This is one I’ve been sitting on since last summer. It’s the creek down below Falls Creek falls in Washington. I really like the quality of light and mist that was happening that day.
My thinking was to focus on the creek as it begins to return to a more casual flow after pouring over a couple of massive turbulent drops in the background.
Would love any feedback about how it works compositionally.
Thanks!
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ig- @danhawkphotography
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Dan, quite an image to behold. Very pretty with those rays higlighted in the mist. The composition is spot on I think. This is nitpicking but that bright green, slightly blurred leaves on the left edge of the image is a little distracting. If you are not against it, you could clone it out.
Nice work Dan, Compositionally I think it works really well. My only cc is that it is a little dark heavy in the left that gives a sense of unbalance, I would crop it in from the left to just past the bright green leaves in the upper left. Will have the double wammy of removing that as a distraction.
I love that I can just about feel the contrast of cool mist against the warmth from the rays of the sunlight. It’s so soft and peaceful! The one thing catching my eye a tad are the slight lens flares towards the top center. Adore this shot and the almost storybook quality of the tree at the left! Looking forward to more.
Well Dan this is a pretty epic shot, and it is brought to it full potential through a great job of processing on your part. I like how you accentuated the light rays through the mist, they sort of mimic the water flow on the rocks below. I agree with @Eugene_Theron suggestion to crop the left, it eliminates some minor distractions. Some folks like to have flare circles such as you have near the top of the falls, and that is a matter of personal taste, but I’d vote with @kori to try to remove them.
These comments are nitpicks though, this image is all about the quality of light and the backlit mist, and you have handled that wonderfully here. Nice work !!!
Simply love this. It’s quite unique actually in that we only see a hint of a waterfall (an important element mind you.) I love the atmosphere from the mist and the way the water flows over the rock and through the frame. I’m digging this one (can’t say I’ve ever used that in a critique before…)
I would just offer a few small nits to take this to the next level. Clone/burn down the bright leaves, upper left edge. Clone the small round flare against the rock upper part of frame. And while this is in the realm of personal choice, I might knock down the brightness and saturation of the some of the near-neon green moss along the front edge of the mossy rock; a bit strong near the center of the frame. At least for me.
I really wish I had taken this image it is absolutely gorgeous. While I agree with Adhika about cloning out the green patch on the left upper side and Kori about dealing with the lens flare in the upper center I think everything else is perfect. The brilliant green to my eye fits in perfectly with the darkness of the rocks and the mist creating the mystical quality of this picture. I also think the darkness on the left created by the rocks adds to the mystery which makes this image so special.
Beautiful.
If you were focusing on the stream nicely done. The bright green on the right doesn’t bother me, you have a ray hitting it and it doesn’t look blown out. I personally would move to the right , to get rid of some of the rocks, on the left which of course would bring the falls into the shot. But my guess is that this was taken later than you wanted because the sun is blowing out the top of the falls. The only thing that I would personally do is clone out the 3 sunspots. I have been to this location probably at least 15 times in the last 4-5 years. The last was at the end of November before it was closed for the winter. I will probably be back the first week it opens later this month. Can’t wait.
Absolutely gorgeous shot Dan, the light is just stunning. A real fairy tail atmosphere. I would agree with the removal of the blurry leaf in the top left and the sun flares.
This is a lovely image with a strong composition and great lighting. It reminds me a bit of the sort of image that Dan Kearl liked to make. I strongly agree about removing the bright fern on the upper left edge but not by cropping it out. You have a fine compositional balance right now and I wouldn’t mess with that.
A great image, Dan. I love the scene and the way you processed it. Great scene, great mood.
The remarks about the bright fern and the flare have already been made. Fine composition.
I would have been more than happy if I had created this image. Only, I would have exposed 2 seconds less, probably. This is fast flowing water, I prefer more dynamics in the water instead of the milky look that results from such a long exposure. A matter of taste and it has nothing to do with your image, and I know that I’m part of a minority with this opinion
Really great suggestions all around. I decided to clone out those leaves and the sun flares. I also did a little local adjustment on the bright spots around the image including some selective dodging to bring out detail and texture on the left side while keeping the depth and shadow to keep the mystery brought on by the extreme contrast (glad you caught that @John_Moses!) I stuck with a similar crop as the original as the balance felt wrong when I shifted it.
@Greg_Stokesbury, You’re pretty much spot on. I had envisioned a shot with the upper falls lined up perfectly, and the sun just peaking around the trees, but clouds completely blocked that comp. I stayed and watched the light change and this is the result.
