I love early morning fog. Over the past few years where my wife and I have spent the month of August paddling the remote rivers of Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Manitoba, most mornings have given me ample opportunity to indulge myself. This past summer, however, was stunningly unique – only one morning of the thirty was socked in. In some ways that was good – it forced me to look elsewhere, both in terms of scene and scale, for evocative images. This image, however, came out of the one morning that was thick with mist and fog. I’m very pleased with the results. I spent quite a while getting to the composition that I felt worked best and then I took many shots as the sun rose and both the light and the mist shifted. This one worked best for me. What especially pleases me, is that I’m beginning to understand why this one works and why I chose it over the others in the series that were nearly identical but different. In particular, I like the contrast between the brightest bolt of light coming down at a slight diagonal, centre/right and how it seems to mirror the darkest area of the image that rises at an almost equal and opposite diagonal, centre/left. The combination of contrast and diagonals seems to add energy and drama to what is otherwise a calm, otherworldly scene. A couple of things I’d like some feedback on in particular. First, is something I struggle with in these sorts of images, namely, brightness. My monitor is properly calibrated, and the brightness set to about 50%. To me, while the image is dark, it feels bright enough. But I also know that my eye gets used to what it is looking at very quickly. Maybe the only way to really know if it is too bright or too dark is to print it? The second thing I’d like feedback on is colour, clarity and contrast. I’ve pushed both a little bit in selected areas. I’m liking the mood of it, but I’d appreciate feedback from other, less biased eyes. Of course, any other thoughts or feelings would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance, for your time and consideration.
This is working really well for me. The brightness is nice and dreamy and has the light from above look that gives the image a really good mood. No suggestions here.
There is a good deal of spirituality here, as there has been in many of your recent images. Again there is the sense of the ‘Land of the Gods’ that we are witnessing, an approach that seems to be close to your heart. I don’t know what to suggest here. I like the barely perceptible amount of color here. My first reaction was to lower the highlights and raise the darks but that would really be harmful to your statement. Well, you could add a bit more definition to the woods on the left I suppose, but not much. Maybe get that dead branch on top to stick out a bit more. But these are small adjustments to a really fine image.
Kerry, this is very dreamy. The brightness of the mist works well. It feels a bit right heavy, so I wonder how some subtle dodging of the green trees at the back would work (don’t dodge the dead one closest to the left, just add a bit more interest to the dark area).
Thanks, Harley, always appreciate your feedback.
@Igor_Doncov As usual, Igor, your observations both aesthetically and emotionally, are astute. If spirituality is, at its very essence about the inherent interconnectedness of existence, then photography offers itself, at least to me, as a spiritual practice by encouraging me to look and connect more deeply with the world around and all my relations. So, yes, you are quite right there. Although you thought that lowering the highlights and raising the darks would be harmful to my statement, I thought you might be onto something there. In response I tried adding some contrast to the brightest areas - the fog, and dodging the darkest areas a tad to bring up a little more detail. Personally, I think it improves the image and adds a little more drama. You think? Here’s the revised image. The changes are not too heavy handed, I hope.
@Mark_Seaver As you can see by the revised image posted above, I took your suggestions to heart and did bring up the trees in the shadows a tad while also bringing down the brightest areas by adding some contrast. I think it does help to balance the image while also adding a bit more drama.
Kerry, this is simply sublime, what an exquisite image you have crafted here. In my imagination I see a breeching whale spouting backlit spray. Obviously the fog creates a wonderful mood, but to me the trees to the left play a very valuable role in the image creating contrast and balance. Thus I really like what you have done in the rework it takes a fine image up another notch. I agree with you, it’s the dynamic element of the fog that’s so unique and interesting. Looking at the image I can almost see movement in the fog as it wafts upwards into the light above. In many fog images, the blankets of fog are more static and don’t convey this sense of movement.
Beautiful work 
Excellent job on the rework. As Ed says, it takes the image up another notch.
Wow! This is magical and dripping with mood, Kerry. You have crafted light and dark beautifully in this image as they go hand in hand and would not work as well with out the other. I think your couple of small tweaks have elevated an already beautiful scene another notch. I absolutely love the mist and I find the tree along the left side to be very striking. I am glad you were there and able to capture it for the rest of us.
I’m really enjoying the overall mood and atmosphere of the image. The light on the rocks in particular is really attractive.
I have a connection with these Northern Ontario landscapes and I’m particularly drawn to images with the beautiful pink rocks, rivers and trees of our home so this image really speaks to me personally.
The overall contrast feels perhaps a bit too harsh to me… I’m a bit undecided on that. Also the noise is starting to creep up a bit in the fog. Perhaps the thing I’m missing the most that would really elevate this image is the lack of a clear subject? Like it’s not clear what exactly I’m supposed to be looking at…
This image makes me yearn to get back outside and head north and hit the trails.
(Sorry for this incoherent ramble, I’m strongly tempted to just delete this but NPN is pushing for more participation…)
@Ed_McGuirk - Sublime. Wow. I don’t think I could ask for higher praise. It is interesting what we see when we look at an image like this. Now that you mention it, I can, of course, see a whale spouting backlit spray. But for me, it was a huge sea turtle coming out of the fog with its head aimed toward the bottom left corner and “V” rock to the centre, being its left leg. @Harley_Goldman Thanks Harley, appreciate the encouragement. @Ed_Lowe - I do feel more than blessed to be able to spend the kind of time my wife and I do exploring these incredible expanses of wilderness by canoe. Over the course of a thirty day trip it is rare that we see more than one or two other people the whole time. @Michael_Schertzberg - thank you Michael for not deleting your feedback, I appreciate your taking the time to give this image some thought. In response to your question, this isn’t a “story” image - there’s nothing really happening. It is intended as an image about a primordial mood or a feeling. I’ve tried to convey the sense of timelessness that I so often feel when I’m out in the backcountry. To the extent I’ve succeeded will, I suppose, depend on the reader. But, my intention was to direct the reader’s eye to the area of contrast because that’s typically where the eye is drawn, in any case. So, to a certain degree, this is an image about contrast - that’s its subject. Evidently, it isn’t quite happening for you but that viewing the image makes you yearn to get back to the north country definitely fulfills my intention, at least, to some degree.
I do have a question for you all. Michael brought up the issue of noise. I shot this at ISO 800, which isn’t really that high. I’m not sure if what I’m seeing is luminance noise or just the kind of graininess that comes with early morning, backlit fog. If it is noise, can it be addressed effectively after post processing or does it need to be addressed prior?