Merced Stew!

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 12, 2012358 views20 comments

I've never seen this before here. mainly because there isn't any stagnant water in this area in a "normal" year. But this year the low water level in the Merced allowed for it. The reddish algae was bubbling up as I was making this. Some product of photosynthesis I suppose. Anyway, comps are kind of difficult to make around these scenes. I hope you enjoy this one. The other guys were about 100yards down stream taking pictures of trees, I think!

I noticed here, that the one granite rock looks too blue. I tried to neutralize that as much as possible in the larger version. Maybe forgot to do the small one.

D800,
24-70mm,
1.5sec, F/13,

Thanks,
Chris

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Russell Colletta on December 12, 2012 at 11:20 PM

Iridescent color is quite amazing Chris. Nicely seen and captured.

Registered on October 31, 2009, 114 Posts, 1008 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 13, 2012 at 12:17 AM

Very cool! Love the colours, leaves, comp and that great rock.
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Drew M Wright on December 13, 2012 at 2:11 AM

Nice Chris; love the color.

Registered on June 18, 2008, 23 Posts, 106 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on December 13, 2012 at 7:59 AM

Organizing Mother Nature is difficult but this works very well.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 13, 2012 at 9:27 AM

Wow! That is some awesome color. I really enjoy looking at this Chris. The large version is just amazing and the granite rock does look better there. Some great textures too besides the colors. Nice find and good work capturing it... and those guys were looking at trees!...

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 13, 2012 at 9:42 AM

This is a great eyeful of color and shapes. This turned out really well. Not what I would expect on the Merced. The benefits of a drought year. I might burn the leaves on the lower left and upper left a bit?

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

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on December 13, 2012 at 9:52 AM

What a great intimate landscape, Chris. Lots to look at and enjoy in this scene. I particularly like that granite rock along with the sheen in the water.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on December 13, 2012 at 1:16 PM

Great find and well executed.

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

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on December 13, 2012 at 3:45 PM

I dont know Chris. This one is not doing anything for me. The center rock seems to take to much attention away from the iridescent film on the water and the lower granite rock just feels like an intruder. I remember you working in that area and even went over there after you finished but I did not see anything that interested me.

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

Comment posted by Peter Gordon on December 13, 2012 at 3:52 PM

Would love to have seen a much tighter crop focusing on the textures within the blue area..

Registered on May 31, 2007, 224 Posts, 1490 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 13, 2012 at 4:27 PM

Chris,

So this is what you were doing, wallowing down there in the muck...

Marvelous color and those leaves - they look metallic! A chaotic arrangement, but I think it absolutely works. What I think is really, really cool is the white areas above and to the left of the main rock - I'd swear those are big white puffy clouds being reflected! Sure looks that way to me. Way cool.

I would agree that bottom rock could use some selective color adjustment. A little strong in the cyan - even in larger view. I also would consider cloning that little white patch in the ULC that looks like paint chipped off or something like that. No biggie though, it's not like there aren't any other little things scattered around this scene.

I like this quite a lot Chris.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Rudy Ruberti on December 13, 2012 at 6:56 PM

Chris, Some really nice colors here and this does look like a stew, but I wouldn't want to eat it (the large rock kind of looks like a kidney to me).

Registered on October 28, 2008, 179 Posts, 1875 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 13, 2012 at 7:26 PM

I really like the textures, colors and contrasts. Even the reflections work here. The brown rock in the middle looks like a dead animal, though. Know it's rock, but it looks organic.

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

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on December 13, 2012 at 9:01 PM

Very well seen with lots of interesting texture and color. I like the contrasting elements and color.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on December 14, 2012 at 3:59 AM

Pretty amazing color and detail, I really like this, excellent work Chris.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on December 14, 2012 at 4:16 AM

A bit weird but quite wonderful!

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on December 14, 2012 at 11:45 AM

Large version is really sweet Chris. Nicely composed and I love the colors and texture of the center rock! Great color contrast too.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on December 14, 2012 at 12:34 PM

Nice! Something a little different for ya, huh! The colors here are so rich and bold. That main rock is sweet, too. The small colorful leaves really finish this off well.

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on December 14, 2012 at 12:37 PM

Interesting shot, I like the colors.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 14, 2012 at 10:03 PM

Looks like a dead bloated animal...weird, but i like it!

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