Bridger Sunrise

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
1

PRH_8580-Pano-6.jpg
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Critique Style Requested: In-depth

The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.

Self Critique

I love panos and mountains, so this was a win/win for me. I do wonder of the lack of anything in the foreground hurts this image at all. It’s one of the reasons that I enhanced the look of the reflective patches of ice. Its tough to find anything for the foreground when there’s still 3 ft of snow on the ground!

Creative direction

I wanted the viewer to feel compelled to either zoom or lean in to the image and walk around a bit.

Specific Feedback

I’m always open to critique of any kind

Technical Details

Nikon D850
Nikon AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6
ISO 64, f/9, 1/80th, 70mm
9 vertical image pano cropped to 1.5:3
Processed in Lightroom Classic CC Highlights reduced, shadows lightened, contrast and clarity increased in the sky. I also lightened and warmed the foreground a bit to bring out the reflective patches of ice

Description

Standing in the pre-dawn light, waiting for the Sun’s first rays to kiss the Bridgers allowed me to absorb the marvel of the landscape. Meadowlarks sang out their greeting but it was just intermittently audible over the competing song of the wind. I pulled my hat down farther over my ears as another gust of wind sent icy particles dancing across the hardpacked snow at my feet. It whistled, almost pleasantly through the barbed-wire fence in front of me. Yesterdays 50 degree temps had significantly softened the snow, but the freezing overnight temps had glazed over large areas with a reflective, glossy surface. Once the clouds had been illuminated by the warm light of the rising sun, these areas reflected the soft orange light in a random pattern of streaks across the landscape. Light like this is fleeting. It shifts, almost perceptibly, from pink, to orange and yellows, and then all at once, its just “normal” light illuminating an ever extraordinary landscape. In the time it took to capture the images to make this panorama, the best of the light was gone. It didn’t prevent me from driving as deeply into the scene as snow conditions would allow. I stopped when the snow said so, and got out to admire the mountains standing proud against Montana’s Big Sky.

2

Very nice pano. I love the beautiful clouds that have a glowing look that brightens the peaks of the mountains. I feel that the foreground is fine as is. I think that if there were something in the foreground it might distract from the mountains which are the main focus. Just a thought, I would clone out the grass in the bottom edge that is chopped off and the light speckles of snow on the right edge just to give it a cleaner look on the edges. Nicely sceen.

3

This is an interesting image, Paul. When I view the smaller version in the post, my eye is attracted to the foreground and I really enjoy the subtle light on it. When I click on the image and it fills the screen, I have trouble taking my eyes off the cloud bank, even the brighter mountains don’t really attract my eye and the foreground essentially disappears. I suspect if it were printed large and I was approaching it, the effect would be completely different and probably much more what you intended.

4

Paul, this is a fine long view of the Bridgers. For me, the foreground of high prairie is an important part of the landscape. I immediately noticed the reflections in the foreground snow, so I’m thinking that making them slightly less prominent might be good. I am enjoying how the brightness from the different peaks shows in the snow.