The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
After sunset the light show began on the high clouds I have posted the last two days. It was an amazing sight as the light slowly developed. I could hardly believe I was the only person at this obvious vantage point. After a while a car drove up, well away from me, and a woman got out and held up something at full arms length for a while and drove away. Then a white van/RV drove up at the far end of the parking area and stayed a while, but I couldn’t see anyone. But now I know it was Michael Frye, from his blog post I got just as I was posting the first image: https://www.michaelfrye.com/2023/07/02/wind-clouds/
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
I was handholding, trying to cover different compositions and each image had different zoom settings. The first one is a stitched pano. Only very basic adjustments in LR, then into PS for some local adjustments with curves on areas selected by a soft brush using a quick mask. I should try some of the Tony Kuyper luminosity mask techniques on these.
These are very good examples of Lenticular clouds, Diane
I’ve only witnessed this type of clouds from an airplane while flying solo so, no photographs but these remind me of what I was fortunate enough to witness in person.
The perspective was a bit different than this as I was close to the same altitude as the clouds but these still serve as a good reminder.
Fortunately the wind was strong and steady (no turbulence) but it takes strong winds to form clouds like this.
And of course I was on the other side of the country near the Great Smokey Mountains.
Wow, that’s quite the sky you had a chance to witness Diane! It must have been magical to be able to enjoy it without any crowds. I personally really enjoy that. And it’s so cool that you kind of ran into Michael Frye.
Of the four images you posted I think that the strongest one compositionaly is the last one. I like that a large portion of the frame is filled with the clouds and that the small mountain range at the bottom adds scale, a sense of place and helps anchor the image. Really nice work!
Diane, everyone of these images is stunning for a different reason. The pano really gives a broad view of what was happening across the sky. In three of these photos (1,2 &4) I instantly saw a bird flying across the sky. The second photo really shows off the bird effect. Maybe it’s carrying pry in the claws. The third one, I loved that dark grey cloud on the L side and the white cloud on the R. It’s like a before, during and after. The forth one has more of a tense feeling. Guess you can tell that friends & I use to sit at the pond and tell stories of the pictures we saw in the clouds. These tell a wonderful story and how exciting to be able to enjoy this gift (almost) alone.
Hmm… cotton candy clouds… I could eat them all! Fantasy aside, the light and colours are out of this world. I’m so glad to see this from a place on Earth I will likely never visit, thanks for sharing!
Love the fourth one in particular. There is a sense of vast space and the “smaller” clouds just above the mountains are beautifully shaped and contrast nicely with the looser, more formless and ethereal towering cloud. And those pink and blues are just delightful to look at!
That pano is killer! I think a case where one could say the sum is much better than all the parts - ie. all the individual, more isolated views of the clouds are awesome as stand alones, but putting them all together and presenting as the pano is just wonderful
I especially think that both the sets of clouds on the left and right all direct the viewer inward, which is keeping the eye in the frame - AND also brings the eye in to exploring the grand view of the Mono Craters.
Dang, wish I was over there right now! Might just have to wait for fall color. Super curious what the fall season will bring given the epic winter…
I think I’ll cast a vote in agreement with Lon. Love the pano, and I think it brings the whole scene together very nicely. While the smaller scenes with the clouds more prominent are all beautiful, I think seeing it stretched out across that beautiful mountain scene is the best.
