armando_m]

i know you do not intend to communicate anything political or envromental, but it can be easily used for that purpose

I get a sad or lonely feeling when looking at this, I do not like when the sky looks so flat, and featureless

the limbs on the left ... hmm, I guess can be left and they do fill enough, otherwise it looks more empty

there are some tiny dark spots on the top right

sorry this may not be much of a critique

[Greg McCary]

I have since cloned the spots. Those are left over from cloning some limbs.

[LeeIs]

First thing I did was look at the photo and thought it was an enviromental point being made, then I read your description. The road isn't so bad, I think it gives the photo depth. I don't mind the branches on the left either. maybe if they were gone, it would look better. but it's not bad with them in. There are bits and pieces left from your clone job on the right. I'd suggest getting rid of those. there are 4 prominent dots that are kind of parallel. then above that there's a row of ex-branches that need to be cleaned out also.


Edit: just saw your update on the top right.

[KyRain]

Well dear, I DID mean the title as an environmental statement ....... But it is your photo and your point of view given not mine. I am curious...what would you have titled it? One of the reasons I appreciate photography so well is for this very reason, a picture and it's meaning can be interpreted in many different ways. My own personal feeling is that a photo that brings about an emotion or feeling either positive /negative or stirs one to appreicate or thnk of life on a deeper level is a success in and of itself.

[Overbeyond]

I like this Greg. White skies are something we have to live with; they exist. The image could be making a very strong statement but in a very simple way. I am curious as to what message or understanding you are getting from your image.

The message I am picking up here is exactly what I attempted to put across here;
No Title

[Greg McCary]

Thanks all. I replaced the original with one that has the spots removed. I blame it on processing with a dirty LCD. The message I read is "pollution kills" and is killing the very world we live in. Kyrain I think my point is this. I am not specifically trying to deliver a political statement nor do I have an enviromental agenda. Though I do believe in keeeping our planet cleaned up and we could do a much better job at doing it.
But if I made you think. If you look at the photograph for more than a glance and then processed it in your brain then I done what I intended to do. Putting mood and emotion in pictures is harder than just taking a nice picture.

[gahspidy]

I think all is fine here, Greg. I was going to point out the clone rremains of the branches on the right as Liban did. The road cutting through the middle works here. i love the smoke bellowing from the stack in the distance.
the title works, The cross could represent a holy and sacred land which has then been violated with a road cut through and the evidence of heavy industry in the bg...as Ky says it creates a story and/or mood and can bring a thinking about on a deeper level.

[armando_m]

... Putting mood and emotion in pictures is harder than just taking a nice picture.

Like the new avatar picture you have , I'm sure it moves emotions to whoever that sees it and has been here for a while

[Greg McCary]

Thanks Gary. I agree with your point of view. I am glad it works for you as well.