The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Was heading for Glacier Park, late in the afternoon when the sun finally peeked out after a day of rain. It was the colors in the sky and rocks that attracted me more than just the unusual formation.
Specific Feedback
I tried desperately not to let the saturation get away from me yet not lose that last bit of the summer’s light that seemed to glow.
Technical Details
Nikon D810, 24-120 @24mm, f/15, 1/320, ISO 640
First edits I did on this image were strictly with ACR and PS. In this iteration I tossed n some TK Darks and Lights
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Chris, you have created a compelling and textured landscape photo with a strong mood, enhanced by the colors and sky. This is quite my favorite among all this wwek’s Challenge entries.
Here’s a detailed critique:
Positives:
Atmospheric Lighting: The warm, golden tones in the sky add drama and depth, giving the scene an almost alien or prehistoric quality.
Texture and Detail: The texture of the rock formations is well-defined, with cracks and ridges adding visual interest and realism. This detail brings out the unique characteristics of the landscape.
Composition: The rocks are placed well within the frame, leading the viewer’s eye through the scene and creating a sense of depth.
Suggestions for Improvement:
Contrast and Shadows: Increasing the contrast slightly could help the formations stand out even more against the sky, adding dimensionality. Darker shadows could enhance the textures and give the photo a more dramatic look.
Saturation and White Balance: While the warm tones are effective, they might be slightly overwhelming in this scene. Reducing the yellow/orange saturation just a bit could add clarity and make the details in the sky more visible.
Foreground Interest: The foreground could use a small point of interest—such as a unique rock, a plant, or a shadow—to give the scene a stronger focal point and add depth.
Sky Detail: The clouds are visually striking, but adding more definition in the darker areas of the sky would create an even more dramatic contrast between the sky and land.
I started working on the redo before I saw Dave’s suggestion (which other than cropping off the bottom a bit) I think I accomplished with some better contrast control and tried to incorporate Pieter’s thoughtful suggestions which were echoed by Igor.
This was a tough edit because of the predominance of reds in the sandstone formation to honor that tonal quality but not overpower the sky to compensate. I used part of the upper left rockface as a focal point by lightening the face a bit and countering that by lightening the lighter rock band across the midsection. Also, per his suggestions, I delineated the shadows in the rockface while highlighting the ridges to give the whole outcropping a more moody look.
Gone is the overwhelming yellow in the sky. I wanted more magenta tones but it didn’t take much before it started competing with the foreground.
Interesting photo. It was not mentioned so I will bring it up. There is a strong halo around the rocks as they meet the sky. I would go back and be more careful with the masking.
This is great Chris. I like your repost. I love the mood of this one. “otherworldly” is a good description from @Dave_Douglass. I kind of miss some of the golden glow of the first image though. The repost definitely has better dimensionality.
Ismail, no matter how many times I went back to the masks, the halo would reappear…just drove me nuts.
Thanks, Ed. I wanted more “glow” in the sky but that’s what kept causing the halo effect Ismail noticed…
Amazing how adding that contrast and getting more shadows helped make this more dynamic. Glad you were able to take out that yellow could on the left of the original photo. My eye kept going there. A little crop from the bottom, but that area does balance out the clouds at the top. And I do like the details that came out there with the extra contrast. Very cool image.
How is this?
I managed to get a mask that targets just the Halo area by intersecting a midtones mask with the sky. Then I applied a curve to bring down the halo.
Ismail, an interesting approach I hadn’t thought to try. At one time I knew how to apply a brush at 50% and then follow the curvature of the halo to “paint” it out but it didn’t seem to want to work on this image. Now I have a new trick in my toolbox. Very good edit and thank you for taking the time to pursue this.
I like Youssef’s image a little better. For me the brown tone of the sky is just too unreal. I’ve never seen a sky that color. Youssef brought it down a touch but I think I would bring it down a little more.
I have a number of similar images that I have not printed because I feel that they are lacking a center of focus. Maybe if there were a small green plant growing out of the rocks I would appreciate it more.
