The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I came across this scene near the top of Beartooth Highway on the way from Cooke City, MT to Red Lodge, MT. On the way up to the peak I went through a few thunder storms. As soon as I saw the slice of the mountains being lit up by the sun, I pulled over and took this image. I took a series of images while holding my camera in portrait mode and holding down the shutter. I normally would have taken an image like this on a tripod, however, earlier in the trip I accidentally left my backpack containing my ball head and a few other expensive camera accessories in the park. This is a composite of about 8 images. I really like the mountains and the dark clouds.
Specific Feedback
I certainly would love any suggestions on how I could make the image more impactful, however, the part I feel is the weakest part of the image is the tundra in the foreground. I wasnāt sure of the best way to handle it. I darkened it to try to make the other two scenes, the clouds and the mountains, stand out more.
Technical Details
Camera: Canon R5
Lens: Canon 70-200 F2.8L
Settings: ISO- 400, shutter speed- 1/1000sec, Aperture- F13, zoom- 70mm
Hand held, composite of around 8 images taken in portrait mode
Edited in LR and PS and camera raw. I selected the sky, the mountains and the foreground such that I could edit them selectively. The most significant edit I made was to expand/stretch the mountain section of the image. I also added both texture and clarity and brightness to make the mountains āpopā more in the image.
Hi Alexander. So many wonderful scenes on the Beartooth Highway, Iām glad you were able to experience such dramatic light. I agree that the foreground is too dominant in your final crop. For me, the best part of the image is the transitions from light to dark in the cloud, dark to light from cloud to distant skyline, then transition from light back to dark from sunlit snow to darker forest and shadowed nearer ridge crest. Hereās a simple crop attempt that maintains your original crop ratio while focusing in more on those transitions, and staying true to a vertical rule of thirds. I donāt know if this is any better, but itās a different approach that emphasizes what I see as the strongest aspects of the image.
this is a great view and I envy you having experienced this! Also, I find that you chose the right way going with a pano here!
Nevertheless, when looking at it, something feels āwrongā und quite unnatural to me. I guess, itās the fact that you strengthened the background and gave it more contrast/clarity.
Personally, I work my images the other way around: The more something is in the distance, the less contrast and more haze and atmosphere it has. This doesnāt mean that there will be less light upon the mountains ā but it would be a rather āhazyā and atmospheric light.
(Or did you pull up the dehaze slider? Thatās where this blue color cast could come from. I pull down the saturation slider of Blue the same amount that I pull up the dehaze ā that helps!).
Concerning the foreground: I would darken it, but rather in the very foreground, not in the midground. The midground here seems to have too much contrast which makes the transition to the mountains look a bit strange. I hope I could make myself clear.
Thank you @Markus_Albert ! I agree 100% with your comment āsomething feels wrongā. I played with this image on and off for a couple of weeks before submitting it and I couldnāt find anything I liked. I will definitely try your suggestions and repost in the near future.
Thank you again!
Willem deGroot
The light on those mountains is really beautiful and I like that thick bank of clouds above them. What I find āuncomfortableā though is that the hills in the middleground are so dark. Looking at the image from the bottom up you have lighter bottom part, then a very dark band of hills, then the bright mountains and finally the dark clouds. I think that the light - dark - light - dark is messing with my brain.
So did you end up finding you tripod and other things? From what you wrote Iām guessing not and thatās really a shame. I wouldnāt wish that on anyone.
Thank you @Tom_Nevesely for your comments! Unfortunately, the person who found them didnāt turn them in to the lost and found at Yellowstone National Park.
