Original
Using Kerry’s suggestion
This is an image from my recent Death Valley trip. This is the days last light on some colorful, weathered ridges. I had mostly clear skies for the 3 days that I was there so I zoomed into most scenes and made more intimate images. I hope you like this one.
Specific Feedback Requested
Nothing Specific. Anything you can add to make this image better is always worth hearing about.
Technical Details
Z7ii, 70-200mm lens with 2x teleconverter, 140mm, ISO 500, 6 seconds @ f/14, cable release
4 Likes
I like it very much, David. I think you succeeded in everything you aiming for. The lighting is gorgeous and the subtle colours and textures give this the impression of the skin of some great resting beast. The composition feels very balanced. I love the way my eye follows the ridge line from the lower right, curving up through the centre and out through the upper right - the grand tour. Minor suggestion: I might consider bringing up a bit of mid-tone contrast in the dark areas of the foreground as it feels a bit flat. Beautifully seen and executed.
You did have some gorgeous light. Yes, cloudless days in the desert leave with nothing until last light. I agree with Kerry’s assessment about the large shadow in the fg. This looks as though it was shot in the Artist Pallette area. Good thing you had a long lens.
@Kerry_Gordon @Igor_Doncov
Thanks you for you comments and thoughts. Yep, clear skies call for long lenses and zooming in near dusk and dawn unless you happen to be hiking in any of the numerous canyons where you can have decent light and reflected light for the better part of the day but it was hot when I was there so that eliminated most of the all day hikes that can be done in Fall and Winter. I had my 70-200mm lens with the 2x teleconverter on for most of my trip. This may have actually been after the sun set as the exposure was 6 seconds at ISO 500 so the scene was much darker than this actually shows.
Kerry, I took your suggestion and dodged the darker foreground areas but I also brightened the entire image because on NPN this image is a least a full 1/2 stop darker than on my computer. Let me know if this took care of the issue or if it needs further tweaking. I’m actually trying to remember where this image was shot and I think it was my first evening when I went to Zabriskie and hiked way out to the tip near Mathers point. There is a trail that has one or two very steep sections but if you can get through those it’s not a bad hike. It’s off the the very right hand side of the parking lot area and you climb the butte over there and head all the way out to the point. It gives significantly different perspectives than just shooting from the vista point. Anyway, I think this shot was from there.
This is a lovely take on the Zabriskie Point area. I like the darker version - the colors are richer.
Your rework isn’t quite what I had in mind. Personally, I’m with Bonnie - I like the richness of the darker version and wouldn’t brighten overall. I would just like to see a bit more contrast in the foreground -I suggested mid-tone contrast but maybe try darks contrast (and not too much). Really, it’s a very fine image as is.
David,
Awesome job with the long focal length in isolating this wonderful comp. Only been to DV once, but that’s all it takes to learn quickly the limitations - and conversely the advantages of utilizing the longer lens for landscapes such as this.
I prefer your original for the richer color as has been mentioned. Of course most all images can be improved by tweaks here and there, but I’m really enjoying this one as presented.
Lon
The composition pulls me nicely through the frame and the brightness balance between shadow and highlight areas is handled well. Cropping feels a bit tight, but I realize circumstance likely dictated this.
1 Like
