What changed: I darkened the tree a bit and lifted the forest behind it. I also warmed up the greens in the foreground tree. I considered removing the cut off clouds at the top but it made my sky look blotchy so I scrapped the idea.
Added after receiving feedback from the community.
The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
This image is from earlier this year. It was shot at sunrise but thick clouds in the east blocked the sun so unfortunately the mountain didn’t light up as I had hoped.
Feedback Requested
Obviously, that foreground tree is an important part of the composition and I tried to lighten it a bit to make it stand out from the forest behind it. I wonder, if I took it too far and if it looks odd in any way.
Technical Details
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: TS-E24mm f/3.5L II
Focal length: 24mm
Shutter speed: 1/2s
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100
Two frames ( one for the top and the other for the bottom) merged to improve the framing. The 24mm wasn’t wide enough in this case.
Tom— First of all I think this is a terrific photograph of this natural scene! The color contrast of the rushing water against the rocks is perfect. The settings of the shutter speed, aperture and ISO are excellent. And the moodiness of the background is the perfect backdrop to the waterfall and tree in the bottom RHC. The lightened tree also looks great; the only difficulty is it calls into question whether the light that is coming from the left would have also lightened water and rocks before and behind it? It’s one of those artistic decisions that is very difficult to decide without looking at several “looks” to see what feels natural. One consideration is the sky is dark and moody with some clouds so it gives permission that light might have poked through onto the tree. This is why it’s difficult for me to say with certainty what would be better: leaving the tree as is or making lighting edits around it. Having said all of that, let me say I think these are small putts… great shot!
Tom, this is a fine scene as presented. If the Watcher had been catching the sun, it would most likely dominate. As it, the flow of the river and its nice S-curve are the main players. You shutter speed choice looks very good, showing some nice texture as well a movement. I agree that the foreground tree is important and like how you made it stand out. It does seem a bit incongruous relative to the trees behind. My suggestion is to dodge those trees slightly or make them a bit more green. I think you’re right that if they match the foreground tree, it will get lost. I also really like the overall blueness.
A fantastically gorgeous scene, Tom. If you hadn’t talked about that tree, I probably wouldn’t have paid that much attention to it or tried to diagnose the scene, but since you did, it does look just a tiny bit overdone though it looks like you did bring some light into the rocks leading up to it which helps a lot. In any case, a beautifully compoed and executed image.
I really like this image Tom, I think you pretty much nailed it! The technical capture aspects were spot on with the just the right shutter speed emphasizing movement in the water without being too cotton candy like. The eye path is great and the green foreground tree adds some more drama to the already blue hour mood with it perched on the rocks near the edge, and leaning over like it is hanging on for the ride! The layered rock formations add much more interest in my mind vs rounded rocks you find in some rivers/stream scenes. (Not like you had an option to choose the rocks, I just really like this scene vs had it been rounded rocks).
I concur about adding some light to the other trees behind the subject tree to balance the lightness out. The upper most clouds that fall off the frame distract me a bit and I want to clone them out. Not sure if that would cross a line of authenticity but maybe another version might be worth exploring. Otherwise a great image!
Gorgeous scene, Tom. I love the curve of the river, the water motion, rock texture and the solitary leaning tree. To me, it’s all just about perfect. I can see dodge some of the background trees, but to me, it just feels like the light on the principal tree is subtle enough, and it’s alone enough, that it doesn’t feel artificial. Trees have a way of shading each other, and this one has no nearby neighbors to do that.
If the mountain had alpenglow, the scene would feel complicated, I think, so this doesn’t feel like a consolation prize at all. You can go back and try for alpen glow and then decide if you want that leaning tree at all .
I’m curious about the location: Is this in the eastern part of BC, near the Alberta border? It’s a big country, and I’m not familiar with it, but it feels like the area near Yoho NP (of course, my other Canada experiences were Toronto and Quebec, so apologies if I’m way off).
Great scene to return to regularly if you can, but you certainly don’t need to do so to make this one better,
I’ve reworked the image a bit this evening, mainly the tree and the forest behind it and I think it looks and feels a lot better than the original. To me, it looks and feels more natural while allowing the tree to still stand out.
Marylynne, this is in an area of the Canadian Rockies called Kananaskis, here in Alberta. It’s only about an hour from home, and it’s where I do most of my photography.
A wonderful image and I absolutely love thatFG tree! I think I could vote for a version halfway in between your two --with the tree warmed but maybe not quite so toned down. But both are excellent – just artist’s choice! Hope to see more from your wonderful world!!
Loving this. The flow of the water actually directs your eye right to that killer tree. I’m not much on seeing slight color and tonal variations, so usually don’t comment on stuff like that, but I must say I like your revision.
beautiful take Tom. I am coming way late, but toning down the foreground tree and brightening up the background trees looks much more natural and , like you, I think it improved already outstanding shot.
The change to the lighting on the tree itself made a huge difference, Tom. The color temperature of the light on it now matches the bit on the background tree across the river and removes any discontinuity that there was.
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