Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by jmsetzler:
Greetings from the Critique Club :)

Doug, I think this is definitely a beautiful sunset photo. I definitely like the placement of your horizon low in the frame... the sky is the subject here and seeing more of that is important. As I look at the image, I think the tree could be a little sharper silhouette. F3.4 is possibly a little larger aperture than necessary for this shot. I would have started this one at F5.6 in aperture priority mode and bracketed with extra exposures one stop up and down from there. I believe that a smaller aperture would have sharpened up the tree against the background quite a bit. Metering for a photograph like this is very difficult.... The key is to take a lot of photos at different settings and do it in a hurry. Sunsets like these are constantly changing and they don't last long.

As for this photo and the photojournalism challenge, I'm not sure. I haven't read all the comments you received, but IMO, this is photojournalism, but not as much for news as it is for weather. The term 'photojournalism' usually strikes a sense of 'news' and 'action' in my mind. I have browsed many books of 'photojournalism' such as the Time/Life photo books and National Geographic as well. Your photo fits better into the national geographic schema than into time/life stuff.

John Setzler

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by GlasMenagerie:
Don't see any connection to the theme, but man what a sunset.

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by PTLParsons:
Beautiful sunset. Rule of thirds does not work to your advantage here in my opinion. Your subject is the sunset but you hve more of the sky than the sunset. Should have cropped of most of the sky. The tree and the sunset are beautiful and should have encompased the photo. This is what I call good composition but bad execution. Otherwise nice shot. PTL7

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by chrysalis:
D'uh... another sunset shot. Dime a dozen.

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by muckpond:
Colors are well don, and the tree is in focus. A very pleasant photo. muckpond

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by autool:
Composition: Subject Placement, Cropping, Background6,
Technical: Focus, Exposure, Lighting, Processing7,
Appeal: Is it Interesting, Motivating, Etc.? 7,
Total Averaged Rating7. Autool
If it would have been possible I think you should have made it in landscape view with more of the yellow and reds, and less blue sky.

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by jboling:
I don't think this meets the challenge. But, it is a great image.

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by Simms:
argh, not another sunset pic...

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by johnny_justjohnny:
really really beautiful landscape. i only wish periodicals would report on and print articles and pictures about the finer things in life like this. not really sensationalist enough for photojournalism though, right? only it goes to show photojournalism ain't the only place to go look for beauty.

Sunset on Autumn, Winter on the Way!
by DougPaz

Comment by nards656:
Good color, good composition. Nice yellow, for sure. Don't really have any improvements to offer, but I don't see the story. I do see it as a magazine shot, or a newspaper LIVING section shot. Therefore, you get the benefit of the doubt. 9 nards656