Friday, March 23, 2018; After a short 3 hours of sleep, I made the journey from Maryland to Monument Valley.
I managed to sleep about 30 minutes on the flight from Dulles Va. to Las Vegas.
After picking up my rental car, I made the drive to Monument Valley, stopping only for food (to go), gas and bathroom.
By the time I reached the Visitor Center, it was almost 10 PM.
I spent the evening shooting my first Milkway Pano (not yet released) and managed a 2 hour nap in the car.
Morning arrived much faster than I expected and I found myself scrambling to try to find a comp.
I tried 3 separate views and found one I really liked. This isn’t it, but it is the one with the best focus through the scene. If I had been more rested and a little less excited, I might have thought to shoot for a focus stack. It would have made a big difference in the better comp.
But, this was a scouting, exploring, experimenting trip for me, so I’m happy enough with the results.
I would, however, like your feedback on this image.
In your feedback, please don’t be shy. Criticism is a GREAT way to learn and I am not easily offended.
What technical feedback would you like if any? Anything you care to offer.
What artistic feedback would you like if any? Same as above.
Any pertinent technical details:
This is a two exposure blend to capture the dynamic range of the scene.
35mm (Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8 L III on a 5D3)
Sky: 1/80s, f/4.0, iso 100
Foreground: 1/13s
Tom
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
For me the composition with the large rocks in the lower right doesn’t work. If the subject is the mittens, then they are a distraction. The light is lovely. The only nit is that all the “pop” in the sky is on the right side. I’d try several different approaches to balance that. Maybe more contrast on the left? Maybe lighten the left? Etc, etc.
Tom, this is a nice early morning image of a very iconic area. I have not been to Monument Valley and I appreciate and enjoyed your write up of your first experience traveling and getting there. I agree with Tony that the that foreground rock out crop and the related drainage canyon distract a bit from the two monuments. The Mittens are such a strong subject matter they need very little support. But this is only a personal and a subjective view of the photo. Others will no doubt see it differently. I do like the image quite a bit, the color tones in the clouds work very nicely with the adobe landscape.
I like the cropped version Tom, if for not other reason this vast scene just translates well in a pano. I think your processing is spot on as is. However, if you wanted to emphasize the light direction more, you could slightly darken the left side of the sky.
The pano crop works so much better IMO as it does focus more attention on The Mittens, Tom. The colors and processing in the sky and the surrounding desert landscape look very natural to me. If you came away with some ideas I would say the trip was a success.
Fine take on this icon, Tom. Agree that the pano crop makes it better. The FG grass was a problem, and you placed more emphasis on the mittens, which also avoids a 50-50 split but includes the delightful sky. Something worthy of a big print.
@Bill_Leggett That grass is what I thought everyone would find to be the bigger distraction. I noticed the split difference as well. It changes the feel of the scene. Big print eh? Thanks!
