This was also a tale of two mornings. In fact these images were both taken less than 10 min after the respective times from my previous post; just a couple miles back around the loop. So often we focus just on the aspen or fall color, but of course most places have so much more to offer and I was attracted to the “zones” or layers not only of color, but simply how the vegetation is showcased pretty much based on the terrain and geology; the juniper, mesquite and scrubby chapparal on the dry slopes above, the willows and aspen hugging the life-giving source of Rush creek and then the every present sage and rabbit brush.
No matter where you live or shoot, it’s pretty much universally true that we love what we’re immersed in, photography or not.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
As always, any critique or suggestions on processing, color, WB, saturation, etc. My goal is always to make an image the best it can be, while keeping it believable
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
Composition, presentation preference between the two? I was primarily interested in the layering of the vegetation and terrain of the area.
This is a good study in composition and nice images to do it with. To my eye, the second is far stronger. I like the added layer of the sage. The background is the weakest layer and I would be inclined to crop it down quite a bit. And I might kick up the vibrance a good bit, too. Good post.
I like both, but prefer the second one with the sage and the lone tree. I agree with Harley about cropping some of the background (you could do this in both). I also think a boost in vibrance, or saturation in the yellows would be nice to see.
-P
The 2nd as well for me. It’s the pine tree. If the first image had the pine instead, I would probably like it more. As others have stated the farthest layer is a weakness. It’s distracting. If you crop it entirely and create a pano the image improves. Otherwise, you could drop the contrast in the layer. Yes, it’s a bit incongruous with the rest of it with all those dark trees. On the other hand, it does make it a less cliche composition. Maybe you were after something different.
For the first one I would try a pano-type crop (maybe 16:9?) I think this crop would help here in emphasizing the aspen trees. I would use the crop to reduce the amount of the background shown, maybe to just below the tree trunk in the upper right, I find that trunk a little distracting. In terms of colors I really like them and the saturation vibrancy is good, but that I think is a matter of personal preference.
I prefer the second one and think is good as it is, I might just play a little with the contrast. I really like the pine tree in this one and how it stands against the fall colors.
I prefer the second image Lon. I think the pine in the second acts as a good anchor. I also agree with Preston on boosting the vibrance / saturation of the yellows. I really like the layers of colors in both.
Thank you everyone for your comments. Clearly there is a preference and a consistent comment about the upper layer of the image. I see it now. The upper slope with the more contrasty terrain, juniper, etc. is at odds with the more gentle array of colors and textures of the other layers below. And with that, I just don’t seen any viable crop. Any crop that leaves any part of the upper layer, the aesthetic problem is still there. For my own taste, and I tried, cropping in to the tops of the aspens is not an option either. So I’ll just have to settle that there’s not much to do in terms of improvement.
I liked the idea and tried to capture the distinct zones or colors, but in the end it didn’t really translate.
I may post another similar from the same area where the upper slope is a bit more congruent.
Sorry, Lon, I’m coming in a bit late.
For what its worth, I too prefer the second image. The inclusion of the sage foreground creates some real nice layering. The first image has a beautiful center of aspen but personally I find the foreground too busy even if the back layer was cropped down. I would experiment with cropping the hillside on the second image so the width is similar to the sage foreground.
Lon, I’m late on this one for sure. Can’t seem to get any open time in my schedule these days…UGH!
I guess I’m totally odd photog out here. I like all the ideas after reading inputs for solid images. But for me I was thinking the first image as a bit of a pano. My crops are small. Very slight at the bottom for just a cleanup there. The top crop to just above the evergreen on the upper right or just below the brown tree trunk in that area. That really makes the scene work for me…
