Lone Pine Canyon

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 14, 2011388 views18 comments

I tried making this image last year in Zion, but my timing in the canyon was off. I had the opportunity to visit this fall, and feel this is a better attempt. I cropped the original to minimize the shadow wall in the lower left. A huge difference in color from the shadow transition to the bright area of the left wall, hopefully not too distracting. The shadow wedge seems to point to the tree, so maybe a plus? The crop also places emphasis on the Ponderosa Pine glowing from the backlighting. No Wind!

Larger Version Recommended, hopefully not trashed from compression. The original uncropped size below, any crop suggestions welcome to improve balance of image. A longer zoom might have been the way to go.

Single exposure, f16, polarizing filter
5D II, 24-105L ISO 100

Comments

18 comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on November 14, 2011 at 2:42 PM

Un-Cropped Version

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on November 14, 2011 at 2:49 PM

I really like this scene. I'd prefer the cropped version. Beautiful image.

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on November 14, 2011 at 3:12 PM

Gorgeous light Harry. The first thing I noticed was the back lighting on that Ponderosa pine. I definitely prefer the cropped version. Strong image!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on November 14, 2011 at 3:55 PM

A tricky shot. I definitely prefer the cropped version. It not only minimizes the shadow, it is more in visual alignment with the subject, bringing the pine into more prominence.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on November 14, 2011 at 4:04 PM

The cropped version does it for me. Very well "post-composed"

I like all the layers and forms of that composition, works really well for me.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on November 14, 2011 at 4:08 PM

Lovely isolation of the tree, Harry and the cropped version works much better for me. The problem in the wider version is the dark shadow area in the LLC - it's too powerful compared to the (there) small tree. Maybe if you brighten that shadow area, the wider version might be nice as well.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on November 14, 2011 at 4:28 PM

Harry, you have some sweet light with a fine comp and color. Well done!

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on November 14, 2011 at 5:52 PM

Harry, I like this a lot. In fact, I just got back from Zion, and spent some time one day in the canyon shooting this pine and scene. I regonized the scene immediately. I was attracted to the shot at the time because of the lines and lone pine, and I certainly like your version with the warm light (the light was softer when I shot it, so I may have to go back too!).

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on November 14, 2011 at 8:15 PM

EXCELLENT, Harry! This captures Zion perfectly. Definitely like the crop best.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on November 14, 2011 at 9:57 PM

I like them both, but like you I would probably go with the cropped version. Love the colors in the rock faces. instead of being the star, the tree just complements the surrounding walls IMO

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 14, 2011 at 10:54 PM

I prefer the cropped version--but the wall on the rhs seems a bit bright in the cropped version, it looks like it's in full shadow so i would think the non dark areas there should have a similar luminosity to the same sort of areas on the back wall--that section looks better to me in the uncropped version. Nice subject and light!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on November 15, 2011 at 7:18 AM

Stan - I completely agree. I checked the RAW file again and the right wall is not as bright as here. Needs to be toned down a little.

Thanks all for the feedback, Ill stick with this crop.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Justin Reznick on November 15, 2011 at 2:25 PM

Wonderful light Harry, and I definitely prefer the crop.

Registered on November 24, 2009, 79 Posts, 515 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Hayden on November 15, 2011 at 2:42 PM

Cropped version is much stronger, as they almost always are when there's a specific subject of interest. In this case, it's the backlit tree. The feeling of the larger scene when we're there rarely seems to translate in an image, unless it's something like the Grand Canyon.

Registered on November 21, 2009, 41 Posts, 201 Comments

Comment posted by Hillary Younger on November 15, 2011 at 6:00 PM

Wonderful light and textures...and the crop makes perfect sense.

Registered on October 2, 2011, 17 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on November 15, 2011 at 10:12 PM

Sometimes harsher light can make for a really good image. Very nice!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 16, 2011 at 12:57 PM

I like this Harry. The cropped version works much better for me too. The Ponderosa Pine with the backlighting looks great. A nice interesting view that is very pleasing to me. Nice work with the light!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Minish on November 17, 2011 at 12:02 AM

Very nice, Harry! I love all the different textures and colors in this scene. The cropped version has better balance and more detail in the tree but the full version really shows the scale better.

Registered on February 4, 2006, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments