Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I’d been up till all hours the night before shooting the Milky Way and this was my last day in the Alabama Hills before I had to head home. Some dramatic clouds would have been nice but I had been granted clear skies the night before so couldn’t really complain about getting alpenglow instead. It wasn’t as intense magenta as it can be because of thin clouds on the horizon to the east, but it was good enough.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome! I’ve shot wider views in the past and wanted to go for a tighter composition. In wider views, Whitney is dwarfed by Lone Pine Peak (off the left of this frame) which is a lot closer.
Technical Details
Some tonal tweaking in LR, but nothing extraordinary. Didn’t even go to PS for this one.
3 Likes
Diane, a wonderful take on this iconic site… 
Earlier years I saw many sunrises in and around the Alabama Hills. Always a good day can be had from this area. I’ve never hiked to the top but have a cousin who did a few times over the years. He was a non photog say I’m not sure he ever took even some iPhone takes along the way… 
Diane, this composition celebrates the majesty of the mountain. I love the play of complimentary colors. I would like to know about your choice of settings for your camera, especially the f-stop. I have so much to learn here. Thanks.
Thanks, @Paul_Breitkreuz and @Barbara_Djordjevic! Barbara, f/5 is wide open for that lens at that focal length. I have no idea why it was at 6.3 except that I had had about 3 hours of sleep after shooting the Milky Way the night before and I’m very fumble-fingered making adjustments. The “FG” was pretty far away so wide open would have been plenty of DOF. I focused on the peak. That lens is incredibly sharp and I’ve never felt the need to stop down for any reason other than DOF on the subject itself.
I didn’t say above, but I was on a tripod.
1 Like
Thank you. That is helpful. I have trouble with DOF with my telephoto lenses and am trying to understand how to use them. I have much to learn from the experts.
Oh, what an iconic scene, Diane. I would have loved being there with you shooting this one. This is one of my favorite playgrounds over the past few years. I love that you zoomed in on Whitney as the peaks around it can lead you to believe that they are all taller than Whitney. It’s certainly a play on perspective.
The great thing about the Alabama Hills is that you get rewarded no matter what the weather gives you. If you get no clouds, you get that epic alpenglow and if it’s cloudy, you get that chance at an epic sunrise with amazing colors.
I can’t recommend anything to change on this scene. Nailed it. Next time you go, give me a shout out. I’d love to shoot there with you and maybe head over the White Mountains and the bristlecone pines. Oh, and good to be back! 
