Clouds Over Square Butte (w/rework)

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
1

Rework:

CloudsOverSquareButte(Rework)
CloudsOverSquareButte(Rework)2048×1365 353 KB

CloudsOverSquareButte-2.jpg
CloudsOverSquareButte-2.jpg2048×1365 340 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Square Butte is a very prominent landmark outside of Great Falls, Montana. I was visiting a nearby state park in April and got this shot of the butte and clouds overhead as we were getting ready to leave, when there was a slight break in the clouds.

Specific Feedback

Any feedback welcome. The light was pretty flat when I took this, so I’ve tried to add some contrast, especially to the land. Any thoughts on how that’s looking would be very helpful. I also wonder if the upper part of the clouds are too bright. I like the brightness of them, but they may be drawing attention away from the rest of the scene.

Technical Details

24-70 mm lens shot at 49 mm, 1/320 sec, f/10, ISO 100.

Critique Template

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2

John, Your placement of the butte in the center gives it a strong presence. I also like the textures and contrast in the clouds in the middle of the top. I think that adding some contrast in the middle to bring out more texture in the clouds there would be good. I also wonder about burning-in the bright grasses along the bottom so they don’t get as much attention.

3

Very nice!! I love how rain (I assume) is obscuring the landscape on the left. I wonder about going just a bit less high key in the interest of bringing in more tonal detail… One tiny nit – my eye jumps to a vertical cloud edge in the UL corner. I’d hate to crop anything from the top as I love the darker areas there, but it would be easy to clone.

4

Hi John like the balance and symmetry of this image Personally would like to see more contrast overall in the image

5

@Mark_Seaver @Diane_Miller @ian7 - Thank you all for your feedback. I made some edits based on your suggestions and posted a reworked version above. I think going a little less high key is an improvement, although I have to admit that generally I like the high-key, low-contrast look of the image. I think it lends an airiness to the sky that I enjoy.

Diane, the showers in the background were actually snow showers. This was back in April, which can still be pretty wintry around here.

Thanks again for the comments. I appreciate it!

6

John, since you the bits I suggested, I like the redo. It’s also neat to be able to compare the two versions side by side, where the high key aspects of the original show well…