From last year’s trip to many national parks. Taken with Sony A6000, F5.6, 1/320 sec., ISO 250, -0.3 at 56mm PLEASE VIEW LARGE.
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Patricia,
Excellent! Great job isolating the fascinating formations and of course also including the last light on the butte. Very cool.
For me, I think that light is a little strongly saturated. I like the warmth but I just seems a bit over - not by much and there may be other opinions. The color/contrast in the hoodoos(?) looks great and appropriate give the sun had left that part of the scene.
A minor suggestion might be to tone down the blue in the shadow area of mountains in the bg above the canyon and right of the butte.
I’ve never been to Bryce and I’m pretty sure I’m falling in to a trap but suggesting a rotation to level the top of the butte. I know most everything in nature doesn’t fall in the perfect (humanized) layout, but I’d be curious about straightening a landscape that is naturally slanted. And as I’m typing this, the answer should be that if we’re photographing nature and not altering nature in this regard, then rotating this would be deceiving to the viewer… am I right?
Great job isolating this scene, the compressed horizontal layers are excellent.
Lon
A beautiful scene, for sure, Patricia. You caught it at a lovely time of the day. I agree with Lon about the light on the butt, it seems a bit strong in saturation (and maybe it seems to be more so because of the cool blues in the shady areas). Anyway, maybe try desaturation just a bit to see if that improves it. The hoodoos seem to be straight, and so I think it is just the angle you were taking it (I looked at one of my images of that scene (but I was at a different angle), to see if the butt was tilted a bit. I think maybe it is, so since the hoodoos appear to be straight, I think I would leave the leveling as is. Just my thoughts, others may be able to chime in and offer their thoughts on this. It is a beautiful capture.
Patricia: One of my favorite places on the planet and a great view. I might just burn down the highlighted area a tiny bit but no more. Well seen and captured.>=))>
Patricia, the details and colors in the hoodoos are outstanding. The shaft of light hitting the butte is a special addition. I agree that a tiny bit more burning-in of the highlight (and maybe a bit of desaturation in the yellow) seems appropriate.
I really like this view at the overlook. I have a preference for the the version with the yellows in the butte toned down a hair. Now granted, having the light on the butte is natural, but if mine I would likely selectively tone it down just enough to feel more consistent with the whole scene. @Lon_Overacker brings up an interesting point. I remember some older film files, from the same overlook, where the butte does actually appear tilted. So I reckon it’s one of those tricky ways nature plays out, as Edward Abbey would say, “given a liberal allowance of time.”
Nice job with the rework Patricia. thanks for taking the time. I notice the reduction in blue in the UR as well. Looks great.
I guess the question still remains if the butte/geology has a natural slant or not.
Nicely done Patricia! Such a great place and you’ve brought back nice memories. Your edit at the advice of the other kind critiques is spot-on. I bet your nice work on the contrast in the hoodoos bumped up the saturation on the sun’s highlight, but you’ve got it just right now. Great timing on the last light, love those. I do think the slight tilt of the landforms should stay, however, if memory serves, that wee dip in the stratigraphy is a key character of Bryce.
Thanks for sharing!
