I got a new computer and have been re organizing my photos. I was overcome by nostalgia and a bit of sadness about how photographing the Eastern Sierra has changed so much in the last 10 years: terrible smoke even into October, no snow, unpredictable and sometimes non existent fall color. In “the old times” there was often a dusting of snow when the autumn color peaked in the High Sierra at the end of September or beginning of October. I have many photos like this with snow on the peaks and beautiful fall color. Sigh…things change.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any and all comments and suggestions welcome
Technical Details
Minimal processing, just the usual: contrast, slight boost in saturation, sharpening, darken the sky a bit.
Tony, yes nothing is the same, not even many photo locations. This nice image looks like around the Bishop Creek(s) area or possibly June Lake Loop? It’s been too long for me now in those areas that were annual visits for me as well as many others from NPN years ago. I guess we’re at least lucky to have visited those areas during the better years.
I shared a photo from the old Nelly Deli awhile back and I think you possibly were in it too, Tony.
Hey Tony! Really digging this shot. Love the snow and the atmosphere. Although that could be because it’s 98 degrees at my house. Compositionally I feel a bit blocked by the top of the frame and the bottom of the frame. If you opened those up a bit more to include more space I’d feel freer to explore the frame and it would actually amplify the mountain face more! Again, love the subject, texture, and atmosphere!
Tony this is incredible. Yes, times and climates have changed things a lot. This is a terrific image and a wonderful memory of landscape times past. Thanks for sharing this.
Tony, as others have mentioned, that dusting of snow up top is really nice as are the swirling clouds around the peaks. I like the pine trees forming a diagonal line that mirror the ridgeline. As David mentioned, I would have preferred a bit more space in the foreground. The editing is natural looking.
I was going to say the same thing - I feel like it needs more room at the bottom of the frame.
I think you did a good job of conveying scale and place here.
I too miss autumn snow, although this last year we got super lucky here in Colorado!
Dramatic composition with gorgeous image quality!! I love the tonal detail in the clouds hanging on the peaks. The base feels compressed by the weight and mass of the mountain, but that can be part of the story. I wonder how it would compare if the very thin lighter stripe at the bottom was cloned to blend with the darker tones just above it?
Lovely image. The only thing I don’t like about the image is I have been trying to get back to the eastern Sierra for several years but there has been too much smoke or COVID. I am not bothered by the top or bottom of the image.
acize the massive quality of the mountain side. I do appreciate the comments about adding more to the bottom. For interest, here is the full uncropped photo. As you can see, there are many many different opportunities for interesting crops. PS Paul, yes, a lake that takes a two mile hike to get to along the June Lake Loop. Good eye. I did attend one of the get togethers in the pre days…can’t remember if I went to the Whoa Nellie Deli.
Great job showcasing the mountainside - and including enough of the fall color for context. I would agree it’s tight top and bottom, but I also think you made a wise choice cropping the sides to remove the glacial snow-packs. Thanks for showing the original - and I think leaving what little bit of the lake at the bottom with your cropped sides would work nicely too. Of course, a matter of personal choice.
Not to get too nostalgic… but I don’t share your outlook - I’ve been going there probably as long as you have and it’s quite different every year. Just last fall, I have a very nice image of a snow-dusted Mt. Morrison… smoke on the east side was worse in 2017 and the worst was a backpacking trip in 2007 - from Santa Barbara fires… Anyway, what’s changed more in the last 10 years? Me.
Great image - thanks for sharing and good to see you post an image.
This is a beautiful image, Tony. I personally like the way you cropped it because it gets me closer to the mountain and makes me feel like I’m on my way to an awesome ascent! I would love to go there sometime. Hope you get your wintery clean air Autumns back!
