Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
A large sandstone formation up on a hillside in southwestern Utah.
ANY
Photographed on a stormy cold morning during sunrise with a large format camera.
Wista DXIII 4x5 - Schneider APO 150mm lens - Velvia 50 QL.
Well this is something else! What a rock. I can see why its called that and a resemblance to the statues on Easter Island. The angle you chose and the relationship to the sky is at once commanding, but also comforting - the watcher that never sleeps. Velvia makes those greens pop like it always has. Don’t know if it might have introduced problems, but I might have tried a tiny bit lower to get the tip of the mountain on the far left below the horizon, but that’s kind of a quibble. Lovely work, instantly recognizable as yours.
What a really neat image of this sandstone statue, Paul! 
I can’t help but wonder if there were a few aspiring sculpture artists from many generations ago that carved this out of a much different and boring looking rock, maybe they were trying for a impressionist look or maybe they just wanted a unique landmark for travelers of that period (whatever that period was).
Just an uneducated fantasy thought, really.
I’ve watched a couple of videos on using the Wista DXIII 4x5 camera, there’s a lot to managing the features to achieve the desired DOF, perspective and sharpness. It’s a lot more than dealing with the typical modern digital FF camera and I have a new level of appreciation for what you do to capture each image.
I’m sure that the motive is your passion for capturing images on large format film the way that they did when the Wista was new technology, I certainly appreciate the desire to do that!
Just a wonderful image to enjoy
Well done, Paul!
@Kris_Smith @Merv thank you both for your in depth reviews & comments. Kris, good point on a lower view angle. It’s been some time since I was at this location and I’m not sure I could get much lower there… 
Merv, not sure of any earlier era carving taking place here as there is more windblown sandstone adjacenet to this exact spot. I’m thinking it was all just a matter of mother nature taking out the artistic tools of wind, rain, and overall weather carving the area up… 
You’re probably right! Sandstone is easily carved by weather.
Like I said, it was just an uneducated “Fantasy” thought.
Paul, this looks great. The isolated “sentinel” definitely looks like it’s watching a wide open landscape. Given the textures in the rock, I can see watchers within the watcher. The hint of pink in the clouds is a fine extra subtlety.
Mark, I appreciate your review and also pointing out the shades of pink starting to show up during this overcast sunrise morning. I always fall back on the sailor saying as I recall.
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailors take warning”… 
