Foggy Sunrise

Sunrise in Death Valley provided some interesting fog and clouds across the valley. I like the kind of high key, understated colors and look and the mood of the partially obscured peaks.

D810, 70-200mm

You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.

Harley, this is a beauty! I also love this high key look and the muted colors. The fact that the details are obscured creates a clean simple look. The processing also looks spot on. I can see this one hanging large. No nits from me.

Harley…This is some delicious light! The soft light and fog are for me extremely pleasing. I hope you don’t mind my downloading this image for a crop, but to my eye, the best part of the image is somewhere in the middle. The heaviness of the daker sky at ~40% of the top of the image creates more heaviness or weight that to my eye competes strongly with the beauty and softness of the best part of the scene. Again, I’m no professional, but just my 2 cents. Great scene overall and you’re lucky to have been there to capture it!

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Harley,

The simple layers are very effective here - more crudely I like the sandwich effect… darker top and bottom with the light in the middle. :slight_smile:

For this one, I’d really like to have been there. I am imagining that the light is much more prominent and dramatic than presented here. I see what is presented as more muted than high key, but I get your distinction. Personally I’d like to see the light emphasized more. But then like I said, I don’t have the reference of being there. Perhaps there was more atmosphere between you and the scene creating the muted effect.

Regardless, still a simple and effectively beautiful scene. I like the pano presentation with perhaps a skosh knocked off the top to better balance the sandwich… lol.

Lon

ps. I’m sure not one of my more coherent critiques… :roll_eyes:

Harley, This looks like it would make a beautiful very large print. I could see it as office decoration or just hanging over a couch in home or business. I love the soft light and color and the wonderfully calming feel. Beautiful.

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Harley, I really lean towards the original version here. Kind of gives that looking from a turret feel. The pano perspective works well IMO…:sunglasses:
I might add a tad of contrast, but not necessary. Just a thought for a slightly different look…:thinking:

Beautiful mix of cool and warm pastels. I prefer the original crop as I think it does a better job in framing the pink highlights. I downloaded and played with it a bit (yeah, believe it or not) and I think a bit more contrast, without losing the soft look, works well.

Harley, this has a wonderful soft, delicate feeling to it. I vote for the original crop as well, having that peak on the left helps to balance the composition. I agree with the comments from some of the others about adding a slight amount of contrast here, but I would do so only in the highlights and not the shadows.

It is a splendid image. I like the pastel colors, the sunlight on the peaks, the clouds and fog… Really beautiful. A big print, as said by others, is definitely appropriate. I also like the original pano version better, even though I do see the rationale for the suggested crop…

I have a slight preference for Jim’s croped version, but you can not go wrong with either one, Harley. The warm lighting in the clouds and that hitting the peaks is sublime; it really sets the mood for this lovely scene. Looks like the perfect way to start the day.

That’s outstanding; I love the soft textures. I do prefer Jim’s crop.