October, Laurel Creek

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
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October, Laurel Creek.jpg
October, Laurel Creek.jpg1797×1800 1.27 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

For several years, I saw this band of Aspen lighting up the huge glacial moraine emerging from Laurel Creek Canyon, near Mammoth Lakes. I finally made an effort to shoot it one morning and found myself struggling for a lot of reasons.

Specific Feedback

I love this subject but can’t help thinking this treatment has too much bland and not enough bang. On the other hand, that’s what attracted me to the subject and setting in the first place! It may be a subject that requires a return shoot or two from different angles.

Technical Details

Nikon Z6II, F16, 1/250th, ISO400, tripod. I bumped up the contrast and tweaked the Yellows in the Aspen to make them pop a bit. Maybe too much light on the foreground boulder?

Critique Template

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2

James: The FG boulder dominates the scene for me and the light on it makes it even more so. If the aspens are the star of the show I would crop this frame real aggressively to almost pano. I like how the aspens march up the valley and think I would get closer and tighter. Of course a more interesting sky would be a nice bonus but I think you have just the right amount on your comp. Looks like a wonderful place certainly worthy of a return. >=))>

James
James1797×768 1.56 MB

3

Thanks Bill. Don’t want that foreground to steal the show. I have done your suggested pano crops on some other treatments and they look pretty cool, but as you noted, a re-shoot is probably the best way to get more drama into this scene. There’s good light on these Aspen at other times of day as well, so maybe I can avoid the morning sky.
I will have to tramp around on that moraine for quite a while, no doubt, probably at least twice, but such is often the price of a great landscape shot !