What changed: Increased contrast in LLC as proposed by David Haynes. I gave consideration to Igor’s suggestion to darken the image for a sense of mystery. While a darker image has its merits, at this moment I liked the lighter version. To me it invited exploration.
Added after receiving feedback from the community.
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Returning from a trip to Washington to take care of family business I managed to squeeze in a few days driving down the Oregon Coast and into Northern California. The first few days of the trip the weather was not cooperative. Rain and high winds hampered most photographic endeavors. I did have some adventures exploring along the way (I’ll save the Thor’s Well tale for later). I did not get a break until I reached the Redwood National and State Parks. I had been told that I should visit Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods SP. Because of the permitting situation (same day permits not available) I had to extend my trip an extra day , but it was well worth it. I was greeted by the sun’s rays beaming through the forest, illuminating the walls of the canyon as I began my hike.
Specific Feedback
Cropping, Color and general processing comments welcome.
Technical Details
Canon R5 w RF 15-35/2.8
ISO 100, f8, 1/250 sec.
5 exposure HDR blended in Lightroom
This is beyond wonderful!! And it looks like you had about a 5-second window before the mist cleared. The light beams coming down into the canyon are just gorgeous!
My one chance to make that hike, the canyon was closed with some sort of log jam (if I remember correctly) from a storm.
This is a beautiful rendition of Fern Canyon. I’ve been many times and have always had a tough time with motion blur on the ferns since the wind/breeze is always flowing through that little canyon. You did good to quell that motion. The light is just off the charts dreamy. And a 5 exposure blend…terrific job. As @Diane_Miller points out, it looks like you had just enough time to grab the fog before everything cleared. The light beams look natural and not overdone and really add mood to this scene. The warm light hitting the fern wall is beautiful. I can see why you needed a 5 exposure blend. There is just a hint of the river running through the scene which is beautiful. I might warm the WB of the trees in the LLC as they look a little bit washed out while everything else looks deeply saturated and vivid, which of course, they are naturally. Other than that observation, not a nit, I have nothing else for you other than to say that this is gorgeous. One of the best I’ve ever seen from there.
I like this image quite a bit. It’s a fairly unique perspective which gives it a different perspective from what we normally see. My only suggestion is to drop the exposure so that the highlights are accentuated from the deeper darks. I often think the less you show the more intriguing the image becomes.
Hi Paul,
Those rays cutting through the light fog are quite lovely and set the tone for this wonderful scene. The light throughout the image looks spot on and very natural to me. I have never heard of Fern Canyon, but it looks and sounds like a fascinating location for photography. Your crop and processing look great and work just fine for my tastes. Very nicely done.
Thank you all for the feedback. Diane, I hope you get back there some day it is worth the trip. While I considered Igor’s suggestion to darken the image I decided for now I like the sense of inviting I get from the current edit, rather than mystery. Perhaps if I enter a competition a darker more mysterious image would be desirable.
David and Diane, the light actually lasted for almost an hour which gave me time to try different angles until I found the one that I thought best expressed Fern Canyon. Here is a photo I took from the parking lot before starting the hike taken almost an hour prior to the image above.
What a fantastic image and a bit unique as Igor pointed out. Unique, and what I like is how you’ve composed this including showcasing the fern wall beautifully, and balancing with the light/fog and conditions.
I also agree with Dave about the LLC. Not a huge deal, but I like the reworked version.
Outstanding photograph. It has such a wonderful uplifting mood to it, one that foster hope. The vivid green of the ferns in the dappled sunlight grabs and hold the eye and only challenged by that sun burst of light through the trees. Well worth the extra day.
