Sculpted Icicles #1

Gallery: LandscapePosted February 15, 2016287 views13 comments

I went to Great Falls on Saturday hoping to get some ice in the falls but there wasn't any. However, there were lots of neat icicle formations attached to vegetation hanging over or standing just above the rapidly moving water. I'm finding the views and the processing quite challenging so I'm very interested in your thoughts and suggestions. (7D2, 70-200 f2.8 + 1.4 TE, 1/640s, f/16, iso 200, tripod)

The blues in the upper right were an easy fix with a locally masked saturation layer in PS. The lighting is considerably more challenging as there already are several areas with blown highlights. The brightness is something that I'm continuing to explore.

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on February 15, 2016 at 2:30 PM

Hi Mark,

I like the overall shape of the ice especially down near the water. I would selectively remove or reduce (maybe darken) the impact of the blue spot in the upper rh corner. The captured texture is very interesting to the eye and is well composed.....................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on February 15, 2016 at 2:55 PM

Awesome Mark! Fascinating ice formations. I really like the specular highlights, including the bits of blue throughout - except for the larger blob of blur in the URC, as Jim already mentioned. It's definitely an eye magnet for me; not an image killer by any stretch, but my eye keeps wanting to go there.

The detail in the large view is incredible. Great job on this one!

Lon

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

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on February 15, 2016 at 3:50 PM

Cool! Reminds of the crystals hanging on a chandelier. Have you thought of playing around with the water area around the ice crystals. I might try a gaussean blur to creat a soft bokeh like effect there???

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on February 15, 2016 at 4:07 PM

Mark, This is really cool looking. I think this comp works very nice and I really like the clarity of the ice. I agree about the one bigger blue spot in the urc. Nice work!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on February 15, 2016 at 5:52 PM

This is good! Great shapes and reflective qualities. I also agree about the blue spots. Real nice image.

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

Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on February 15, 2016 at 7:09 PM

Mark,
Excellent. Some very interesting ice formations. The larger version is compelling. At least on my monitor it looks a bit dark. I think I would raise the white point and lighten up the image a bit to further accentuate the ice.

Registered on December 10, 2015, 104 Posts, 1112 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on February 16, 2016 at 8:43 AM

This is so cool, Mark. It looks like wine glasses hanging upside down and the high lights on the formations is spectacular. My only suggestion would be to get rid of the already mentioned blue spot. Great eye to spot this.

Ed.

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

Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on February 16, 2016 at 11:46 AM

Oh wow, how cool is that!?! Very good capture of this phenomenon, and my only small nit would be the aforementioned blue spot. Did you also try this with an ND filter? Would be interesting to see what it would look like with a long exposure, removing most of the details from the water.

Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on February 16, 2016 at 12:09 PM

Very interesting scene Mark.

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on February 16, 2016 at 7:09 PM

You are very good at finding interesting shapes in the ice. You have had more than your share of subzero weather in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Hope you haven't had to shovel too much snow. This is a very fine image from Great Falls, one of my favorite places in your vicinity. I really like the little hints of blue that come through the grays of the ice along with the textures and highlights.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Ryan Shain on February 16, 2016 at 9:50 PM

I love the study in these ice formations, and the larger version is a must see to really explore the fascinating ice structures. The patterns in the water are very interesting as well, and go along great with the ice up top. A beautiful eye to see and frame this one up Mark.

Digging this view very much

Registered on February 20, 2007, 226 Posts, 4571 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on February 17, 2016 at 5:42 AM

I like how the interesting ice forms stand out against the darker water Mark. I agree with the others one the blue in the upper right.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on February 17, 2016 at 12:47 PM

Hi Mark.

How can i comment on this image better than Lon? cool

except that to say, the base of ice looks like hand cut crystal.

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments