In the Range of Light

Hello all, thanks for the info you gave me before I made my recent trek through Southern California.

Here's an image from the Buttermilk hills above Bishop.

I found this large, dead tree atop a small crest in the hills and figured it might make a nice foreground for some wide angle shots at sunrise. A few mornings later, a cold front slammed into the range as the sun rose over the Eastern deserts and illuminated the impending storm. I took lots of pictures but I was about to start packing it up when the light came around the hill behind me and illuminated the log by itself, sitting above the dark valley. I had only 10 seconds or so to fire off a few frames before the light became too harsh in the foreground. Luckily, the light was angled enough to keep me and my tripod's shadow mostly out of it.

I like the image but also think that some might find it to be too busy. Let me know what you think if you have a moment.

5D, 17-40 at 17mm, 2-stop GND, 1/10 at F14.

This would have to be my favorite image from your recent trip. It looks like you created slight vignetting on this image and it totally works because it draws my eye to the trunk and the mountains. I think that helps direct me towards the good stuff, and keeps it from being busy like you stated in your last sentence. the area around the grad line is a bit dark on the corners tho I'm sure that was accentuated by the vignette or perhaps it was shadow. hard to tell the difference sometimes.

btw, I don't think many people would consider the Eastern Sierra to be Southern California. At least I've never heard before.

OK. Fair enough, I should have said Southern Sierra, not Southern California - as in the area between Bishop and Lone Pine. There is no vignette added except slight darkening of the foreground and LRC. I suppose I could clean up that grad-line a bit more just in case anyone finds it distracting.

The overall color and detail is excellent. The ND was executed very nicely providing a really natural look & feel to the scene. I have been to this area often and really enjoy the sunrises here during all seasons of the year. A very nicely captured image overall, Marc.

I might be interesting in buying a print of this in a little while if you are making it available. What are your prices?

You can find prices on my site but I'd be willing to send you one for discount. Just email me. Thanks.

Great image. I love the way the piece of wood mirrors the shape of the mountain range.

I do not think it is too busy...the color of the sunset is mirrored in the log and as Inge pointed out, the log mirrors the mountain range. Nice capture! - worth a good look for the May CANP pic!!!!

Very nice capture - I really like how the log parallels the mountains.

Scott

Great capture. But as you said, "some might find it to be too busy". Yes, I find here image within an image.

Sorry for the late response, Marc. I have been busy with another past time these days and don't have much time for photography related stuff.

This is a very lovely photo. As is typical with your work, the drama in the scene instantly catches my attention. What I find specially interesting about this composition is how your placement of the dead tree in the foreground makes it appear to be an observer (rather than a passive element).

Very nice. I have a fancy for wide angle shots, and the light is very good.

I have a few nitpicks:

- The top left of the log's brightness does not stand out enough from the background on my screen, i would've prefered to see brightened a little more. I suspect it's one of the reasons the photo looks busy: a part of the log doesn't stand out enough from the background and makes it blend causing brain confusion.
- Why cut the bottom right of the log?

I have looked at this many times Marc, and what intrigues me most is the silver/pink detail of the log, in the middle. Overall the image is very good, but seems to be missing something for me. Perhaps I've become jaded and expect to see very dynamic(movement) in your images, which this doesn't seem to have. However, I'm very intrigued with that log. I'd like to see more of it and less of the bg. Having said that, this is a unique image from the BM country that I would think most visitors would love to buy and take home with them. Your determination and persistance is very encouraging. thanks for sharing!