The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I didn’t get much time for fall images this year but I did get 1 night backpacking in larch country. My timing was good - the larch were at peak and it started snowing the next day. This is a pretty little lake near North Cascades National Park. Unfortunately it was a bluebird sky - pretty but not very photogenic.
Specific Feedback
All comments appreciated. I haven’t decided if this looks over saturated. I have reduced the saturation a bit - should I reduce it more? Also, there’s a lot of magenta in the foreground rocks. They were rather pink/magenta but does it look too strong? Again, I’ve reduced it some - should it be reduced more?
Technical Details
Nikon D850, 16-35 lens at 16mm, f8, 1.3 seconds, ISO 64, tripod
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A wonderful comp with rich colors. I might tweak back the saturation of the yellows and magentas slightly. Not much is needed . Reflection is awesome…Jim
So glad you were able to get out for a quick back packing trip for some Fall colors, Steve. Superb reflection. Those larches are going off. For sure peak colors. Wow! There is terrific foreground interest as well. Those rocks take the eye right through the middle of the scene. I can only imagine what this scene was like after that storm came through and dumped some snow on those beautiful peaks.
Wondering if you were using a polarizer as I’m seeing some banding across the sky and the sky is darker in the center of the frame than it is on the edges. I don’t think it’s my cheapo work computer because I can see it on my phone as well. Pretty sure you can fix this though with a little bit of work. Definitely worth the effort as this is a gorgeous Fall image.
Bluebird skies: gotta love 'em, but yeah, they don’t always add much. I love the composition and the reflection here. Not sure which lake this is, but the location has an incredible amount of opportunity. Next year, camp for three nights, eh?
As for the sky and other colors, the FG magenta seems off to me. I’m wondering about the blue too, whether the hue can be made more bluebird, less steel blue? There is a highlight vignette too, so perhaps a darker vignette would be interesting to play with or at least to even the sky out. As is, the brighter corners pull me up and away.
If it were not for the golden larches, I’d say “try black and white” but I suspect the image would feel like too much texture. Still, might be worth a shot, even if it was not what you were initially going for.
ML
I’m very familiar with bluebird skies! Here in the Canadian Rockies we get them all the time. While there may be clouds during the day, often at sunrise and sunset, without the daytime heating, the sky completely clears.
Anyway, this is a beautiful image. I love the symmetry and your choice of foreground. The sky looks a bit strange and unnatural to me though - probably because it’s darker in the center and brighter in the corners.
@Jim_Zablotny, @Ingrid_Vekemans, @Marylynne_Diggs, @David_Haynes and @Tom_Nevesely, thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I’ve added a new version at the top. The RAW file for every shot I took at this location had the magenta in the rocks (must be pink granite). I toned it down a bit though. I also smoothed out the sky and adjusted the color. I did have a polarizer on which accounts for the issue.
Marylynne, I like your suggestion of 3 days next year. There are a string of lakes in this larch country. I’ll have to try a few others as well. This is Upper Crater Lake a little northwest of Chelan.
Steve, the repost works best for me as well. This is a truly wonderful scene. Don’t let the bluebird skies be any issue at all. If that was the case I’d have to stay at home for all the ones I see week after week…
Only thought for change might be to use more contrast on the sky to offset it from the mountain range a bit. But that is totally subjective and no nits at all…
Steve, thanks for sharing this image with the group. I was also up in the North Cascades but explored them on day hikes including the ever popular Maple Loop.
I really like your image and with a beautiful forground and the symmetry of the composition. As to the bluedbird skies which I experienced as well, I don’t have a big problem with them and have come to accept that blue skies are part of our environment, and in this instance I think the blue complements the golden larches.
I sometimes think we as photographers get into ideas that certain looks in nature are less attractive such as blue skies, and bodies of water that have to be smoothed out with long exposures.
This is wonderful Steve! Such wonderful color and texture. I love how that foreground rock points to where the ridgeline dips, and the rocks under the water add such a great layer to build the rest of the image on. The way the ridge and trees sweep in nice diagonals to the center really sucks the eye along in a pleasing way.
I could see moving the sky, and its reflection, a little away from green towards magenta?
