Rudall National Park

[loose cannon]

What a place! Basically you head east of Broome and keep driving for a few days till you find yourself in serious desert country, then drive a little bit more, get lost and confused a couple of times but eventually you'll end up here at Jarrah Pool if you have enough fuel in the tank. But more of Jarrah Pool later.

I like this image but have been staring at it for ages because something isn't sitting quite right and it's taken a while for the penny to drop.

What works for me is the general composition. Strong focal point with the big gum tree and then hopefully the light and shadow will draw the viewers eye to the little triangle of gums in the background and then maybe onto the splendid desert hills. That was the plan anyway. I have a thing about triangles.

The following may seem like a trivial point but I think it's an important consideration when composing an image of this nature. Note the little space between the large branch of the foreground tree and the distant hills, I think that adds to the image. It's just a tiny space but adds to the depth imho. Also would be better if the two main trees did not intersect as they do but hey, not my fault that some idiot planted the tree in the wrong spot.

But the foreground rocks are annoying me. Too bright in the left bottom corner, I can fix that, but I wish I had a little more of the larger brown one in frame, just to anchor the image. Too late now.

Yes I'm being picky picky but that's what I do, that's how I learn.

Anyhoo, thoughts?

Fire away.

(Image captured with my Sigma DP2 Merrill camera in case anyone is interested. Beast of a camera, impossibly hard to use at times, unreliable, and almost as fickle and cantankerous as its owner. Love it like a brother)

[Toddyh]

welcome back Mick.
You're being very picky but along the same lines I find the branch off the foreground tree to form the dominant leading line which takes me to the vacant blue sky. The background trees and red rocks become secondary. Being super picky but that's how I see it. Not sure how you could have fixed that other than a somehow controlling how that tree grows.

[seaslug]

Nothing that can't be sorted with a little processing.

I always go with first impressions rather than trying to read more into the picture. I can normally say instantly whether I like something or not.. and this I like!

[HansE]

There seems to be too much in the picture lacking a poi. Not comfortable with this composition. Nice tree, nice sky, nice track what is the picture?

[loose cannon]

welcome back Mick.
You're being very picky but along the same lines I find the branch off the foreground tree to form the dominant leading line which takes me to the vacant blue sky. The background trees and red rocks become secondary. Being super picky but that's how I see it. Not sure how you could have fixed that other than a somehow controlling how that tree grows.

Good point re the branch Todd.

Nothing that can't be sorted with a little processing.

I always go with first impressions rather than trying to read more into the picture. I can normally say instantly whether I like something or not.. and this I like!

Cheers Greg.

There seems to be too much in the picture lacking a poi. Not comfortable with this composition. Nice tree, nice sky, nice track what is the picture?

Tend to agree with you Hans. The tree should be main focal point but is too far left in frame. I didn't really notice that till you mentioned it.

Dammit, now I'll have to go back and reshoot

[HansE]

Wish I could come with you. Planning South Africa and another safari.

[loose cannon]

Sounds cool!

[LJG]

OK, you've got us all thinking now Mick. It is a lovely spot and your image makes me want to pack the van and head west. BUT, as you say, the more I look at it the more that branch looks out of place. Too late now but I wonder if you took the shot slightly lower or stood further to the right so the two trees were apart? Honestly, that is the only thing I can think of. It definitely hits the mark on showing what a top spot it is though.

[loose cannon]

I camped here for three days and spent ages trying to frame this shot. This landscape caper is harder than it looks.

[Isac]

For me, I can only see 2 things that sort of spoil the scene. Firstly the leaves on the large tree overlapping the second tree and secondly the sky on my monitor is far too blue. Other than that I think you've portrayed the fact that it's a desolate but beautiful part of our country. Well done.

[loose cannon]

Thanks Isac. I'll look into that blue. Currently can only view on a lappy but have a calibrated monitor which refuses to play with the lappy at the moment. Hope to get that issue sorted soon.

[LJG]

What a great spot to camp Mick, I am definitely very jealous!!

[loose cannon]

Later I'll post some images of the waterhole. Ducks in the desert.