Here’s a photo that I took on a recent trip to the Smokies. This was taken along Big Creek which was really flowing due to some much needed rain over the preceding few days. I’m always struck by the sheer power that flows in these mountain creeks. I wanted to convey that with this image so I selected a shutter speed that offered what I felt like was a great balance between texture and blur to convey the power and motion.
The stream and rhododendron were in shade while the background trees were being backlit from the late afternoon sun.
I like the natural arch formed by the trees bending over the stream and I was also struck by the subtle warm glow from the reflected light in the foreground stream.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
This was a tricky image to balance the contrast. There was a pretty wide range of contrast from the backlit leaves to the rhododendron in shadow. I exposed to the right and recovered the shadow detail in RAW processing. I have let this one simmer for a bit as I posted it first on Facebook and decided to further brighten the rhododendron and the foreground area. I think I’m closer, but would like your input about the processing and tonal balance.
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
All comments and critiques about the composition are welcome.
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Capture Info:
21mm
f/16 @ 1/10 sec.
ISO 250 (for desired shutter speed)
RAW processing to balance out highlights and shadows. Further work to balance the contrast using TK’s luminosity mask actions to separately target shadows, midtones and highlights. I also added a color balance layer and a hue / saturation layer to target specific color channels for saturation. I also used TK’s dehaze and Make it Glow actions at low opacity.
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I really like the composition here Brian, the placement of the foreground rocks creates a nice lead-in to the image, and the curved line of the river is very dynamic. I also like the ratio of yellow trees to the rest of the image that you used. I think you did a very good job dealing with the tricky dynamic range and contrast of this image, it looks balanced and natural. I especially like your processing of the yellow trees, you got the desired lighting effect without overdoing it.
My only suggestion would be for some minor dodging and burning to tweak this a little more. I would burn down the rock in the LLC, and burn the 2 smaller rocks in the LRC (but not the bigger one). I could see trying for slightly more shadow detail in the rhodies. To do this kind of shadow lifting I like using a TK subtracted selection D2 -D5 on a levels or curves AL, placed within a group, and then painting the lift in where I want it using the mask on the group…
This image is great as presented, but with strong a composition it is well worth the investment of time to take it up another notch with some D&B tweaks.
This looks really good, Brian. I like Ed’s suggestions on burning down the rocks, but I like the rhodies as is. Overall, processing looks quite good to my eye, as does the overall image. The effect of the river leading to the warm light looks great!
I am loving this beauty, Brian. Your chosen SS works quite well and I like the placement of the stream as it draws me into the scene. My favorite part of the image though is the autumn colored trees in the BG; it looks like a cathedral hall sheltering the stream. My only suggestion would be to bring up the rhodies just a touch more as this lovely image is well worth some small tweaks. Great work.
Brian, this is fantastic. The comp is great, subject is great, light is great. The processing looks good to me as well, especially given the contrast here. I like the comments to burn the rocks down just a bit, but am struggling to find any other nits. Maybe burn down the mountainside (?) that shows through the trees in the URC, but that is certainly reaching for a critique. Really nice!
A real beauty. Love how the stream draws my eye through the image to that fantastic BG with the autumnal color and the arching trees. The ss for water is also perfect. I guess you could burn in the rocks as others suggested, but hey they look fine to me as is.
I like the funnel-like look to this and would augment the composition to emphasize that composition in the manner below. Yes, you lose the fg rocks so it’s not a completely win/win situation. I think the water has been handled perfectly. It shows movement, texture, yet retains the qualities of moving water.
I added a white frame because I think the black one diminishes the image.
This is just beautiful as presented. I think you’ve done a fantastic job with processing and balancing of the light, shadows and contrast. The composition, the glow in the trees, the texture, flow of the water - all just right for me.
Really, I don’t think this can be improved. I do think there are a couple alternates and Igor’s version works beautifully as well. Although I don’t think this would be as good as Igor’s, a square-ish crop of the right half+ would also work in emphasizing that natural arching of the trees - in addition to that tunnel effect , lead-in feature of this scene - of leading the eye up river, which I think works well in the crops. In the end though, this is just outstanding as presented. Congrats!
Brian, I too really like the view as presented. The darkness of the Rhododendron looks right for a shaded stream. I also like the action that you’ve kept in the water. The bit of reflected color in the middle at the bottom is another fine tidbit.
Wow, that’s a delightful tunnel you’re leading us into. The colors in the canopy are fantastic as is the bit reflected up front, and I like the degree of motion blur in the water which gives a nice sense of the water flow.
