Chimney Rock

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

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Critique Style Requested: Initial Reaction

Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.

Questions to guide your feedback

Distractions?

Other Information

Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.

Image Description

With badlands surrounding it and graced with late afternoon sun, Chimney Rock appears gloriously above Ghost Ranch, near Abiquiu. Ghost Ranch is part of Piedra Lumbre (Spanish, “Shining Rock”). Georgia O’Keeffe, intrigued by Arthur Pack’s statement that the Piedra Lumbre was “the best place in the world”, checked out the ranch. She fell in love with the geography, and soon split her time between living in New York and New Mexico.
This view, with the red bentonite foreground, was popularized by Ansel Adams and has been copied vicariously.

Technical Details

Canon EOS 5D; Canon EF 28-70mm @ 70mm; f/22 @ 1/15 sec, ISO 100; Gitzo tripod, RRS BH 55, remote trigger

Specific Feedback

Whatever you think, positive or not

1 Like
2

Icon or not, this is a stunning photo. Very beautiful. The layers of color and the repeating angled lines create a fabulous composition. I find no distractions!

3

Thank you @Tony_Siciliano for your kind remarks. It is an iconic view. I generally only make images that are already iconic simply to let viewers see I was really there. One must show something the audience is familiar with in order to have “credibility.” I refer to them as “record shots.”

4

I really like that reddish brown color. That carries the entire image for me. I agree that this image is all about color for me.

5

Thank you @Igor_Doncov for your comments. Since AA predominantly shot in B&W it was not obvious when I saw his rendition except for his masterful composition and control of contrast. Only when I saw O’Keefe’s painting did I get an appreciation of the colors of the Piedra Lumbre.