Smell the Roses +RP

I too love the beauty and value of "the mundane".  I really like the colors in the bottom half of this image, but I find the top half somewhat distracting, especially the darker area in the ULC.  Strictly for my tastes, I would like to see a more intimate capture so I can pick a small area and really study it - in this I feel a little overwhelmed by such a large captured area.

This is real nice, Lon. I would be inclined to use a gradient mask and pull down the mids in the back (mask the whole image so the half point is midway). I think that brings the emphasis to the foreground grasses and provides a bit of a fade toward the back. A thought, anyway. 

Lon: Frame filling fantastic. Indeed I can see where this is a comtemplative spot and one that inspires introspection and I hope gratitude. Very nicely done.>=))>

One of the things that commenting on images on NPN makes me do is to think about why I like or don't like an image.  Reading comments from others teaches me things about art and photography, but examining my own feelings often teaches me more about what makes an image that I like to look at.  This is one of those times.  I can't offer any advice about composition or technique, but I can examine why I think this is a successful image in terms of why I like to look at it.  So all I can offer is some words based on how this makes me feel.  No explanations about the principles or rules of art or photography -- just my feelings.

I think most of us admire the ability to recognize something about a scene that makes it appealing even though it may not contain any obvious compositional pattern or element that makes it worthy of our attention.  This one may be easier to understand than some of the others because it has a "comfortable" feel.  Who would not want to linger in soft grasses?  Sure, it has an interesting texture made of fine curves that look soft, (comfortable soft -- not blurry soft), and it has a larger structure also composed of curves.  That's probably the reason for suggestions to emphasize the bottom, or front of the image.  More important I think, is the knowledge we share that this image shows us something that we know is soft and comfortable; a subject we know feels good.  Even though it may not have strong shapes and forms that are visually exciting, it is visually comforting because we recognize it as something that makes us feel good.  Hmmm, is that all the commentary I have -- it makes me feel good?  Yep, I guess that's all I got.

So in the end, I am guessing that you have succeeded in capturing an attractive image because you have let your feelings guide you instead of your knowledge of principles and rules about photography and art.  In trying to comment on images, sometimes all I can come up with is "If it looks good, it is good."  Maybe now, after thinking about this image, I'll have to add another bottom line explanation of why I like to look at something: "If it make me feel good, it is good."

I had to ponder this for quite a while, Lon.  It took me a while to come around on this one.  Perhaps it's because I don't see grass  like this very often.  The more I looked, the more it sinks in.  The large view is necessary to get the nuanced color that takes the eye thru the image.  There are two tall stalks, upper middle, that seem to grab my eye.  It would be an easy clone if you thought it was important.  Other than that, I'm on board with smelling the roses .

You are the 'grass master', Lon. The color and tonality are spot-on. Like Wayne, I appreciate the softness, gentleness of this. It would be interesting see a re-post incorporating Harley's suggestion.
--P

Thanks for the comments folks, great feedback!  I especially want to thank Wayne for his insightful and non-technical comments.  Besides feeling good about our own work, ultimately the best compliments are when other photographer's have responses to our images.  Great comment, and I hope to learn from it as well.

So I've incorporated I think most of the feedback so far.  I reprocessed a little differently and did use a subtle gradient (did use it Harley, so thanks; it's not something I routinely use and so wanted to try.)  I also cropped in some to not only reduce the UL, but to get a slightly tighter view a little bit towards Bill's comments of wanting to study a smaller area - although I don't think this has gone far enough for that, it is a tighter view.  I also selectively burned/dodged this on top of the gradient to emphasize the curve of grass at the bottom - getting back to Mr. H's comment bringing the emphasis more towards the bottom.  Lastly, for Gary, while I didn't completely remove the two stalks, I had already cloned out the top of the one that was in the darker area and reduced the presence of the two stalks he's talking about.

And Preston, your wish is my command.  Here's the repost. :-)

Thank  you so much folks! I really hadn't intended to do much with this, which is why Wayne's comments really hit home.  I hope the repost still retains some of the soft, comfort.... 

Lon, I really appreciate your comments and all the others.  The repost is especially wonderful.  Grasses like this (in appearance, I don't know what type of grass this particular one is) are not uncommon in Florida, and I really love them.

Nice job on the repost. Much improved. I think I would have taken it further, but that is the beauty of us all having different visions.