This is an image of a large sulfur pile at my local port. I used a 250mm lens. The first shot is well before sunset and the second is in blue hour. I am also going to shoot it at sunrise, but wanted to get your thoughts. I guess technically this is non-nature, but I think it should go in this category because it should be thought of as a mountain type photograph. Florida has no mountains, so this was as close as I could get.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
what do you think of the composition.
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
any. which version do you prefer and why
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Single image lightroom processed nothing major
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I find the first one (yellow one) overpowering in the yellows. I like the second option better, but wish it had just a bit more punch. I don’t know what these sulfur mountains really look like so it is a bit of an interpretation. Here’s an option I worked from the second version.
What a fabulous example of the difference that ambient light can make. Never have I seen such a dramatic contrast. Good for you to see and convey this.
Like @Keith_Bauer I prefer the many colors and textures of the second image. Also like Keith, I took it aside for increased punch. I burned many slopes to add texture to the piles, and contrast via curves which deepened some colors.
However the result is a different image, not better. Your original has a ghostly quality that disappears when punched up.
The first image also changes character when contrast and burning is done.
BTW When I darkened the sky, I noticed a stray clone or burn mark just above the 2nd and 3rd hill from the right.
Again, really cool stuff, YES - these are mountains!
Great feedback. I did initially push the clarity and texture but ended up bringing it back because I wanted a calm image.
During the day these look like piles of sulfur that are a bright yellow. Like a neon yellow mustard. They are literally pure sulfur I believe.
The rain creates the texture and discoloration.
I think a morning shot is going to be good. That way I’ll get the best of both worlds. But there’s only one way to find out.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll work on creating more texture without disturbing the vibe of the photo overall.
Btw there is only a clone out of a small cloud in the upper left corner. No localized burning was performed only basic sliders for the most part. Probably some sensor dust I failed to account for.
Definitely an interesting image. The colors are intriguing. The sulfur is the right color, but the purple in the sky seems a bit off, though it’s an interesting contrast with the colors in the sulfur.
The first image is about how I saw the scene. The sky was a pastel purple color and was quite striking, but the lack of light on the sulfur made the scene a bit dull. I’m trying to strike a balance to give a soft sky and increase the detail and contrast in the mountains.
I think I’m on the right track with this one and appreciate the feedback.
Also I think tomorrow morning is when I’ll go back. Always hard to motivate that early… ugh.
I prefer the first image over the second. For my personal taste the colors in the second seem strange looking, especially the purple sky.
In image #1, the sulfur looks dull because of the processing. You have not made use of the full tonal range, as evidenced by the histogram having a ton of room on the right (see below). A simple leftward move of the right triangle in Levels adds contrast and pop to the image. (second image below). Then in the third image below, I added some midtone contrast as well the levels move (using a TK midtones 2 mask and curves layer in soft light blending mode). I was too lazy to remove the dust spot…
Here is what I was able to get this morning. The first image is in bluehour before sunrise. The second image is just as the sun started to cast direct light on the sulfur. The second shot has to be black and white, because the colors are essentially washed out by the bright sun.
This gives much more texture to the sulfur as you can see.
Wow, that’s a lot of images to try and sort through!!!
Matt, I like your 1st re-work the best, I think, but I also think it is really interesting how many possibilities there are with this scene. Each version has a completely different feel to it. Very cool.
And the B&W version works, too. It makes everything look much further away.
I know what sulfur mountains look like, so this is really interesting to see how much they vary in different lighting.
I think your composition is very good. It gives just the right balance of sky and mountain tops and detail in the “valleys”.
Well done!!
I prefer the B&W image, as B&W does a better job of revealing texture.
The B&W looks underexposed to me. Again, the whole tonal range is not being used (lots of room to the right on the histogram), and in B&W images using a full tonal range is particularly important.
