Morning Light at Waterton

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

WatertonSunrise.jpg
WatertonSunrise.jpg2000×1281 1.04 MB

MiddleWatertonLake3.jpg
MiddleWatertonLake3.jpg2000×980 990 KB

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Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

These were both taken just a few minutes apart from the road North out of Waterton, Alberta, Canada. I think I like the darker one better for being a bit more dramatic.

Specific Feedback

Not sure about the red LRC in the first image. I cropped quite a bit of the reddish brown grass in the foreground out on both of these leaving more of a pano cut to them.

Technical Details

  1. Canon 5DMiii, f11, 1/100 sec, iso 100, -1.7EV, 24-105 lens at 35 mm.
  2. 5DMiii, f7.1, 1/125 sec, iso 100, 24 mm.

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2

Ed,

#1 for mood and #2 for the crop. I think those foreground bushes detract from the image as they hide the lake and intrude into the far shoreline.

3

Ed, the light on the mid-ground mountains lets them stand out in the first view. Having light everywhere in #2 reduces the drama but shows off the shrubs and grass around the lake. As posted the foreground seems to be hiding (and competing with) the peaks for attention. #2 is noticeably brighter overall, which hides some of the texture in the mountains. If there were a way to get a similar view from higher ground, you could show off both the lake and the mountains in the same shot.

4

Thank you @Mark_Orchard and @Mark_Seaver. Unfortunately, there was no higher ground in the direct vicinity to get a better angle at the time, and there were bushes pretty much surrounding the lakeside.

5

This seems to be a case of, “we do the best we can with what we have to work with.” Love the drama of #1, but I felt like it darkened the trees under the mountain too much. I also prefer the hint of red in the LR corner (#2) over the greater amount seen on #1. But there’s probably not many chances of getting a happy medium between the two images. I also suspect that, like many mountain lakes, if you’d walked closer to the bank, you’d have ended up in bog!

6

I hear you. Thank you @Denise_Dethlefsen.