I took this about 11 years ago but I wanted to get some input on any changes to be done before I do a reprint 36x24 inches. Canon 5D ii 24-105 at 35mm. I posted a panorama that was not the best so going back to this photo. The sky was as it was shot
Dean, I find my initial response to this image is similar to the last one you posted. It’s pretty. But if this were my picture, which it isn’t, I would crop everything that isn’t red rock or green. To me, that’s what this image is about - those fantastic shadows and the orange rock punctuated by the green of the forest. That’s what I’d want to zero in on, so that it becomes a “field” or orange, green and shadow. In other words, I’d want to look for pattern. Now that’s only one approach and it may have nothing to do with your vision for this picture. But I think it would present as a more dynamic and compelling image.
Hi Dean,
I read @Kerry_Gordon’s comment first and I agree with Kerry. I think Bryce is all about the hoodoo’s, light shaping, and color. I love the mixture of white and orange on the hoodoos and the separation that the green trees provide. When I first went to Bryce I was all about going to the lookout points and getting the grand view of everything in the shot and the more I saw other people post more intimate images of Bryce the more intriguing they became. This is NOT to say that the grand views of Bryce are not good or interesting or beautiful. It’s a beautifully, mesmerizing place for sure. But the grand views are not unique in the way that intimates of Bryce are unless you get some crazy conditions in the sky. Just my thoughts though.
It appears from your post that you want to print this one so if that’s the case I noticed that there is a dust bunny in the sky about a third of the way up from the horizon, just left of center. There may be more but I can’t blow it up big enough to see them. The colors look spot on to me where the oranges are not overcooked, the shadows are rich with detail, and you have a little bit of interest in the sky with the clouds. There appear to be a couple of areas in the clouds that might be blown out so you may want to tame those down. I’m at work on my uncalibrated work computer so take that with a grain of salt. Print it big and enjoy Dean!
I agree with the others. I would have pulled the telephoto out for this one. But you might be able to crop and find a photo within a photo.
I’m wondering what shutter speed you used for this and whether it was shot hand-held? The image at full screen looks a little soft on my monitor.
The intriguing part of this image is the endless busyness of the intricate cumulus clouds and the endless intricacy of Bryce hoodoos. Sure picking a smaller scene is also wonderful, but the blue/white hoodoos and the orange/green hoodoos work fine.
For me, the bottom 20% that holds the roads is a fine piece to crop out. Distracting. Absent that, the sky/land balance seems better to me, but this image is a testament to your memory of the place and time.
As it stands, the sky is varied but it seems that the land has no shadow patterns to break up the monotonic expanse. You might apply some burning to synthesize some cloud shade patterns on the hoodoos, inviting the eye to cruise around through the paths you create. You can make it your creation even beyond the situation at the time.
Colors are less saturated on right than left so some graduated saturation might be in order
Clunky revision attached
Thanks all. I lost a hard drive with all the photos I had before so I need to go back and hike the 20 miles I did before, that is really the best way to see the park, this time it was in the high 80’s which is a little high for June. I need to see how the ones with the 100-400 I had.
Or regarding the road, maybe burn it I’m spots to jump out less. Profoundly sorry to hear of your lost images.
Dean,
Very sorry and sad to hear that you lost your hard drive and with it your images. You still have your memories but i know it’s not the same. Looking forward to seeing an image or two from your 100-400.
Dean,
I want to say that I appreciate this image as presented. Honestly, I can’t recall ever seeing an image from Bryce with this overall perspective - And I’m grateful for this! Having not ever been there, I appreciate this view. While certainly less artistic and creative - or even opportunistic images that we so often see, this image captures the totality and reality of Bryce.
Technically, all I can suggest is a burn/clone/crop to mitigate the bright patch in the LRC. Otherwise… ship it… (print it)
thank you for sharing this view.
Lon
Just wondering if you had a technician take a shot at recovering the data on that failed hard drive. Under most failure modes a good portion of data can be recovered.
Dean, A beautiful image, it fulfills the look you were looking for and I love the variety of textures and clarity.
Also, if you still have that drive, if you are a member of the PPA, there is a company they have as a resource and will help you with to get a drive recovered - a company that works with NASA.I was on that path when I realized too late that my backup drive didn’t and my IT guy scrubbed my server to rebuild. 3 years of portrait & event client files gone I was sick to my stomach. I called PPA and while It was going to cost some money but a fraction of what it would be otherwise and they set the wheels in motion. Thankfully in a last-ditch effort, I did find a random backup file buried deep on the backup drive. But perhaps worth considering if you have exhausted other options. Suffice to say, now my server is set up with mirrored drives.
I would like to see a more standout subject, like a rock formation than larger the rest, BUT maybe there isn’t one. However, love this. I was born in Ogden, Utah, but haven’t been back that way since 1968. LOL REALLY need to plan a trip.
Thanks for the comments, the drive lost was a few years ago
Dean, I fully agree with @Kerry_Gordon. To me the sky diminishes what the image is about - the hoodoos. I am fine with leaving in the road. As I look at the cropped version I have added, I think I see this as a great candidate for an intimate landscape capturing a section of the hoodoos rather than the grand landscape. But if you want to keep it on a grand scale, I think that the circular almost coliseum like grouping of hoodoos as in my crop would make another image within this image. This is certainly a dramatic scene.
Thanks Larry. I do like how this was cropped. All these comments helped how I need to look at Landscapes