The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I took this photo while hiking through the Alabama Hills in California this past October, just as the sun was setting. The warm, golden light illuminated the jagged rocks, making their sharp edges and textures stand out against the softer greens and grays of the desert shrubs below. What really caught my eye was this single bank of clouds in an almost clear sky that to me almost seemed to mimic the row of rocks, creating a beautiful balance between the sky and the land.
Specific Feedback
I’m a bit unsure of the crop here. I thought I’d experiment with a tighter one than this but in the end, the image felt the same even though it looked a bit different so I nixed the idea. Thoughts?
Technical Details
Canon RP with the 24-105mm STM lens at 105mm. Exposure was 1/160 sec at f/13, ISO-125. Handheld, no filters.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I’m really liking this, Tom. I can see why it caught your attention. The composition, colors, lighting all great IMHO. Re. the crop, I would probably leave as is. I tried cropping the lone cloud off the left, but that just seemed to crunch everything up tighter.
Hi Tom,
I am thoroughly enjoying the layering as it creates this wonderful depth to this scene and the soft warm light is exquisite. I too also like the way the clouds seem to mimic the shapes of the rocks. For my tastes I would stay with this crop. Did you happen to capture any images with a little bit more on the right so that cloud was not clipped off? Of course maybe the rocks didn’t look this nice by moving a bit more to the right. Anyway, this is beautifully done.
Really nice, Tom. I love this area and really need to get back there sometime soon.
FWIW, the cloud that is cut off on the right doesn’t bother me. It’s more diffuse as it nears the frame, and I can imagine that effect could be increased if the edge bothers you there.
Thinking about crops, I would be inclined to crop up from the bottom a bit, perhaps losing what is in shade and starting the foreground where the light hits the rabbit brush/sage. This emphasizes what drew you to shoot the scene, and it brings us closer to the rocks, clouds, and shapes that are the subject.
To my eye, as cropped, it’s about .33 foreground, rock, and sky, and that makes them each compete for my attention.
Nicely seen, Tom. I’m inclined to agree with Marylynne on the crop - perhaps a 16:9 cropped mostly from the bottom, but as is works, too. I also agree with John W. on the red channel - it’s almost blown and there are odd pinkish edges to the clouds (but maybe that’s just an artifact of the jpg). I spy some haloing around some of the spires; on the right side of the tallest one there’s a funny dark area.
At any rate, it is an interesting image. It must have been a lovely evening.
Good catch on the red channel and the bit of the haloing around the rocks! I’ll definitely get that fixed. Also, I just looked through my files and I have another shot similar to this where the clouds are a bit better lined up though I’m not sure if the placement of the rocks isn’t a bit worse. Either way, I’ll process that image too, hopefully really soon and I’ll post that here so we can all collectively compare
What I find interesting about this layered composition is that you had a layer of clouds that you added to it. I like the broader ot the original. One thing to experiment with is to darken the sky yet have a oval tonal gradient in the center. You sort of have a spotlight look already in a way.
