This is from my recent Zion trip about 2 weeks ago while I was chasing the snow storms. If you read my last post, you’ll know my frustration at not be allowed to enter the canyons for 2 and half days because of snow removal. But, on that third day, mid afternoon, we were finally allowed to enter the main canyon. The highway 9 canyon that zig zags it’s way up to the tunnel was still closed. As I was driving up the main canyon I was noticing the formations that I never noticed before because of the snow. In Zion, the snow usually is very fleeting and doesn’t last long. This image looks like a rock fall but it’s not. The snow just makes it appear that way…I think. The snow was continuing to fall as I sent up for this image so I patiently waited for it to slow down and finally captured this image.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Conceptual: Feedback on the message and story conveyed by the image.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
Let me know if you see anything that pulls the eye like those dark rocks in the LLC and along the bottom edge of the frame and how the composition holds up. Thanks as always for having a look.
Technical Details
Z9, 100-400mm lens @100mm, ISO 500, 1/1250, f/8, manual mode, hand held
David, there is an intriguing dynamic balance to this image for me, it makes me feel the forces of nature. Furthermore there is an amazing tension to my eye given by the sensation of the cold fresh fallen snow and the comforting warming shades of the rocks. Great work in my opinion.
There is a lot of energy in this image. Actually it starts out peacefully enough near the top with cloud-like snow. But as the eye goes down the energy picks up with the diagonals and the contrast. The snow in the lower left I feel may be the weakest part of the image but I don’t see any crop to avoid it as you need a base and it provides that. It’s a fairly dark image for the subject matter. That’s a personal choice. I think that works well but I would have made the wall lighter and perhaps the color stronger. The light is flat. There are so many interpretations to give an image. I like what you did.
I witnessed scenes like this when I was there in November and got excited about such scenes as well. That lacy look that snow creates on the warm colored rocks is what does it. I didn’t have a long lens, however, to search out such compositions.
This is cool! The snow indeed has tranformed, or at least created a story or message of sorts. And clearly it does come across as a rock-fall. An alluvial fan comes to mind as well, although not as complete as one thinks of those; but certainly the story of rocks, an avalanche spilling out from above.
I like this very much as presented. The snow and/or dark rock in the LLC doesn’t bother me at all. In fact I think it supports and helps define that rock fall.
I think your repost nailed it David. I like the warmer look of the rocks as I think it contrasts better with the snow. Glad to see that you were able to eventually make it part way into the park. I like the way that the rocks appear to spill out from the ULC towards the LRC as it adds visual tension to this scene. I find that the snow at the bottom of the frame helps ground the image. Beautifully done.
Igor, You were absolutely correct that the image was flat. I minimally processed this image and so I really didn’t notice it until you mentioned it. But then I saw that it lacked the usual orange glow that Zion is famous for so I did a mid tone contrast adjustment and that’s it. POP! Thanks for that suggestion!
I’m also glad that the rock in the LLC doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Other than cloning it out there just wasn’t much I could do with that and I didn’t want to clone it.
