Updated version: I've replaced my original on my web server, which is version number three now. Sorry, for the confusion, but I guess you can compare ver2 with ver3 now. I mainly tried to minimize the reds in the tree trunk and I returned the river to a cooler tone.
Thanks again for your comments. The feedback is invaluable!
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Ok, so I borrowed the title from my second favorite golf movie, "Happy Gilmore."
More importantly, I'm reminded of a blog post by Youssef about
"The Happiest Place on Earth." I mention this for a couple reasons. First of all, Yosemite is my "happy place," but not because it's Yosemite, it just happens to be Yosemite. You/we all have our favorite place where we can just sit and do nothing; absorb the air, the smells and the joys of being there; contemplating life, the beauty that surrounds us, no matter where "there" is. And we have cameras to bring those experiences home to be remembered forever. I do feel blessed that Yosemite happens to be the place for me.
The second reason I mention Youssef is because he has posted at least two images from this fall that are basically from the same spot along the Merced river, just west of the Pahono bridge. His images were a week to couple weeks before this one, so you can see the color changes if you recall his images. Our images were captured independently and mine without knowledge of his. I just noticed this and this is weird, too weird. Youssef posted this
image, the same day I captured the one I'm posting.
Anyway... one of my favorite non-dogwoods from the trip.
Any thoughts about about this image are greatly appreciated!
4x5, Nikkor 210mm, V100, f/32 @9s
lots of layers, scanned twice - once for the water, second time for the trees. A double processed "raw" file! Who needs SD cards?
Thanks all,
Lon
Comments
35 commentsYou better have this one printed up for the next time we meet, or I'll kick your, well, you know!
Stunning work, Lon!
--P
The composition is simply outstanding, as is the amount of detail.
Your work in 'developing' this one has really paid off. Interesting to view a side x side of Youssef's work and yours.
Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.
- Dan.
You've convinced me, I'm going back to film. What was I thinking
processing is excellent. It looks like the shutter speed is just right for
the water. I have no suggestions for improvement.
Excellent composition Lon! As coherent and balanced as it gets. I like how the water looks - very dark and just the right shutter speed. The foliage looks great too - love the warm colors!
I was wondering if someone was going to comment on the redness of the trunks. I can't remember what they really looked like, but I can tell you that I worked on that, desaturating the magenta a LOT, but I was wondering about the patches of red on the trunk.
Also, Bruce mentioned this was a little "cool." So I masked and almost completely desaturated the red in the trunk and warmed the white balance slightly.
Let me know what you think and thanks very much for the feedback. It really helps to improve our images to be the best they can be.
Lon
This is uncanny! That we were standing in nearly the same spot about 1 week apart from each other in time. It is also amazing to see how much further along the trees were in just one week! The image you linked to of mine was taken digitally but then later posted the 4x5 version, here taken with a 150mm lens so its a bit wider and this one taken with a 300mm lens.
Anyway, I just love the balance you have between the water and the trees. I don't see much difference in the color between the original and the repost. Looking forward to more.
I noticed the cool look in the first, but definately like it. A subtle difference in the repost, but probably better in the end. A beautiful capture!
Chris