North Platte Storm Light

[Denise_Dethlefsen]

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

We were in southern Wyoming, trying to find a BLM campground through scattered rain showers. After what seemed like 20 miles (but was probably a bit less), we finally came to a bridge crossing the North Platte and this break in the clouds that hit the riverbanks with bright sunlight for just a minute. We never actually found the campground, but ended up turning around (it was raining again here when we came back), located a campground at a nearby reservoir, and I wound up with some beautiful sunrise reflection photos to post in the future.

Specific Feedback

I feel like there is more I can do with this photo but I’m not sure where to go with it. Probably should crop some of the heavy dark clouds out, which would also remove the horizon from the center. And I suspect a panoramic crop would be more successful than a 3:2 crop, which would remove too much riverbank. I’ve also played with some b/w conversion but haven’t quite found the right combination. All suggestions and thoughts are welcome - including ‘nice try, but not quite successful.’

Technical Details

Canon 7D Mark II, 32 mm, 1/320, f 10, ISO 200

[Mark_Seaver]

Denise, once the N. Platte turns East at Caspar it becomes a “Prairie River”. Such wide open scenery is something that NPN doesn’t show very often. Having spent many hours playing in the N. Platte a bit further downstream, this view looks great to me. I think you’ve framed the scene well with the tree on the left and the heavy clouds across the top. I have two ideas; 1) burn in the bright green area on the right a bit to get a closer match with the luscious greens on the left and 2) dodge the distant hills slighttly to let be a bit more of an eye pull into the distance.

[Michael_Lowe]

These are my thoughts on the image. Hope you don’t mind. I feel the tree on the left is kinda intrusive and the dark clouds at the top are a little too dominant. Also the two bright spots in the FG water are little eye catchers. JMHO, but I’m often wrong.