Canon 5DM4 ISO 100 28 mm F/22 1/10 an 1.0 sec
Blended images
This was taken last fall and since then I have been trying to decide if I like this better as shot or if I should crop the rock and blue sky on the right to make a tighter image.
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
This is quite perfect to me, John. The arrangement points to something on the right and the negative space there makes sense. I love that cloud you have on the left half of the image. What a gorgeous light, too!
Gorgeous image. The square crop you suggest looks good to me. In addition, a more landscape format because of the long oval kiva and other horizontal features. The image is so good you hate to remove any of it but for me it would be part of the sky.
This is a beauty and I would favor Igor’s crop suggestion. To my eye, it tightens up the comp quite nicely. That said, it still looks great as presented. Wonderful light, scene and sky.
Very nice image John, I would agree with Igor’s crop. To me the image lacks depth because the foreground is the same brightness as the background, it all feels like it is on the same plane, and unless you’ve been there you wouldn’t know looking at this photo. I would recommend darkening the foregound and lightening the background a bit to give it separation. I also lightened the blues in the sky, maybe a bit over polarized? Excellent work otherwise!
John, first I love these western scenes with seemingly endless views and open space, well done! I would not crop on the right. For me if you do you lose the sense of shelter that this place represents. I do like both @David_Kingham and @Igor_Doncov suggestions.
Beautiful work!
John,
Beautiful image from this classic spot (although I’m guessing not everyone has been there, I know I haven’t.) Light, colors and processing in general look great.
I think the comp works great as presented. The reason I wouldn’t crop off the right is because you eliminate much of the far background buttes/formations and I think would diminish the great depth you have here. Having said that, I like Igor’s crop from the top. For a more intimate view while losing some depth but emphasizing the light, color and the story of the Kiva a more squarish crop with some off top and right, would be a viable alternate.
Beautifully captured, processed and presented.
Lon
This is a lovely photo. Great light and composition. The background/foreground issue mentioned by David is not an issue for me. My only nit with the original is that the blue sky in the center seems too saturated/dark compared with the rest of the sky. I’m totally jealous. Two years ago last February a friend and I set out to get the shot. The hike took longer than we thought (we are both pushing 70) and we had to turn back just before you begin the scramble down the loose rock. We didn’t want to hike out in the dark. So close yet so far!
Very nice. I like the original best the light seems well balanced to me. Igor’s crop is just a bit severe for me as it loses the curl of that beautiful cloud in the sky.
I like the original as presented. I wouldn’t lose any of those great clouds and with a crop from the right you lose those great BG mesas. As for the lack of depth David suggests, I think that’s adaquately addressed with the FG framing.
It’s funny. I have two versions of this image. I originally uploaded the one with the darker foreground but removed because I thought it looked too dark in the kiva area. Thanks for the suggestions.
john, this is a gorgeous shot. I like the original composition showing more of the sky, i think you need that layer of blue above the clouds. I think @David_Kingham rework with shaping the light has added some nice tweaks to the processing. In some ways what David did is similar to adding vignetting. I love the way you handled the colors here, they look great.
I’m all for the original composition, although I’m kind of liking @David_Kingham’s advice on the brightness.
Honestly, I like it as submitted. I have come back to it numerous times just to sit and enjoy. I think David’s light/dark idea is good, and might improve it somewhat, but it’s gorgeous as is too. i definitely WOULD NOT go with a square crop as the distance on the right side is an important part of the image IMHO. I wouldn’t crop it anywhere - great as is. Well done.
Thanks Bill. I appreciate you taking the time to look it over and give me your input.
John
I am a bit late to the Kiva party, John, but it is such a beautiful image at a wonderful location I felt I should congratulate you on the work. The first image is my vote…the nice leading edge of the cloud gives a great sense of depth. Also looks like a great wave ready to crash and wash away the scene. Might have liked the slightly darker Kiva area and shadows in general, as Dave K commented. But have enjoyed viewing this image quite a lot.
