The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Mount Humphreys (13,992’) is one the major peaks in the Sierra that looms above Bishop Creek. I was fortunate to catch this early morning shot just as the sun was spotlighting the peaks from my campsite. There was a cloud buildup to the east that morning that caused the shadows on the peaks.
Specific Feedback
Just curious if the processing works for you. This image took several adjustment layers with masks to get what I wanted.
Technical Details
Mamiya 645E
6x4.5 cm Fuji Astia film
Exposure and lens used not recorded
The image is from 2005 recently located in my archive and reprocessed.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
The composition captures the essence of the High Sierra, and is evocative for me since in younger years I hiked over Humphrey Pass many times to get to the trails along the crest. Great capture. For me the early morning light is a bit dull, so I tried converting it to black and white and I think this works better. Thanks for the posting one of one of my favorite spots in the Sierra. It’s a great compostion.
It looks great. I remember Astia colors and contrast. I like the different layers in the composition, and the different textures as well. If the moon was not in the composition, then the composition would have been very left heavy but the moon balances it well. I might try to pull a little bit more green out of the highlights as I can see it in fringes of the clouds.
@Tony_Siciliano’s B&W suggestions is not a bad one. but I might want to tone down the highlights on the mountains a bit and possibly darken the sky to build more contrast for the moon to pop.
Very cool image, Preston. The comp is terrific and yes, the moon balances things out quite nicely. I can’t comment on any color cast (I’m red/green color blind), but the overall tone of Astia comes through nicely and I really like the look.
@Tony_Siciliano : I was planning to hike over Paiute Pass to Humphreys Basin one summer from North Lake, but the snow was really deep and very icy (I’d left my piolet and crampons at home) so I just hung out below the pass for a couple of days. Gorgeous country!
I like the B&W treatment, and I get what you mean about the light. I struggled with the hill in the foreground on thel eft and am not totally happy with it.
@Youssef_Ismail: Thanks, Youssef. I pulled a lot of cyan out of the sky. I am slightly colorblind to certain cyan/green hues, so I can’t see the fringes you are referring to. I did dodge and burn the moon a bit to make it pop more, but I should have gone a little further.
@David_Bostock: Thanks, David. I appreciate your comment.
-P
Preston, I like the subtlety of the tones and how they cool from the bottom to the top. The details in the moon are excellent. It’s a very rugged scene. There might be a darker halo above the main ridge towards the right. It might also be the way the clouds were…I struggle with this issue regularly… The only way to tell is to compare the processed view with the raw file. While the b&w looks good and emphasizes the ruggedness, I prefer the extra interest that the color view adds.
Nice looking photo Preston. I especially like the layers in the landscape, as the foreground of rocks are followed by that middle ground of trees and then the background of mountains.
Great shot, Preston. The moon is an added touch that puts it over the top. This is just a personal preference, but I feel as a morning shot, I feel it needs a little more brightness. Also I think web compression is taking it’s toll. There’s some posterization in the blue sky. It’s barely noticeable at 100% but at 200 it’s quite noticeable. It really comes through in @Tony_Siciliano 's B&W.
I like the b&w conversion of this image primarily due to the color of the sky (which is too cyannish) , but also because it makes the moon stand out more.
There is so much interest and variability in those peaks! For me, the clouds explain the soft light, making the subdued colors work well. And the moon is a gorgeous treat! You could tweak colors (as with any image) but I would be happy with what you have here. There is an appeal to the light and colors that I’m not sure I can explain.
Hi Preston,
What a view from your campsite no less. The layering in this scene; starting off with the rocks, then the treeline, followed by the mountain peaks and capped off with the clouds; works beautifully and creates some wonderful depth. The moon is certainly a nice bonus and placed perfectly between those wispy clouds. I also think @Tony_Siciliano’s B&W conversion is also fantastic. I could see the cyan reduced just a touch, but that is more a personal preference rather than a nit. Beautifully done, looks like a classic image from the Sierra country.
Thanks @Ed_Lowe. As I mentioned above to Youssef, I am color blind to certain hues of green and cyan. Others can see it, but I cannot, and I struggle with skies and adjusting color balance sometimes because of it.
