100-500 @ 167 mm
100-500 @ 159, 12 minutes later
100-500 @ 167, 14 minutes later
Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Here’s a series of “close-ups” of Lower Falls with it’s rainbow from my “shoot” last week. I wanted to emphasize the rainbow while still showing the power of the falls. While I could make the rainbow almost disappear by rotating the polarizer, setting it to give maximum color in the rainbow was only slightly more intense that without the polarizer.
Specific Feedback
Each of these is different enough that I like all three, although (at least right now…) I slightly prefer #2. As before, I’m curious about which one your prefer and why.
Technical Details
R5, 100 - 500, 1/800 s, f/14, iso 800 tripod and polarizer.
I like two as well Mark. The water texture seems to fit the rest of the scene well, and the way the rainbow is aligned with the slope looks better to me than the image where it is on the right. It’s a great intimate on such a grand waterfall.
Hi Mark,
I’ll see if I can stir up some controversy on this one: I’m liking #3 by a fair margin. Here’s why: #1 feels a bit too cut off at the top. #2 feels awkwardly cropped long the trees on the foreground ridge. Now, if you had more you could include from the bottom of number 2, I might go that direction, as I do like the water texture there.
There is so much to love about all of these, and for me, it comes down to which crop has the best balance to make all of the elements (falls, rainbow, trees) work together. Today at least, that’s #3. But you know, I’d be proud to have captured any one of these.
ML
Mark,
Excellent! I think you’ve succeeded nicely in your goal of really capturing the rainbow and still showcasing the power of the falls.
There is something beautiful and to like about all 3. I’m still deciding, but let’s walk through them.
#1 - I actually had a first impression that this was a composite - or something along the lines that the rainbow was not to the same scale as the scale of the landscape; almost like the rainbow didn’t belong. Of course that’s not true, but maybe an optical illusion (for me.) In the end, this doesn’t win the favorite status. And the main reason is not the above, but also the large area of featureless spray between the rainbow and ridgeline; it occupies a fair amount of space, taking away from the overall impact.
#2. I can see why this might be a favority. Both the falls and the rainbow are combined beautifully. The waterfall especially, you’ve caught some great action and texture really emphasing the power. The one small thing that takes away for me is the small pool of whitewater in the LLC. If you could mitigate that, this would be my favorite also
#3 The LLC corner in this one works the best out of all three. I do like how the rainbow extends withing the full frame. Alas, the waterfall is just a notch below #2.
Hmmmm, just thinking about this. If you’re not opposed, how about treating these like exposure or focus blends. I just combined #2 and #3, basically blending the falls of #2 with the remainder of the scene and rainbow of #3. I expect this may be beyond what most people would be comfortable with so I won’t post. Just a thought.
