Under the Cave

Gallery: LandscapePosted February 24, 2017197 views15 comments

I'd love some thoughts on this one... a little difficult to capture and process. The ice cave itself was quite amazing and huge but I had to deal with some pretty brackish water due to constant rainfall going through the volcanic mud -- which also is quite prominent in the frame. Rather than letting the "heart" blow out I used multiple exposures and preserved the color and detail in the BG.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on February 24, 2017 at 10:24 AM

Tha large version is a must-see. The detail and color are much better than the small version. Navin, it is obvious it was a quite a challenge, and I think you did a fine job with this. It has an eerie mood. There is some noise in the deep darks, but it is not a deal-breaker. I really like the ice on the roof of the cave. The detail and color there are excellent.
--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Navin Sarma on February 24, 2017 at 10:49 AM

Thanks Preston. The noise may be some sharpening I applied globally at this point. Since this is 5 exposures the native noise is at a minimum. Thanks for your comment on color -- I had struggled with the congruency between teals and oranges

Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Kearl on February 24, 2017 at 10:51 AM

The large version is excellent. I can imagine how difficult the exposure must have been. Nice work.

Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments

Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on February 24, 2017 at 12:33 PM

Very dramatic and unique. Great job processing this extreme dynamic range. If it were mine I think I'd tone down the saturation and perhaps also the lumosity a tad in the blue ice.

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

Comment posted by Stephen Stanton on February 24, 2017 at 2:17 PM

You met the challenges of this image, Navin. like your processing ...the scaly blue ice really transports to another place, juxtaposed with the natural light and colors of the sky in the "heart" make this an exceptional image, very well composed.

Registered on March 1, 2015, 54 Posts, 453 Comments

Comment posted by Sairam Sundaresan on February 24, 2017 at 3:15 PM

Agree with Dave on the saturation. This is a monster job and you've done really well, Navin!

Registered on March 14, 2013, 100 Posts, 643 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on February 24, 2017 at 8:12 PM

Crazy light and colors here. Where even are you? Iceland? Would say processing looks pretty good. Maybe a bit more contrast to the walls as can feel the shadows are opened there. But yea...rad work. Hopefully you did some abstracts to the ceiling too while there :)

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on February 24, 2017 at 9:26 PM

Beautiful job on this.The melt water snaking through balances the action going on above. The ice patterns unique looking. I might try bringing out more of the colors in the reflected light in the water, either increasing the orange sat or maybe the highlights in that area. Just a thought, pretty great as is. Nice flow to the image.

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

Comment posted by gary phillips on February 24, 2017 at 11:03 PM

Incredibly unique image, Navin. I absolutely love it. Technically very difficult to pull off and you did an amazing job. It's like a slot canyon with a crazy roof. Beautiful work.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on February 25, 2017 at 12:50 AM

Navin,

This is super! I must commend you on your processing - great job in keeping the exposure of the "heart" and also keeping it real. I would agree about the saturation up top, but that's not a deal killer. I think the success here, is that you captured and processed this that lets the viewer see and experience what it was like inside this cave. Great job!

Lon

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

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on February 25, 2017 at 9:51 AM

Navin, the blue and black streaking/lines on the ceiling and the lit scallops are very nice, and the blue ice makes a nice color contrast with the warm light pst the cave entrance. A suggestion may be to brighten the dark walls just very little and maybe clone out some of the brighter tiny white specs on dark left wall. It must have been a neat experience being in that ice cave.

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on February 25, 2017 at 9:52 AM

The larger version is a major improvement, Navin, with the glow in the ceiling taking on added beauty. On my screen, the larger version shows up with about half of the stream at the bottom cut off and that looks like a good view to me. The warmth of the distant sky makes a great contrast to the chilly blue ice. It's a great view.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Ryan Shain on February 25, 2017 at 7:16 PM

HI Navin,

Fo me this image exudes an emotional response. The sense of WOW, I have never seen this before leaves me rally loving what you have accomplished in this wonderful capture. The color looks great to me, and I love those turquoise blues up top. The processing looks abut perfect, but I like the idea of trying to toning down the volcanic walls in the brightest area.

Astonishing work

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

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on February 26, 2017 at 1:28 AM

Spectacular scene Navin. My only suggestion might be to lighten the lower left a little. The ceiling light is unique and attractive.

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

Comment posted by Genny K. on February 26, 2017 at 8:02 PM

Really cool!! I think you did an awesome job on this. I might tone down the blue of the ice just a bit, but otherwise, this is great. I really like how you saved the color out there at the opening. I think it's just lovely.
Be careful in these ice tunnels; they do cave in.

Registered on June 5, 2006, 132 Posts, 2001 Comments