The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This image was taken from the Swinging Bridge on our recent Yosemite trip, very close to where Steve took Light and Reflection 3, but earlier, when we first arrived. After taking this, I wandered off to try and find a reflection of Yosemite Falls once it appeared through the fog. Meanwhile Steve was back on the bridge hitting home runs. I’m posting it mostly for the fun of comparing how much the light changed over that brief time, because after seeing Steve’s I realized this is just rubbish.
Specific Feedback
This was a challenging mix of luminosity and color temperature. I tried to keep both of those under control, but would love any suggestions.
Technical Details
NIKON Z 7II
NIKKOR Z 28-400 f/4-8 VR at 28.0 mm
1/8 sec. at f/16.0 and ISO 64
This is a blend of two vertical images. I had left my wide-angle in the car, and was too swept up in the photograph (and lazy) to go back for it.
“Rubbish”??? Hardly John, c’mon! This is swimming in mood and atmosphere. Ok, I know the light is coming and I also know you have a home run or two from this morning! So, I’m not quite feeling bad for you…
I think you did a great job balancing the luminosity and WB. I like and just notice the subtle transition from the warmer light/fog up top to the cooler fog as you get in to the trees and river. Very moody! I wouldn’t change anything there.
I will say I’m unsure about the heavy black and tree/reflection on the right. Maybe it’s just me. You have plenty of mood and drama remaining if you cropped that out entirely. Or perhaps if you want to retain the framing and format, perhaps selectively raising the blacks, some form of dehaze or something so the contrast isn’t so heavy.
Other than that, I’m really enjoying the quiet and peacefulness of this scene.
Thanks Lon!! I was going for the two peaks on the canyon wall to be framed by the tree gaps, but that may be flying too close to the sun. I’m posting a 4x5 version to compare.
What are you talking about, rubbish? This is a wonderful photo with great depth and mood. The 4x5 crop was a good move, as the tree on the right was a bit of a distraction. The crop did not lose any of the peaks of the main peaks, just the little knob on the very right. Looking forward to see what else you captured from this location.
John, I agree with the others. This is an excellent image. I really like the mood and depth (“great depth” as Youssef appropriately says). The revision really nails the comp. The shrouded cliffs in the background (with the ghostly appearance of the cliffs in reflection) help bring out that depth. Not rubbish at all!
Another gorgeous shot, dripping with mood! I think the crop is a great idea. I’m wonderinfg about tweaking a bit more detail (contrast?) out of the ridgeline…?
I really think you did a great job with both the warm tones and the cool tones mixing together. I may be going against the grain here but I also like your original composition and your idea for the two peaks on the canyon wall to be framed by the tree gaps. The light is not as intense as in Steve’s image and this does impart a different mood. It’s overall much cooler than his image. But I think it works really well and is not Rubbish at all. I missed all this light on Wednesday morning and would kill for a shot in the light you guys had.
Now, as for the original crop, if you were to dodge that right tree and it’s shadow a bit so it’s not so stark against the rest of the image, I think it could work really well. Here is a stab at it from LR:
