Fleeting +repost(s)

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

Edit: thanks for the comments, suggestions! @harley, good call on your edits. I look back on this and realize how oversaturated the bottom of the original is - at least relative to the top of the image. I had wondered about the bottom of the frame, so thanks for pointing out.

I’ve taken the suggestion and re-worked a couple of options. the first is a similar crop as Harley’s, but I’ve greatly reduced and tweaked the saturation and luminosity of the bottom section. I did leave the top uncropped as I liked the lighter band, swail, in framing the top.

The second repost I started from scratch. I took a second frame with a more favorable, less intrusive bottom and blended with the original.

Thank you for any additional comments, suggestions.

49D1791HCR_1500
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49D1791HCR2_1500
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49D1791HCRBL2_1500
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You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.

I’m reminded of what Bill wrote recently in one of his WC entries. I can totally relate as I’ve spent much of my time in Yosemite just being mesmerized by the flow of the Merced river - whether it’s during the turbulent spring run off, or the more gentle trickles during fall. I could sit and stare at the river, listening and watching - never once looking up at that monster monolith, El Capitan…

And when the light, reflections, flow and standing waves in the river all come together - it’s time to point the camera and start clicking.

As always, all comments, critiques and suggestions welcome. Thanks!

What technical feedback would you like if any?

any/all - processing, color/sat, etc.

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

This one have enough substance to keep you engaged?

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Single frame, cropped slightly.
Nikon D800E, 28-300mm @116mm f/16 1.3s

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I am enjoying this. Very understated and tranquil. I pulled out the crop tool and did what I think simplifies the image a little. I know it gives up some of the gold fore but I like it. YMMV, of course.

Go Sharks and go wall shark.

LonMerced
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1 Like
3

Lon,

This is very enjoyable. It could be moving water. It could be rolling hills covered in wildflowers in Spring time under some intentional camera blur. So many ways to see this image. I think the bright and saturated yellow at the bottom center of the image pulls my eyes away from exploring the entire image. @Harley_Goldman’s crop alleviate this to some extent but I think having a little strip of the more desaturated green at the bottom would really transition the image really nicely to the edge of the frame.

4

Lon, thank you for flagging this, something I certainly relate to. I like the gentle undulations and wonderful color combo. Either yours or @Harley_Goldman’s crop works for their own valid reasons. I’m currently busy on a bird rookery shoot in Louisiana, so see y’all when I’m back in a couple of days to participate.

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Nice work Lon. I also like Harley’s crop because it does address the yellow at the very bottom. However, I like the original format more. I would just slightly desaturate the bottom yellow and keep the original format (or keep as is). It does have a dreamy look to it. It’s basically colors gently flowing into one another. A relaxing modern abstract.

Unfortunately I just peeked at the Sharks game score, and it wasn’t pretty.

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Lon, I’m coming in late here, but I’ll say that I prefer the first repost to the second repost (and I do like the @Harley_Goldman crop of the bottom). To my taste the second repost is too under-saturated, in the first repost the higher saturation of the yellows creates more separation from the white water, adding more definition and texture to the “waves”. The first repost just has more vibrance and pop for me, yet the first repost also still has relatively subdued saturation relative to the “eye candy” shots we see elsewhere. i think creating a more balanced saturation by reducing it in the bottom of the original was a significant enhancement. Nice bit of seeing to extract this scene, the arrangement of the waves is very pleasing.

7

Of all the versions, I preferred the original cropped as I suggested. I like the saturation of the original, too. It works for me.

8

Lon, these water motion images are just so soothing and interesting. I will be the dissenting voice for preferring the middle image of the three. I guess my personal preference is often for understated but the third is a tad too understated. I also like your original crop, so go figure. I could see these images in a doctor’s or dentist’s waiting room, just to calm me down.

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I’m going to change my mind and say that your very first image, the original, is best. I think we took off on a tangent with the bottom yellow being an issue and everyone followed, including me. I don’t think it’s an issue at all.

But to be honest, if they weren’t lined up, if each was shown individually (in a dentist’s office as Kathy suggests) I would like all of them.

10

Great light, motion and a calming mood on this one.

I have no preference of the three but would do some test prints and print the one which prints best. I think this one would go well on a wall

11

Thanks again everyone for your comments and observations. The nice takeaway I have is that I think I have an original frame that can be sliced/diced and even processed a bit differently - and have the options of making the best image possible. I really like this one.

Thanks Ed. I’m one that will usually try and push the limits of believability while not going overboard. And so sometimes I even back off of saturation for fear of going too far. Good to know that at least for one, I didn’t. :wink:

I appreciate all the comments!

Lon