Near my campsite on top of Lookout Mountain a few weeks ago, the sun peaked out for a few seconds through the frigid, misty atmosphere just before it set.
Thanks for your suggestions and comments!
5D, 17-40 at 17mm, 1/20 sec at F10, no filters, ISO 100.
Posted by Sean Bagshaw on April 4, 2007 at 6:03 PM
Marc, exposure, color, light quality and drama are great. My eye is looking for a bit more of a path of negative space (snow) leading through the trees toward the ridge point and sun. I don't know if such a perspective existed or if you would have had time to recompose, but I feel like I get bottlenecked where the trees come together.
Nice image Mark. I'd be afraid to walk around for fear fo messing up a potential comp!
I see half a dozen dark spots in the sky. Dust gremlins? On your sensor??
Marc,
It's real interesting seeing this area this time of year. I suspect not too many people have been up there in the winter. I know when I've been up there in mid July there was still alot of snow. BTW I really like the image. The little burst of light you captured came at a perfect time.
Marc, I know you want honest critique, so --- I find my eye keeps getting drawn up to the bright spots in the sky with no reward. I think the sky is nearly featureless and the snow and trees muted and uninteresting. I'm sure this shot holds good memories for you and maybe someone else who has been there, but it doesn't hold my attention.
Um well I too am only so so on this one Marc. Not your usual OMG images that we have all come to expect. You spoil us Marc!!! The scene over all is quite interesting but as a compelling image I'm luke warm. I bet snow shoeing up to there was quite the experience!!
Hey, Marc, I like these kind of images. So many things came to mind: how much mystery and mood there is, wonderful Marc Adamus lighting, a precarious looking campsite? (even if it wasn't, it looks like you might fall off the edge of the earth!), a sense of adventure, COLD. If you decide to work on this, and it fits your ethics, you can widen the area of snow where the branches now nearly overlap. And you could do whatever other magical things you do in post-processing. I think it's a good shot.
Posted by John Lehmkuhl on April 5, 2007 at 10:39 AM
The sun grabs my attention but like others, I don't have a reward in the scene to gaze at for very long.... sorry but if there was something more to tie this together it would be more appealing.
Posted by David Svilar on April 5, 2007 at 1:44 PM
I agree with the above comment about the path being "bottlenecked." To me, this image begs for a human subject to add interest - such as a skier or snowshoer. Otherwise, I don't find it as captivating as your typical images.
An excellent sense-of-adventure pic, the sloping ridges and smaller trees, and in-the-clouds really tells you you are on top of something high. I think it might actually have a lot of potential due to that, even sales wise.
Wide range of opinions on this one folks. To respond to a few comments: Yes, it definitely has a certain appeal to me that it won't have for others who haven't experienced such places. No, this is absolutely the last image I'd ever want to see human interaction - the appeal of the image itself for me is almost entirely due to the untouched solitude described within it. I heard that 'lack of reward' thing a couple times - yes, there's not much drama in the sky - no real "Wow" factor there - that's easy to understand, but again, I was going for untouched solitude in this capture. I wanted to give the feeling of beautiful and remote place. This was never envisioned as an OMG type image. It's a very quiet, peaceful one. I should have stated up front that was my sole intention here. And again, I second the comments that it is a little tight through the middle.
Other than it being a bit tight in the middle I like the composition. I agree it isn't a wow shot, but it does show emotion (or stir emotion in the viewer). Actually for me if the only light showing was the patch in the middle it would be better. Kind of a path to the top of the hill and too the light...
I'm not feeling this one at all Marc. I don't get a good sense of a flow of the image, and as stated above, the bright spot does tend to attract initial attention and sort of holds it. It does convey solitude, but to me, I'm sure its not anywhere near what you experienced and were attempting to capture here.
Discussion
15 repliesThanks for your suggestions and comments!
5D, 17-40 at 17mm, 1/20 sec at F10, no filters, ISO 100.
I see half a dozen dark spots in the sky. Dust gremlins? On your sensor??
It's real interesting seeing this area this time of year. I suspect not too many people have been up there in the winter. I know when I've been up there in mid July there was still alot of snow. BTW I really like the image. The little burst of light you captured came at a perfect time.