The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
I love the layers of contrasting colors and the way the golden ridge pulls you into the image. Any suggestions for cropping, processing, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Creative direction
I’m not sure what my vision was except for trying to capture the beauty before me and transmit the joy I had while taking the image to the viewer. For me, photography is all about joy. Seeing these sights, capturing these sights and printing these sights is all a joy to me.
Specific Feedback
All feedback would be welcomed.
Technical Details
ISO 100, f/8.0, 185 mm, 1.3". Basic panel adjustments in Lightroom.
Description
We arrived at Twenty Mule Team Canyon in Death Valley in the dark, well before dawn. I walked out on a ridge and began looking for compositions as the sky began to lighten. This orange ridge intrigued me with its curvature and the contrast against the blues around it. The sheer beauty and variety of compositions in this canyon are amazing.
This is awesome. I love 22 Mule Canyon, one of my favorite spots in the Park!
To me, the blues are really blue here - not sure if that was on purpose or if you shifted it or what, but it does feel like there is a color cast of some kind going on to my eye.
Thanks, Matt. Yes, one of my very favorite spots in the park, as well. I did enhance the blues, but it was blue hour, after all. You think it is too much?
Hey Bill - it’s up to you for sure, but to me yes it just looks forced. Those rocks are more of a tan color if my memory serves and even in blue hour they would not look teal.
Hi Bill: What a great scene. I love the rhythm and direction of the gold line running through the frame. Which can also be seen as a full circle as the gold line connects to the darker part of the image, coming back full circle. Elements outside of that circle tend to direct the eye back into the center area of the frame, where the action is. But, the color appears to be a bit off. The gold seems to be a bit over saturated with a strong cyan tint through the scene. As a quick edit, I added warmth, opened up the blacks, and darkened the scene a bit. I then selected the dark mounds and slightly desaturated and warmed them a little. (White Balance: I have my WB set to sunny, which lets the camera record the natural light unaffected, not unlike a film camera with no filter), so the early morning blue light would be recorded naturally without much color adjustment). I included a quick edit. e48100c0d454d02c4b8c4d629f787e65f231566f_2_1380x936-1.jpeg.psd (3.7 MB)
There’s been some talk here of the blue - and I would agree with them, Bill – too cyan/teal for blue hour. I would suggest a crop in from the top, however, to eliminate those two dark areas in the upper left. They pull my eye up to them, as I enter the scene from the left, and we don’t need to go there. I just think it will clean it up a bit more. Good overall seeing in terms of the colors and textures in Twenty Mule Team - a wild and fun place to photograph!
Bill, I wouldn’t worry about the color looking natural or matching the blue hour. It’s your creation. To my mind the issue is whether the colors work together as colors combinations. That is unless you want to document what is there. It’s art vs documentation. When I initially looked at this image I thought you decided on art.
