I spent a few days camping in the eastern Columbia River Gorge this past weekend; it is particularly lovely in late April/early May. Balsamroot is a fun plant to shoot a “bouquet with a background.”
Photography in the Columbia Hills is typically a constant battle with the wind, so I often find myself in a ravine hoping for a little protection.
I liked this image redder than the camera’s auto white balance chose. Too much?? As always, any and all feedback is appreciated.
Nikon D7100
Nikon 12.0-24.0 mm f/4.0 at 12 mm (18mm equiv.)
1/30 and 1/60 at f/16 and ISO 100
Blend of three images for DOF
Great wide angle shot here. I have the same lens, and I love the slight distortion at 12mm. That is evident here. If it windy at this location, then you did a great job getting everything in focus with an ISO of 100 and an aperture of f/16. Flowers are not cooperative in the slightest of breezes. The quality of light is super. Excellent work!
This is quite beautiful. Great color (including the spring greens.) And had you not posted 2 for comparison I would have liked either… but will agree the less red version looks great and the yellows really pop. I think even the sky looks better. Of course that could just be my imagination since I don’t know if you reduced the red globally or not. BTW, the sky/clouds are just right - enough interest to compliment the scene and not bluebird or plain gray…
For whatever reason, John, I think the one with less red has a just a touch less contrast but I agree the color is rendered more beautifully on that one. Very well composed!!
How can I ever give a comment on a beautiful image like this one. At first I thought you should clone out the rock at the right site in the middle.But ,no, let it in .It’s in balance with the great colors . The only thing I should do is to take off a small part of the sky.
It’s above all things a very happy making image ! Well done, John.
Interesting. I don’t like either more than the other. They just suggest different times of the day to me. Lovely composition. The colors and tones have come out perfectly. Love the darkness in the lrc.
Same here, especially your observation about time of day. Forced to pick, I’d go with the extra red because it suggests the time of day and lighting I generally prefer. Wonderful image…er…images!
I prefer the red tones as others have suggested… Makes it feel like more like my favored light. I do really like the less red yellows in the foreground though… Making me wonder, what a blend of the two would be like?
A fine perspective on the flowers in the landscape, John, and a delightful play of light and shade. I think your repost is indeed a touch the stronger image.
Great image, John. You presented this bouquet of flowers very well. I love how the dominant six flowers form a triangle with almost perfect symmetry pointing up to the top of the image. Your processing really highlights this very well. I like your edited version better, but they both work. My only suggestion would be to slightly burn down the rock on the middle right edge.
I definitely like your repost best John. Reducing the red gave it a little more pop. I noticed the rock on the right edge too and agree with Cameron’s suggestion to slightly burn it down.
I love this image John, the flowers are just so in-your-face, very dramatic. and your call on reducing red is definitely the way to go. The distribution of flowers that you have in this is just about perfect, I’d imagine that you spent a while finding the right composition. The one time I visited Columbia Gorge during spring wildflower season, I could never get the wind to stop blowing long enough for sharp flowers, never mind shooting at ISO 100 like you did here. You must have a lot more patience than me
Really beautiful light and image, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Ah yes. The Balsamroot bloom, fighting the gorge wind. This is classic Eastern Columbia Gorge rolling hills. Beautiful flow from foreground to background with the subtle clouds mirroring the hills. Well balanced image. I have nothing to criticize.
BTW, the sky/clouds are just right - enough interest to compliment the scene and not bluebird or plain gray…
