Edited to reduce brightness to left of rock and increase brightness in lower portion of image
This image was taken at Capital Reef National Park in a short but off the beaten path canyon. I saw this rock balancing on top of this sandcastle like mud and thought, “What has this rock seen over the years if it had eyes and how long has it been Resting here.” The base of mud/sand it was sitting on seemed so precarious like it could fall at any minute and there was a ten foot drop off just below it.
Specific Feedback Requested
Nothing in particular. Just let me know if there is anything that jumps out at you that needs fixing or doesn’t seem right. I’ve been working this image for quite a while.
Technical Details
Z7ii, 24-70 lens, 24mm @ f/10, ISO 160, 1/13th second, hand held in precarious position
Creating a fine image such as this from a small scene is quite an accomplishment. Well seen! Good storytelling. It is amazing to see blues and oranges in the same scene. Complimentary colors!
The textures of the ground are rendered beautifully.
The brightness of a few areas pulled my eye away from the balancing act. In the attached, I used a luminosity mask and curve layer to darken the brightest areas. That seems to pull a bit more saturation and texture out of the rocky plain to the left of the rock. Also burned the hillside a little. The remaining niggle is the black stroke inside the border, which is a small high-contrast feature of the image, and seems to distract me from the really cool story.
It’s a quiet image that rewards you for spending time with it. Small details, textures not noticed at first reveal themselves on the second or third viewing.
Great image, David. I think it works quite well. I do have two nits. I agree that the brightness at bottom takes the eye away. The other is probably just me, but I want to straighten the image a bit by pulling down a tad on the lower right. I don’t know, just seems off a bit. Even without those tweaks, this is a strong image. Nice work!
A really enjoyable image; I think the color contrast is what really draws me in. If it were me, I would explore the possibility of going with a slightly lower contrast, too, but it’s definitely a personal choice.
David, the cool/warm color contrast works well for me. What an interesting scene with the balancing rock. My tends to gravitate towards the bright spot just to the left of the rock. Dick Knudson had a good recommendation to darken that area a bit. I also enjoyed the texture in the scene and your story about the image.
David, I have looked at this image several times today and it’s a remarkable scene. I think the colors are what stand out for me (and considering I am red/green color blind that’s saying a lot).
The depth is well represented here too. I wouldn’t change a thing. Well done.
Well done. I like the triangular shape in the foreground leading right into the triangular shaped rock. I agree with the feedback about reducing the brightness in the area to the left of the rock.
I really like this unique scene, David. It looks like the rock is some sculpture at an outdoor art gallery/museum. Love all the colors too. How big is that rock/boulder anyway? Just curious about the size perspective. Really like how you composed the scene.
@Dick_Knudson , @andronik , @Matt_Payne , @David_Mullin , @Adhika_Lie , @Alfredo_Mora , @David_Bostock , @DeanRoyer , @Vanessa_Hill
Thank you all for your suggestions and comments. Several of you have suggested that I darken the bright area to the left of the rock and also brighten the lower section of the image. I have reposted an edited version with those thoughts in mind. @Dick_Knudson , thanks for the rework. Well done. I did removed the black band in the frame for the rework. Not even sure why I included that. @Vanessa_Hill , the rock was about 3-4 feet tall. Not very big at all. It’s a scene that most would not give a second glance and walk right by. On my hike, I did just that. It was on my return trip that I noticed this scene and even then, it was a difficult shoot as there was a drop off just below the rock where I needed to try and balance/stand. So I had to shoot this hand held.
Lot’s of great comments above about this fascinating rock. I don’t have a lot to add, other than to say I like the repost on the left, but much prefer the shadowed foreground of the original.
Thanks for that John. I agree with you on the both counts but I thought I would share a version with the suggestions that many brought up. The lighter bottom looses some of the color and the definition and almost 3d effect of the darker version and I like the mood that the darker version creates. There is a substantial drop off there and I think it’s appropriate to have it darker. Maybe I went to far in lightening it up. Thanks for your comment though John. Much Appreciated.
I was just thinking. What if you lightened some of the darker tones of the bg cliffs to make the dark rock stand out more (in the lighter version). The lighter version looks more natural to me. Some of the reds need to be reintroduced in the lower half.
Good one, David. I prefer the rework, but I might back off the change just a bit to keep more of the richness of the foreground. Good find and nicely presented.
@Igor_Doncov, @Harley_Goldman, @Matt_Payne
Thanks so much for your comments and suggestions.
Igor…I think you’re on to something. Thanks for the tip.
Harley…Glad you like this interesting little scene. I definitely went too far particularly the bottom portion of the image. Good to see you here.
Matt…Glad you like the repost Matt. I may tweak it again slightly but I think overall, this might be a better image than the original. Thanks for your thoughts as always.
Great find and capture David! For sure a mystery of unknown origins… but the cynic in the deep recesses in my mind tell me someone had to have placed it there? But of course nature is an amazing thing and more bizzare things than this are on display.
Late here, but I think a version somewhere between the original and the edited versions. I do like the toned down brightness, but the bottom is either to light or too dark. I think I lean towards more luminosity, but not so much it pulls away from the main story.
I totally different alternative suggestion would be a square crop with a medium vignette - that would certainly keep attention on the balancing act.
Thanks for the comment Lon. I think you are right about something in between. I’ll try your square crop as well when I get back home. On a 3 week family vacation to GN P, total bust because the going to the sun road is closed still, next is Mt. Rainier, and lastly Olympic National Park. Thanks again Lon.
But of course nature is an amazing thing and more bizzare things than this are on display.