A bit of a mind bender anyway… at least for me. Something a little different along the Merced River in Yosemite.
Comments, critiques and suggestions are always welcome
Thanks!
Processing of course. Any suggestions?
This work for you at any level?
Nikon D800E, NIkon 28-300mm @42mm f/13 2-image pano
This is really nice, Lon. Not much of a mind bender to me, but I sure like it. I might bring in the white point a way and create a touch more contrast by doing so, but otherwise, the processing looks good to me.
Lon, I like it a lot. Although the only “bender” for me is it looks like a slight curve in the river that the rock jets out a bit in the center here maybe? To me it does have a sweep or bend if you will. Great detail in the rock formation or bank area. B&W works once again very well here in this probably fairly monochrome scene as it were…
Only change for me is to eliminate the dead center upper bank very thin hairline snag. At least up to the main tree to it’s right from this angle. Almost seems like a scratch there at this size of image. Not a nit just something to look closer at maybe…
Really nice Lon, I think the processing looks great, nice rich blacks, and I think the white point looks good to me, I’m not sure I would change it. I agree with the others, this one is not as much a bender as some of your others. I think showing so much of the bank above the shoreline introduces more "reality’, and reduces the “bender factor” here.
Now if you wanted to go on a real bender, you might consider this…
Great tonality and detail here. The image is rather abstract, but still with recognizable elements.
I agree with Paul regarding his clone suggestion. While Ed’s crop is interesting, I do prefer the wider view.
I really like the shoreline stones and the reflection.
-p
Lon, I had the same thoughts as Paul, looks like a bend in the river, or maybe the effect of panning between the two frames. Might not be the same in a single exposure. I think the the original works fine, has good vertical symmetry.
Lon, I missed the fact it was a 2 image pano that Bill picked up on. So, you might recall if the river has this center point protrusion at this locale. If there is not than maybe you had a “nodal point” issue in the field when photographing the two images. Other thought might be less chance of an issue but maybe “mustache distortion” from the lens.
Regardless, it might be tweaked in lens correction feature in PS possibly if you can decide on the actual bank and river view.
Anyway, hopefully I was right that the bank just sticks out there in the center causing that bending of the river look.
@Paul_Breitkreuz, you’re correct on the simple answer. The rocky shoreline is not straight and the rock in the middle pretty much jut’s out in the river and the shore recedes as you move towards either edge.
Thanks for the crop suggestion @Ed_McGuirk. I agree the upper slope, branches, trees, etc. bring this back to reality. Yeah, not really so much a mind bender. Maybe just lack of a better title. The crop works, although feels a little cut off now (obviously influenced by seeing the original…) 
Thanks for the comments folks!
Lon
I prefer the original as well. The cropped works but does feel kinda tight.
Lon, a mystery solved that was just not there then. Good to hear. I do also prefer the original but still prefer it without the very thin snag in the scene…
I’m enjoying this but have a hard time articulating why exactly. Maybe it’s the overall abstract quality that comes from the good contrast with the monochrome treatment.
I find this image to be busy, Lon. Perhaps that’s why it gave some a mind-bender appearance.
