Impaled Turbulence

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

@Harley_Goldman and I were looking for possibilities from an elevated position to the raging Merced River. This part of the canyon gets steeper, so of course the water is moving pretty fast. I found this impaled tree to be quite interesting, if not fascinating. I can just picture this tree floating down the raging river, getting flipped over and stuck between the rocks - as if it was once growing there - or was it?

I initially passed on the photo op because the tree was vibrating pretty good from the forces of the water so I new I could never get it sharp. A bit later I kept returning to the scene and even though it was later in the afternoon, I had to wait for the sun to go behind some cloud cover before I could even think of shooting.

B&W was definitely on the mind when viewing the scene - given the textures in the water, the forms that would be created by the motion, the contrasts, etc., all made for good b&w potential. On the other hand, I just LOVE the greens in this river that reveal themselves. Color isn’t the dominate theme here, but I like both.

What say you? Do you have a preference? Any/all comments, critiques and suggestions welcome.

EDIT: Thank you @Bill_Chambers for the idea of sound! It just so happens I shot a phone video of the same stretch of river. The actual scene of my digital image I think was some 50 yards upstream, but basically the sound is the same. :wink: Nothing special about the video; but gives a pretty good snapshot of the torrent.

I’m wondering if playing and listening to the sound while looking at these images changes any perspective?

Listen here.

This may be a first on NPN. I don’t recall anyone every posting an accompanying video. PLEASE let me know if this is not appropriate and I’ll remove.

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

What technical feedback would you like if any?

Any/all. Does the movement in the tree detract? Color/processing as always

Edit: Is the WB in the color version to yellow?

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

Is this unique enough to at least tell a nature story?

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)

Nikon D800E, 28-300mm @170mm f/18, 1/4s iso 100. I’m sure I had a polarizer on, but can’t recall if I had my Variable ND filter on. I think I did in order to get the shutter speed slow enoug.

Full disclosure: This is a blend of 2 images; primarily to replace the tree from a frame where there was the least movement. I also blended in some texture/detail in a few small areas in the churning water.

2

Lon…this is a very dynamic scene! Just fantastic! The light and water texture is beautiful, and the tree adds so much to an already powerful scene. I definitely prefer the BW version over the color but both are wonderful. The WB may be a touch yellow for my taste since you asked, but that is a nit. I think this tells a great story of perseverance against all odds. And the tree movement is a non issue for me.
This also may be personal preference but I might try even more contrast in the BW image!
One of my favorite water images I have viewed in recent memory.

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3

Lon, for me the dominant theme here is raw power, so in truth either works for me. And I tend to agree the color works well. The color of the water suggests to me that it’s tannin stained owing to the seasonal torrent. Another thing the color does is add the extra “dimension” of color that may not be as prevalent strictly as a b&w, because in color the cleaner frothy whites give it a subtle little extra boost.

Obviously I don’t know annual levels of the Merced, but it’s my guess it’s a seasonal sweeper that became a snag, in a lucky happenstance sort of way.

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4

Hey Lon,

I find this to be an intriguing image. The juxtaposition of a tree with the rapids is not a common combination. This drew me into the frame.

I prefer the black and white. If this was my image and I was to process a colour rendition I’d got with a cooler white balance. I’ve rafted the Merced and the water is definitely chilly. For me blue tones reflect that experience.

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Well, my eyes are kinda shot at the moment so I can’t focus on any details, but I can tell I love the overall image and, of the two, I definitely prefer the B&W because it really jumps off the screen. I wish there was some way to post the sound as well as the image because I bet it was WILD! The comp is really nice on this too. I’ll have to check it later for details. Well done, Pal.

6

Thanks everyone for the comments so far!

And thanks @Bill_Chambers for the idea of sound! I posted an edit in my original post. I’ll be real curious if this has an impact on one’s perception of the image - or not.

Thanks! The link is above, but will repost here.

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Love the sound. It definitely adds a different perspective. Hearing the roar of the river takes the viewer there. I could almost feel the spray. Great addition.

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Lon,
Both work very nicely for me, but I am leaning towards the B&W for the reasons you mentioned when you originally spotted the scene. This presents the raw power of the swollen Merced River beautifully while showcasing some graceful lines with the wave just below the tree. This has a wonderful range of tones along with some lovely details in the turbulent water. Great capture here.

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Lon, another vote for B&W, I agree with @Bill_Leggett point that it does a more effective job of communicating the raw power of the water. And adding the sound from the video greatly enhances my viewing experience of this image, excellent idea @Bill_Chambers !!! I watched the video before studying the image in detail, and I just could not get the sound of the rushing water out of my head as I viewed the still image, and that is a good thing.

A couple of other small things. I’m actually okay with the vibrating tree, to me it only enhances the feeling of raw power. And I love that rock in the URC, to me it plays a crucial role in balancing the composition, it helps a lot.

10

This plus the sound takes me right there! Thank you! I love the black and white, and the vibrating branches seem just perfect. It is truly amazing that these little trees can survive against all that massive power pushing on them. Perfect shutter speed for my taste.

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Lon, the b&w version is very striking and tells the story of high water well with all of the shapes and textures in the water. The mix of sharp trunk and moving branches adds a bit more to the story. The roar of the river comes to mind in viewing the still, which to me is the definition of a great shot…a single view capturing the sight and feeling of the moment. The color version has it’s own fine character, but isn’t quite as dramatic.

12

No contest. The black & white tells the story of the power and grace of the flow of the river without the distraction of color. Excellent image and video.

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The b&w for its greater tonal range works better for me. I think that if the color was cooled it might improve it. The one thing nobody has questioned is the composition. The very stright vertical with the circle below don’t seem natural together. But I may be the only one to feel this way. And I waver about that idea. I also waver about the b&w. The color has a lot going for it. I would suggest a crop off the top placing that rock wayyy into the corner.

14

I was surprised no one commented on the vertical comp. Perhaps for different reasons and observations than yours Igor, in simple compositional basics the “flow” of a river - whether violent or gentle, is typically portrayed in a horizontal format - to make sure that flow is captured. Slicing this in to a vertical creates two halves, I think. The thing tying those together is the vertical trunk. I think that’s why I went vertical. Plus the left/right elements were not set up for a horizontal.

I think your observation is a keen one.

Lon

Thanks all for your comments on this one!

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Love the black and white. Love the shutter speed. Love the simplicity. I hate that it’s not mine. Well done!

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I was thinking about the vertical composition question and that was my first reaction: something unsettling about the circle at the bottom and the turbulence at the top. In the color version, the vertical works well for me, but in the black and white version, a slight crop from top and bottom makes it feel more coherent. Of course, with moving water, coherence is not always the objective. Nonetheless, I am attaching a quickie crop from Windows Photo Viewer for comparison. Not saying it’s better, just different, and maybe not at all what you want; nonetheless, I always appreciate it when someone takes a stab at one of mine, so here you go.

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Thank you very much Marylynne. I like the crop. I think I’ll play with that for my final. The vertical comp is a difficult one with horizontally moving water. Even a small crop helps with that. thanks!