Peaceful Cascades (+ Repost)

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

Peaceful Cascades
Peaceful Cascades1600Ă—1100 925 KB

I am really excited about this image and I hope that it resonates with you all as well as it does with me. This is a spot that I found last fall on a trip to the Smokies. After reviewing that image I noticed a few opportunities for improvement so I wanted to return on my recent trip to see if I could improve the composition.

I think this represents my best composition to date of one of these stream photos. One of the differentiating factors is that I got bold and waded into the stream. That makes such a drastic difference in the composition and yields a perspective that I could not have otherwise captured at this location.

The light was mostly overcast, but there was some natural spotlighting on the leaves in the upper right hand third intersection point.

Amateur tip (since I am not a pro!): In the past my hesitancy in wading out into streams is that I was concerned about damaging my gear. My solution was to get a toploader bag which can carry a camera and lens and then put that in a dry bag while wading into the stream. This whole package can then fit in my F-Stop backback. The rocks are very slippery and it can sometimes be difficult to judge the depth of the water so having that extra bit of assurance is helpful when carrying expensive camera gear out into a stream.

Specific Feedback Requested

All comments and critiques are welcome. I’m quite pleased with the composition, but I welcome all feedback as that is how we learn.

As I was taking this image I was thinking about how valuable NPN has been to me in my journey in photography. I started out knowing basically noting about photography and NPN has been the primary source of my growth.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Base exposure:

18mm
f/13 @ 1/5 sec; ISO 64

Blended with another image for a slightly faster shutter speed for the water:

18mm
f/13 @ 1/8 sec; ISO 100

I took several images at various shutter speeds and felt like 1/8 sec captured just the right amount of motion while still retaining texture in the water. I also liked the lines and how that worked with the composition.

I probably could have just used the second image as there is not much difference between ISO 64 and ISO 100, but what’s the fun in that!

Processing:

RAW Conversion in Lightroom with basic adjustments to exposure, highlights and shadows. Also added a little clarity and dehaze and just a slight amount of RAW Sharpening

In PS I used a levels adjustment to further refine global contrast and then used TK’s luminosity masks to increase mid-tone contrast, brighten some of the dark shadow areas and burn in some highlights in the darker areas of the trees on the left hand side to help balance out the image a bit more.

3 Likes
2

I share your enthusiasm of this image. It has a classic X composition where everything leads into the center. The flow of water sort of duplicates the overall composition with it’s own cross. The colors have been handled perfectly and the dappled sunlight is an added feature. I think the water is a bit too bright but acceptable. I wonder if you could burn more texture into it. The D810 was pretty flexible in that sense as I recall.

3

I share the same feelings as @Igor_Doncov It’s a lovely image that draw attention right to the center of the image. The patch of sunlight on the shrubs behind the water is especially attractive as is the light area of the boulder below the cascade.

The Smoky Mountains are filled with poetic images and you’ve captured one of them as well as the feeling of the ancient Appalachians.

I also share your thoughts about the timing of the shutter for the water. That’s a detail that many miss by thinking the longer the better. There’s a sweet spot and you nailed it. It’s neither a high shutter speed creating ice, nor a long speed for the look of mild, but enough to catch the fluidity but retaining texture.

Oh how I miss my D810. The one thing that I miss the most is the ability of the pop-up flash to control remote slave units. That’s not a feature on the D850 so you have to purchase a separate controller.

Namaste

4

@paul_g_wiegman Hi Paul, to be clear I actually took this image with a Z7 with the 14-24S lens both of which are excellent for landscape photography.

I had previously shot with a D800E so maybe that’s what Igor was thinking about when he referenced a D810, although I don’t typically indicate what gear that I used so maybe he was thinking of someone else.

The main reason that I infrequently reference the gear that I use is that I used to get carried away thinking that if only I had such and such camera/lens then I could take photos like (fill in the blank photographer). While gear is important, it’s more important to focus on learning composition, understanding light and developing technique. It took me a while to learn that so that is what I emphasize in my posts. :grinning:

2 Likes
5

@Brian_Schrayer, I hear what you’re saying. But unfortunately, we all go through the “gotta have it” phase. Some never leave, some leave and return, some never get the fever.

I worked for a land trust until retiring 21 years ago. After being paid by essentially donors and foundations, I felt it was time to give back by volunteering at the botanical garden here in Pittsburgh as a photographer. They need images for social media, printed materials, websites, and lots more. That triggered a wave of “better gear - better images”. Now, when I look at what’s coming on the market and pull up the B&H website, I stop and think, why? Big bucks for higher resolution, and the majority of the images are headed for a computer screen.

It’s not the camera; it’s the eyes behind it that create great images. Of which, Peaceful Cascades is among them.

Namaste

1 Like
6

Making the extra effort to get in the stream on this allowed you to get that X shaped composition that Igor referred to. That’s why a pair of chest waders live in the trunk of my car (and I don’t fish). This image is very well composed as a result of your extra effort. To me being willing to do stuff like that for your images is worth far more than having the latest snazzy mirrorless camera and lens.

Agreed, in today’s landscape photography world of focus stacking, perspective warping, exposure blending, etc. people sometimes lose sight of concentrating on the basics. It’s important to be reminded that focusing on light and composition is more valuable.

In terms of processing, I think you did a very good job of handling the dappled light, it adds some depth and variety to the image. I might also suggest some slight burning of the highlights in the rocks, but that is a nitpick, overall this is a fine image.

7

Brian, this is really lovely. I particularly like the dappled lighting throughout, but especially the spotlighting on the leaves on the far shore.

I’ll second Ed’s comment about the chest waders. I’ve been in icy streams up to my thighs and still been comfortable. They definitely expand your shooting options.

I’m heading down to the Smokies for the first time in the fall. This makes me want to go even more!

1 Like