These two were taken from the same spot. In the first post, I wanted to emphasize the sense of flow and the feeling of what’s around the corner. Thus, the road goes too close to the edge for a “conventional” comp. I like the extra drama/tension in this view. The second shot is much more conventional with both the road and the rainbow terminating near the 1/3 line. This view also uses the fence and it’s shadow to keep the viewer’s eyes in the frame and connected to both the road and the rainbow.
5D3, 24-105 @ 70 and 35, 1/125, f/16, iso 200, tripod
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
Sweet shot, Mark. Both are nice, but I am loving the second one. The fence and it’s shadow along with the road lead me perfectly into this image and toward that spectacular rainbow. The drama in the sky is outstanding as is the side lighting. I have to admit I am a bit jealous as I have only one rainbow image and it was back in the hey day of film.
Definitely the shot including the fence, Mark. I have built miles of buck fence around Jackson Hole and the Tetons and always enjoy seeing them. Really nice storm light and a rainbow to boot.
No. 1, for me, without doubt. The fence and the road converge in the image, what I like, but take away the eye from the rainbow. I don’t mind at all that the road is so close to the edge in no. 1. Two beautiful images, but I prefer no. 1.
Mark: I’ll take one of each please. Beautiful scene. I like the emphasis on the rainbow in #1 and the combination of elements in #2. The light ain’t bad in either one . Most excellent x2. >=))>
Ed, you may be able to catch rainbows in your Acadia visits. A rainbow needs low angle sun from behind the photog and rain out in front. The bow appears in an arc at 42 degrees from the line between the sun and where the shadow of your head is. I’m sure you can guess a 45 degree angle and that’s usually close enough.
First of all, both images are beautiful - pretty much given that having a rainbow such as this to include in a landscape image - hard to go wrong with a composition.
With all respect, I would disagree with the premise that the second image is the “conventional”. I would argue that the first image is more about the rainbow (more zoomed in). And because of the prominence of the rainbow, I don’t really see the “what’s around the corner”; the road works in the #1 comp, but for me the rainbow is clearly the main subject. I think this is the conventional look.
The second image, the rainbow is more of an accent on the landscape and the road works more towards the “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow…” The fence line certainly draws the viewer in… I think this is the one that bucks the standards…
Of course, both are wonderful, but my comments are trying to reflect this week’s theme…
Lon, clearly “convention is in the eye of the beholder”, to paraphrase… As I took these, the second post was first because having the leading lines come in from the corners is a very standard NPN practice (see my earlier rainbow post and the comments about cropping). I do like the buck fence and it’s shadow and how they lead close to the rainbow. After I took that one, I wanted to try “something different”, which resulted in the first post with the long sweep of the road from right to left and then the long sweep back (left to right) along the rainbow.
Totally understand and get it. I’m betting if I was at the location I’d have had a similar approach - the point being we often default to the “comfortable” or standard composition - whether it be a rule of thirds, near/far comp, lead-in lines, s-curves, etc, etc. Your explanation makes perfect sense.
Simply from a “I wasn’t there” perspective, I see the rainbow as the primary subject in the first post. The road kinda leads me away from that. I think it’s a matter of semantics and personal preference - but it’s pretty clear your two images are a great illustration of the WC.
. Most excellent x2. >=))>
As I took these, the second post was first because having the leading lines come in from the corners is a very standard NPN practice (see my earlier rainbow post and the comments about cropping). I do like the buck fence and it’s shadow and how they lead close to the rainbow. After I took that one, I wanted to try “something different”, which resulted in the first post with the long sweep of the road from right to left and then the long sweep back (left to right) along the rainbow.