Floating Boulder & Lone Tree

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

LoneBoulderandTree_2024.jpg
LoneBoulderandTree_2024.jpg2400Ă—3000 2.02 MB

Critique Style Requested: In-depth

The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.

Self Critique

With any long water exposure, certainly when capturing on film, one hopes the length of exposure matches the vision in the mind for the water flow. I envisioned a boulder seemingly floating from the cloud like water in some surreal manner and am pleased with the results. Compositionally I struggled somewhat with an image that felt divided between two stories, water and boulder and cliff wall and tree, but believe the tones and elements of hard vs soft and light and dark connect the two.

Creative direction

The volume of sound in this space was wonderfully deafening as the water crashed off boulders in the Merced and against the cliff walls and that inspired a desire to create an image that might feel peaceful and serene. That was one goal of the image. Goal of the long exposure was to create a soft blanket of water that could almost feel cloud like with the boulder breaking through but then provide some sense of reality by incorporating the cliff wall. Also, portraying the dichotomy of the power of water that can separate a massive boulder from the wall and rest it in the water and a young tree able to sprout on a cliff wall.

Specific Feedback

Open to any and all feedback on the image.

Technical Details

Linhof Master Technika 2000
Schneider 210mm
TMX 100 4x5
#8 Yellow & Circular Polarizer
F45 1/3 @ 22"
Normal Development in Xtol 1:1

Description

Visited Yosemite in early May 2024 and water flow was extremely strong and wonderfully loud. Happy Isles area is one of my favorite areas in the valley but it can become crowded, especially along the John Muir Trail leading to Vernal Falls. This particular afternoon I decided to explore the Stock Trail to avoid traffic and also explore the elevated vantage points it provides in the section of the Merced River between Vernal Falls bridge and Happy Isles. Late afternoon so there was no longer any direct light in the area when I discovered this large distinct boulder with the granite wall behind and the singular tree growing from the wall. The contrast of hard (granite wall and boulder) and soft (water in long exposure) and tones of light and dark were what drew me to the image.

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1 Like
2

Very dramatic image, sir! The very long exposure sure did bring out the roiling nature of the water. Your processing looks spot-on. I think the comp is nicely balanced and there is a full range of tones. No nits from me.
-P

3

Vision Accomplished !!! I like what you did here in this image. Works great in B&W and your tone is really nice. Rocks can be tricky to photograph in my opinion but I think you nailed it. And the water is really good with contrast against the rocks. VERY COOL !!!

4

Hm…I honestly didn’t even notice the tree in the smaller view and so I wonder if it really is important to the scene as you’ve processed it. A scroll crop to eliminate it and do a 1:1 ratio presentation adds a lot of tension. But I also could see selectively lightening the tree so that it has more presence and a voice in the scene. I like the floating aspect of that rock and have done a few shots like this myself and it’s really a fun thing to do. Sounds like you had fun with this one.

5

Well done Chipper! You’ve certainly created a serene and peaceful scene - contrary to the power, “volume and sound” that you were actually experiencing.

Gotta say up front that after reading your description and seeing the tree in the frame, my sense of scale is not in tact. If that tree is of any size - ie. it doesn’t look like a little sapling… so my conclusion is that the rock/boulder in the “cloud” must be huge! Well, a pretty big sized boulder anyway. As a result, I’m confused on the scale of this. Which isn’t to say I don’t like this… I think this is an awesome, well crafted image and I love what you did with the water in creating that cloud-like effect.

Speaking of the water and long exposures. This was my thought thru all the years of shooting LF and I still think this today. But when folks would comment how much they disliked the “silky,” “ghostly” treatment of water… ie, use a faster shutter speed! My response is… large format, f/32, film at iso50…in a dark stream with no direct light… what kind of shutter speed do you think you’re gonna get? So in reality in most situations, you could never get a fast shutter speed with the large format lenses anyway… it wasn’t always a choice! Anyway, I digress.

I think you achieved your goals and this makes for an excellent b&w image and scene. The absence of scale for me doesn’t take away… if anything adds a bit of mystery to the scene.

Thanks for sharing! Well done