I hiked with a friend up to Mueller hut in Mt Cook National Park here in NZ. It was pouring with rain all the way up, through the night and all the way back down but just in time for sunrise the rain stopped and we could actually see NZs highest peak for all of 30minutes basking in the most beautiful sunrise colours.
Specific Feedback Requested
I have submitted this image to a few competitions and it never got very far but I like it a lot and would like some feedback how the image could be improved?
Cornelia
What an absolutely gorgeous image you have shared. Somehow I think those images that are obtained with the type of suffering you went through with the constant rain make these captures even more special. I would have loved to be on the ridge to witness this view. Although I love this view it does perhaps have an overabundance of riches. The moraine lake in the foreground, the beautiful mountain peak off to the left, and finally the wonderful sunrise over the mountains. While all make a beautiful scene from a viewer standpoint I am unsure what to focus on from a photo standpoint if this makes sense. I think Sean Bagshaw said at one of his talks something to the effect that not all beautiful scenes make good photos. I tried some simple edits to see if that would improve the flow of the image. I felt horrible cropping out parts of your beautiful scene and in the end am not sure if I achieved what you are looking for but here is what I came up with.
Again a beautiful image you should be very proud of.
What an amazing view! I can only imagine what it must have felt like to capture this incredible scene.
As for the contest stuff, it’s so hard to say why this image didn’t go far in the judging. After being a part of a couple different judging panels, you just never know what you’re going to get. There are so many good images out there, and sometimes it gets REALLLY challenging to pick specific images for specific categories.
Overall I think you did a good job. The image feels a little on the bright side, and I think the image would benefit with a boost in mid tone contrast globally and some clean up. I will attach a sample image with that boost in mid tone contrast and will have the areas where you can do some clean up pointed out in red.
Wow, Cornelia! Looks like an amazing hike! Sorry you had rain, I know what that’s like, it can almost make you lose your trail! Glad you made it and that you were rewarded with such a gorgeous sunrise. I love your composition and feel like there can’t be too much in a scene. The grand landscape scenes like this make me feel like I am there. Great work!
