Our camera Club's competition this month is "Unreal". I'm thinking to enter this and would love any further suggestions you might have to give this more impact. Has to be viewed on black to see the details. Thanks
Really love where you are going with this Jane, the birds look amazing and blend in so well, you get a sense that that they are fleeing from impending disaster, but I'm not so sure about the boats and the fish. To me they don't really fit in with the sense of urgency...
@deborah63 thanks for your thoughtful observation. I particularly wondered abou the big boat still going towards the lava on right but thought, in an odd way, that he spoke of the global warming deniers. I will ponder if I might want to do something different with it, them
Now that some time has passed, I wanted to give you my thoughts (didn't want to get in the way of other's observations). I love the power and movement of the underlying lava image. I really like the birds, fleeing from impending disaster, although I would move them around the image (see below). I feel as though the lower left side, with the many deserving fish, is a tad cluttery. My favorite element, the skull/mask (lower right) is kind of tucked away. I would consider moving that skull to the center of the image, put it on its own layer (behind the others), make it more transparent, but much bigger and more ominous. Birds accompany around, depending on skull placement. Maybe black & white behind the color? Shades and textures, faded into the exploding lava. I agree with Debbie - the boats are extras (to my eye). Anyway, good luck! Composites are so much "to the artist's eye."
Hi, Jane: to reply to your question (easier here on the image itself)... First, I would completely disagree with your characterization of "novice!" To clarify, I was suggesting the idea of putting the skull on its own layer, then trying out making the skull (only the skull) a black and white image, which could lurk behind the colors of the fire and smoke. That might make the skull more of a "suggestion" of itself, behind the smoke and fire. I might also try making much, much bigger, to fill up more of the smoky, fiery sky. Does that make any sense?
