Symphony

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Mark’s image from Yellowstone Canyon reminded me of a magical morning I spent there with former NPN moderator Phil Hodgkins in 2019. Chrissy and I had come up from spending several days in RMNP with one of our sons and four of our grandkids and Phil was on his way from South Carolina to Alaska to move in with one of his sons. We left the Madison campground before dawn and got to the canyon right before sunrise. There was quite a bit of low cloud/fog moving in and out giving fleeting views of the lower falls and the canyon below. The interaction of the fog, canyon walls and the whisper of the river and birds made this one of my more pleasant memories of that day.

Phil and I met up with Mark Seaver later that day around the Midway Geyser basin. Mark and I stayed around until sunset but Phil left us a little early to get ready to leave the following morning. Sadly Phil never made it to Alaska as he suffered a fatal heart attack the very next night in a hotel in Montana. Every time I review these images I think of him and that special fellowship we can have with shared interests and friends. >=))>

Specific Feedback

Too much fog at the top? I’ve considered cropping some but this is the full frame result.

Technical Details

Sony A77II
Sony DT 16-50 f2.8 @ 26mm, CPL
ISO 100, 1/20 @ f8


Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
1 Like

Awesome! Who needs a plane or a drone!

Not too much fog for my taste! The textures in the rock face need the room to fade out before the frame edge. I wonder if it’s possible to get more tonal separation between the river and the FG, but it looks challenging.

Hi Bill,
The light and fog are truly magical in this scene. I think the tall perspective works well as it lets the rock wall fade away into the mist. I also like the river and landscape along the bottom as it anchors the image beautifully. Very nice story to remember Phil by.