I have been revisiting some old images to improve their post-processing. Any thoughts about this one are appreciated.
Any
Any
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
I envy your opportunity to have taken this picture. What an incredible spot. The difficulty I have with this image is that it feels like too much. I think we have to be ruthless when composing, by which I mean we have to be clear on what the picture is about and remove anything and everything that fails to support that vision. In the case of this picture, my eye is moving like a ping pong ball between the upper portion - the mountains, cloud and mist - and the lower portion - the falls. It’s all beautiful but I feel like you’ve left me to figure out what this picture is about instead of you. Personally, I would crop this 4:5 cropping from the the top removing the mountains and sky, as hard as it is to let go of those beautiful elements at the top of the frame.
Kerry, Thanks for viewing and responding on this image. It is easy to include too much in images, so that concentration on the main subject or message is lost. I see what you mean about mountains and sky competing or creating a distraction from the falls as main subject. Actually, it is the lushness of the environment here that I think is the story line. Of course, the falls is the main element. I would not have made the image, if not for the falls. I also wanted to show the environment rather than just show a picture of a nice falls. You leave me with good food for thought and struggle with how the image best means. Thanks.
Kerry, Thanks for viewing and responding on this image. It is easy to include too much in images, so that concentration on the main subject or message is lost. I see what you mean about mountains and sky competing or creating a distraction from the falls as main subject. Actually, it is the lushness of the environment here that I think is the story line. Of course, the falls is the main element. I would not have made the image, if not for the falls. I also wanted to show the environment rather than just show a picture of a nice falls. You leave me with good food for thought and struggle with how the image best means. Thanks.[quote=“Kerry_Gordon, post:2, topic:14625”]
…ing like a ping pong ball between the upper portion - the mountains, cloud and mist - and the lower portion - the falls. It’s all beautiful but I feel like you’ve left me to figure out what this picture is about instead of you. Personally, I would crop this 4:5 cropping from the the top removing the mountains and sky, as hard as it is to let go of those beautiful elements at the top of the frame.
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Hi Larry,
I am in agreement with Kerry about the sky. It is a very nice sky for sure but there is a disconnect between the foreground and the sky. In my opinion, you will not lose the lushness of the environment by cropping out the sky and perhaps only emphasize the vegetation even more.
Hi Larry. I find this waterfall on Kauai as entrancing as you do, and as difficult to shoot in bright weather as you do.
With this, I see a LOT of green, and it almost all is of similar tone, with some deep shadows. And yes, the eye does ping pong a bit between the bright falls, and the bright clouds.
Lotta people talk about the weather, but you can do something about it.
I selectively burned the mountains, and then darkened the greenery, unmasking parts to present a sun-speckled scene. Seems important to keep the falls brighter than the clouds.
In raw, you might also try to bring out the deep shadows a little, but maybe nothing there.
Please ignore my sloppy dodge/burn boundaries, between trees and mountains,but you get the idea I hope.
I tried cropping out the sky and mountains, but think the image is lacking that way. I understand the ping pong concern too. Perhaps this is a matter of personal preference. Thanks, Adhika.
Dick, You offer an interesting take on the image. I will experiment with darkening the green. Thanks.
This is really nice! The composition works for my eye as there is plenty to enjoy throughout the scene. While it’s clear that the waterfall is the main subject the other elements complement the waterfall and place it in its context.
Thanks, Brian. Context is what I had in mind.
Larry,
I like this very much as presented - including the processing, color of the greens, etc. Agree that you’ve captured a lot, but I’m receiving what you intended - and that is context and location. Granted, you have a beautiful image of some isolated falls surround by only the lush greens, if you crop and that could work. But for me, then you lose all sense of place.
What works with the top is that you’ve included only enough mountain/sky to provide that context and sense of place, without overwhelming or competing with the other elements. At least IMHO.
The only thing I’m missing is that sense of humid, tropical heat… 
Lon
Larry, I like your variant much better than mine
I think the problem with this image is that there is no visual connection between the forest and mountains. There is no middle ground leading the viewer from one to the other. As a result it looks like one image overlaying another. So I feel that having the mountains and sky is fine but not in the manner presented.
