Hanging Lake

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
1

Hanging Lake NP.jpg
Hanging Lake NP.jpg2000×1156 1.85 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

Overall I was very pleased with how this photo turned out. Being a focus bracketed image some of the details in the center foreground subjects aren’t as sharp as I would have liked.

Creative direction

As a wall mural photographer every time I shoot a set of photos to make a mural my goal is to capture the grandeur of the location as accurately as possible. I always target shooting enough images to assure that the finished mural is at least 1 Gigapixels or larger. This one finish out at 5.9 Giga-pixels.

Specific Feedback

Considering the technical complexity of this kind of image, it is always most important to capture an image that is aesthetically appealing and provides the emotional feeling of being there. My goal is to give the viewer the impression that they are actually standing next to me as I photographed the scene.

Technical Details

This is a focus stacked image shot with Canon R5, Canon 300mm lens at f/13, 1/320th sec. exposure, ISO 400. It is made up of 2928 images with the majority of the images being Focus Bracketed images processed to yield 308 individual Focus Stacked images using Helicon Focus. Stitching was done using PTGui as 11 rows x 27 columns 30% overlap in portrait orientation. Final processing was done using Photoshop.

The finished original image is: 5.9 Giga-pixels, 58,409 x 101,066 pixels, 194" x 336" 300 PPI (16 ft. X 28 ft.) un- cropped image size

Description

Hanging Lake had long been on my list of “must photograph” locations for a wall mural photo. I had tried several times to schedule a trip to this location near Glenwood Springs, CO. This year we intentionally booked a campground nearby so that I could add this location to my portfolio. The 1.25 mile and 1000 ft elevation gain hike with my 35lb camera bag on my back was about all these 72 year old legs could handle. But I did make it and boy was the effort ever worth it. One of the most popular iconic hikes in Colorado, Hanging Lake narrowly escaped the Grizzly Creek wide fire in August of 2020.

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2

Well I’m glad it escaped the fire. You do make me feel as if I’m there with the scale of the image in that it doesn’t look pushed far back - a product of that 300mm I’m sure. So that works well as does the overall presentation of detail and features. The sky gives me the pip though, as the Brits used to say. Not enough or too much and it feels off somehow in color and contrast to the trees. Could be that the direct sun has created too much contrast and not enough of it is represented here. The shadows feel a bit light compared to what my eyes would see. That cliff wall is a bugbear and the waterfalls are a bit lost, unfortunately, but I’m not sure that cropping to just include those would fit with your goals of a grand landscape. Maybe including more sky and adding in a bit of contrast could help with this. A tremendous scene and effort to bring it to us, so don’t think I’m unappreciative.

3

John, haven’t been to Hanging Lake since the 90’s… This does a fine job of capturing it’s grandeur. For me the sky looks perfect…that dark blue of high altitude, clear skies. If you have it, maybe a bit more of the trees above the big ridge might look good. My other thought is get a bit more contrast in the right hand/brighter side of the rock wall. The greens/yellows are lovely.

4

Great capture of Hanging Lake, John. I was also there sometime around 2000+/-. Certainly remember the stairs going up to the lake! We went very early in the morning - to avoid the crowds - so it was quite dark. Also, as I remember it was a bad year for snow melt, so the falls were not as beautifully flowing as the ones you’ve captured here.
The blue sky is as gorgeous as I remember the Colorado skies being. I do agree with both @Kris_Smith and @Mark_Seaver about a more contrast - maybe some dodging - would help to set the falls at center stage.
Great hike and a wonderful representation of the area.