Yosemite Chronicles #9

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 18, 2011551 views25 comments

Criss-Cross. Ok, let's depart from the forest scenes. I do appreciate the honest comments and responses on my previous images.

Once Chris and I had done our due diligence with previous location we walked back down to the Bridal Veil parking lot. We decided to brave the mobs and head towards the base of the falls, although we had our sites on Bridal Veil creek, rather than the falls, which was a trickle this time of year. Chris and I soon departed ways as we followed our own trails in search of our next image.

I came across this set up and knew I wanted to work and photograph this little intimate cascade. However, it needed work. I spent a little while remove some debris, most from the bottom of the image where the water was gathering in the pool. I also ended up blending some texture i to the water where the 4-sec exposure washed things out. So, a little bit of "landscaping," but the "criss-cross" and little dam of autumn leaves up top were untouched. I'm pretty happy with the end result and would love to hear your thoughts.

4x5, 300mm, V100F, f/16 @4s
TK's magic stuff.

Thanks!

Lon

up next: Autumn on the Merced.

Comments

25 comments

Comment posted by Enrique Vizcarra on December 18, 2011 at 11:38 PM

Wondeful

Large version shows plenty of details

Registered on September 10, 2009, 223 Posts, 393 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on December 18, 2011 at 11:39 PM

Lon,

My first thoughts were wow, what great light this photo has. And I still stick to that. Great light. Aside from that, the composition is very coherent. The lines of the logs work so well in tying the water in. Really well seen and captured.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Jean Day on December 18, 2011 at 11:42 PM

I'm partial to intimate scenes and long exposures on water. I'd say nice work on the landscaping as there is just enough debris to keep the image "natural" and I really like the multiple cascades in this tight comp. Wish I'd have seen this!

Registered on April 10, 2011, 36 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 18, 2011 at 11:45 PM

On the surface it seems a bit chaotic, but as I look at things, it all starts fitting together. My only thought is that some edge-burning, especially in the URC, might put a little more emphasis on the branches in the river.

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

Comment posted by Jeremy Week on December 19, 2011 at 12:29 AM

Wonderful exposure on the water! I like the dynamic comp too

Registered on February 19, 2007, 62 Posts, 394 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 19, 2011 at 12:40 AM

I'm sorry, Lon--you have altered the scene, therefore we must banish you to New Jersey

Seriously, looks good to me, nice flow and balance. I might have tried for a bit more texture on bottom, but that's real minor, it's a winner overall!

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

Comment posted by Rob Graham on December 19, 2011 at 12:51 AM

Wonderful sense of depth to the scene. The jumble of sticks works well together, and the touch of color is nice. I like all the little sprays caused by the sticks.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on December 19, 2011 at 12:56 AM

One really needs to see the larger version to appreciate this photo. Lots of detail plus it gave me the sense of scale I didn't have looking at the smaller version. Nicely seen and captured. I bet a ton of folks walked right by this scene.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on December 19, 2011 at 3:45 AM

Really enjoying the structure of your comp, Lon. The way the logs are framed with opposing energy direction creates lots of dynamics for me. Nice to read how you physically and digitally cleaned up the scene to achieve the image you envisioned. Sometimes a lot of stuff can get in the way of good shot! Lovely light on this scene as well.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Hillary Younger on December 19, 2011 at 5:38 AM

I really like the dynamic element of the multiple small falls. The light on the upper fall brings some vibrant color to the scene....I admire how you have created a balanced, thoughtful comp from seeming chaos.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 19, 2011 at 7:33 AM

I'm really enjoying this, Lon. I really wasn't sure while looking at the thumbnail, but this just comes to life when you click on it! I think this has a wonderful feel about it. To me this would have been a really hard image to compose and you did it expertly! I think it probably took your 4 sec exp to make this work like it does.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by scott lanz on December 19, 2011 at 8:42 AM

Well composed and organized chaos. Nice light and exposure also. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on December 19, 2011 at 10:03 AM

I like this. The wispy water and sturdy sticks play off each other to create a very dynamic image. The intimacy of the scene makes me feel like nature is letting me in on a secret. I love it when I get that feeling in the field and I love it even more when I get that feeling from an image. Very nice

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 19, 2011 at 10:25 AM

Beautiful light and scene. Shame on you for altering the natural order of things. That will cost you a bottle of port next trip! Great image, love the miniature cascade and the light.

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

Comment posted by Bruce King on December 19, 2011 at 12:37 PM

Lon this is definitely my kind of shot and I like the composition very much. The water looks perfect IMO and the scene looks very natural without being too busy. Probably a bit nit-picky but the specular highlights at the lower branches a very slightly distracting but not as much as they often can be. Nice work.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on December 19, 2011 at 1:42 PM

This is indeed a quite enganging and interesting photograph Lon! There is a lot going on, but it works well together. What I find particularly interesting is to see some further details and objects in the blurred water. For example the leaves that got stuck there where the two bigger logs cross. This is quite a cool feature of this image. The water as such is a lot of fun to look at too.

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

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on December 19, 2011 at 1:53 PM

You composed this scene so well. It's a bit a chaotic scene but with your comp you brough order to the chaos.The processing looks spot on to me.

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

Comment posted by Tom Hilton on December 19, 2011 at 7:47 PM

Lon,
Great image...
to me the "chaos" is interesting...
a lot going on, and very well captured...
beautiful image

Registered on September 19, 2011, 68 Posts, 668 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on December 19, 2011 at 8:06 PM

Well, I think this turned out really nice! All I got for our time here was a busted hotshoe level!!!!!!!!

Chris

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

Comment posted by Vance Gese on December 19, 2011 at 11:37 PM

Lon, always love how you make photographs of cascading water (and trees, and mountains, and rocks and ....). This is no exception. The wood diagonals create a wonderful visual flow that complements the water flow so very well. The contrast is excellent throughout. The dam of leaves is a nice element, adding a bit more color. An exquisite image.
(thanks for your comments on my post).

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on December 20, 2011 at 12:58 AM

superb array of diagonals - great composition. love it.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on December 20, 2011 at 4:42 AM

I usually avoid chaotic scenes like this one, but you show that if you get it right it's worth a shot. Very well composed.

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

Comment posted by Peter Richter on December 20, 2011 at 8:05 AM

Lon, the composition looks simple at a first glance, yet there is a lot going on and all the diverse textures and elements keep me exploring your image. The larger version reveals tangible details which I really enjoy.

Peter

Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 20, 2011 at 8:54 PM

Thank you for all the comments folks. I really appreciate it.

Tony - good call on the edge burning, I like it. I'll have to remember that next time I work on this one.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on December 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

A well composed scene, Lon, the light is wonderful here.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments