High Hopes

[John_Williams]

Edit: I added a version with the lupine opened up a bit as suggested. I didn’t want to take it too far, but hopefully this looks a little better.

Original post: Last September I posted this image, and described how I had dumped my original composition because the clouds had turned the mountain into a sheet of white. This is an image from that original composition before I abandoned my post.

While I was kicking back waiting for sunset color, I was experimenting with the focus bracketing feature on my new FujiFilm. The foreground is composed of four of these images, taken at 7:30 pm. The background is composed of two images, the first taken at 7:57 pm and the second at 8:01 pm. (At about 8:02 pm the mountain had disappeared, and as I left I could only see about 10’ in front of the lupine!)

Looking back at these, I decided to see if I could put together a time blended image and come up with anything interesting. Since I was going to end up with a frankenphoto anyway I decided to mess with it more by warming it a tad, using Lens Correction to correct the perspective a bit, puppet warp to straighten the trees, and Transform to crunch it into a 3:4 format to keep Adhika happy. (@Adhika_Lie , this is a joke, of course. But I must confess, your comment in another thread about preferring 3:4 over 2:3 has me thinking a lot about this. I wonder if maybe I do too?? At some point I may process the more original 2:3 version.) Since I’ve taken great liberties, I’ll post the three jpgs the camera created (only one for the foreground, since the other three are exactly the same with minor focus differences) below so you can compare. (To be clear though, I used the raw images that match the jpgs to create this composite.)

Since this is an image I originally had marked for the Recycling, I’d love your thoughts on how it all comes together. Too warm? Does the blend of the two levels of fog in the background work? Too much Lens Correction/Transforming? I realize the methods used to create this aren’t for everyone, so feel free to speak to that as well. (The one thing I will point out is that when you are there in person, the mountain is MUCH more dominant in the scene. It’s amazing how a wide-angle shrinks it.)

FUJIFILM X-T30

FUJIFILM XF 10-24mm F4 at 10 mm (15 mm equivalent)

1/8, 1/15, and 1/30 sec. at f/13 and ISO 160

Blend of four images for foreground DOF, and two more for clouds and dynamic range in the background.

[John_Williams]

[Ed_McGuirk]

@John_Williams

(The one thing I will point out is that when you are there in person, the mountain is MUCH more dominant in the scene. It’s amazing how a wide-angle shrinks it.)

John, one thing to consider for future frankenphoto exercises is that you could also create a blend of focal lengths, at 15mm for the same perspective on the flowers, and another at a longer focal like 24 or 30mm to make the mountain appear larger and more impressive. You have a mid-ground here that may have allowed that approach to work. And it would be more about achieving a good blend than making major warps and transforms.

I think what you ended up with here worked pretty well given how much effort you had to put into taking the shot and processing it. I do not think it is too warm, if anything to my taste it is slightly too cool, especially in the highlights. I also think the luminosity of the lupines is too dark in the finished version. I wouldn’t want to see it as bright as the first bracket you posted, but I think something halfway between would work. I’d like seeing the lupines a little brighter, especially the whites in the lupines.

i have always been a 3:2 man for verticals in all situations, but the consensus here at NPN seems to lean more to 3:4, or 5:7 and I’m slowly coming around to see the merit of it in some cases. I think your aspect ratio works well here.

But overall I like this image, and to me you have rescued it from the recycle bin with some hard work.

[Alan_Kreyger]

John,
I do like the results of your recycling project. I won’t comment on the methods because I simply do not employ them, mostly because of the time and effort. I do generally prefer the 3:4 format and it works well for me in this case. I also would prefer more brightness in the lupines and it looks like it is available in your first exposure. I really like your handling of the colors and the mid and back ground portions of the scene!
Thanks for sharing your considerable efforts!

[Mark_Seaver]

John, fascinating that you left your camera set up for so long in the same place. The resulting composite looks great and tells quite a story. The details in the foreground Lupine, then having the clouds/fog moving in over the peaks along with the clouds and blue in the sky adds a fine sense of “the weather closing in”.

[Igor_Doncov]

I’m a 3:2 vertical guy for almost all compositions except those that have long vertical subjects, which this does not. However I wouldn’t crop anything here because all of the sky is needed and the gaps in the plant at the bottom are essential. I would lift the blacks in those gaps because the balance now is bottom heavy.

I wouldn’t put that much time into post processing because I think the processing should be done by the photographer before pressing the shutter release button.

[Ron_Jansen]

Lovely results with an interesting description. I have used time-stacking too sometimes to show what I experienced and saw at the location. Especially when the fg is static anyway, and the bg changes then I you would work on the exposures separately anyway.
Avoiding crunching of an impressive peak by using an extreme wide angle is also something I always try to avoid. The focus stack in the fg looks nice and sharp, the misty mountains in the background create a beautiful mood. I agree with the comments on the darks in the fg, maybe keep the nice softness going a bit there too.
Beautiful image!

[Harley_Goldman]

This turned out really well, well worth the effort on the processing. I agree about bringing the lupine up a touch, but otherwise, things look good to my eye.

[John_Williams]

Thanks for the thoughts @Ed_McGuirk, @Alan_Kreyger, @Mark_Seaver, @Igor_Doncov, @Ron_Jansen , and @Harley_Goldman.

Great suggestion on opening the foreground; I’ve added an edited version.

[Dave_Dillemuth]

This is beautiful, John. I think the repost is a definite improvement. Processing looks really good (and your technique is outside of my PP skillset). I might be tempted to do some dodging of the fog hugging the ground in the background.

[Harley_Goldman]

The repost looks really good!

[Preston_Birdwell]

@Harley_Goldman

This turned out really well, well worth the effort on the processing. I agree about bringing the lupine up a touch, but otherwise, things look good to my eye.

I think you did a fine job here. The repost with the slightly brighter lupine is the ticket. You went well beyond anything I would attempt in post processing. This came out nicely.
-P

[Michael_Lowe]

The repost works great for me. I really like the warp job on the mountains to minimize the wide angle effect. Too much work for me . Seriously though, I might try that in the future or try different focal lengths. I don’t know which would be easier. Well done.

[Ed_McGuirk]

John, I think the rework looks much better, the lupines have more vitality.

[masdamb (Massimo D'Ambrosio)]

@John_Williams it’s a wonderful shot. I love the light and the composition. The foreground is great and I like how you have processed the image. I would add some vignette, I don’t know if it can work well but you should try. Thanks for sharing.

[Ed_Lowe]

John,
I for one am glad you did not get rid of this image as it is flat out gorgeous and well worth all of the effort you put into it. The repost with the small tweak of opening up the FG is the winner for me as it looks more natural. I am thoroughly enjoying the air of mystery the swirling fog adds to the scene. Beautifully done.

[Eva_McDermott]

Your repost is spot on John. Glad you saved this from the recycle bin!

[Adhika_Lie]

John, I was out skiing in the past few days and just saw this today. Wow, what a scene. I love the repost with the lupine opened up a bit. The fog adds so much drama to the scene. I think the 3:4 ratio works well here, Mt Rainier (?) has a prominent location in the image and the foreground leads to it. For my images, I usually start with the 5:7 ratio and then try the 3:4 just to compare. I usually end up with either one. Thanks for sharing this; my friend and I are trying our luck with the Enchantments this Summer. If that fails, Rainier might be the alternative. This image is an inspiration to strive for.

[John_Williams]

Some backpacking buddies and I are also putting in for the Enchantments. They’re not photographers, so we likely won’t be there when the larch are yellow, but should be enjoyable regardless. Depending on when you are in this neck of the woods, Rainier can be a great backup!