Corbett Sunset

Here's a shot of a sweet sunset Monday evening. This is Corbett, the easternmost peak in the Sneffels Range as seen from Ridgway. As you can see, the sun is now setting much further north and this part of the range is now picking up lots of afternoon light.

This is actually a crop from a pano I made with four vertical images, with a 300mm lens on my Nikon D80. So this part is about 2 or 2.5 stitched verticals.

I am torn between this crop here and the full pano, which you can see here: http://www.widerange.org/images/large/corbettPinkPanorama.jpg Which do you prefer?

I see why you are having trouble picking between the 2, I think the composition on both really works. However, I think the full pano works for me because of the addition of more of that sweet light, the continuation of the ridge in the middle and the foreground ridge with the trees. But I also really like the crop though because it works for the same reasons -- an enviable position you're in.

Jack:

These are both absolutely tremendous images! Stunning, moody and well-composed - my nod goes to the crop due to a single, discernable subject.

Very well-seen!

Wow, what lighting! Great photo Jack!

The pano does it for me and i'll tell you why-there's a rhythm created by the long undulating middleground line that punctuates at the silhouetted tree, this establishes a leading line for the tree's counterpoint against the mountain making a stronger contrast and directs the viewers eye, also the size ratios are more "digestable" (yeah i just make these words up) for my eye in the pano presentation.

Beautiful light, Jack!
I vote for the pano version, better flow. The cropped version stops your eyes prematurely, as it hints there's more to see to the right.

Thanks for your insightful comments so far. The comments favoring the pano are making the choice even harder for me, since I was tending to prefer the crop - the reason being that the left side of the pano is certainly the stronger portion of the composition and can stand alone cropped. The right side could not stand alone. But... I do agree that the crop hints at more to see on the right. Hmmmmm......

Hmm... looks like my earlier post didn't make it.

I voted for the pano also, because the crop feels "truncated" on the right.
I'm not sure that an intermediate crop would help this.

I like the full pano, but the crop works well too. Print them both?

I vote for the pano too. I like the middle ridge and more of the sweet light. The tree on the right still provides an interesting element in the larger scene.
Very nice!

Sweet light, indeed. Full pano for me, more of a 3D perspective and a wall of mountains dripping with gorgeous light!

Beautiful shots, Jack. For my wall, I'd go for the pano; I tend to like wider views better than tightly framed ones, and there's plenty to take in on the pano shot. I also like that the sweet light is bracketed by shadow areas which creates a natural start and stop to the scene. I agree that with the one above, I find myself wanting to see what's off to the right.

I really like the Full Pano, but can see your dilemma between the 2. Great stuff either way you go.

I'm happy to say I don't have to pick one. I think they're both awesome!

While the crop is very nice, the pano is better. I think in landscape photography, more is often better. That's why we like wide angle lenses.

Great light, comp...

Jack, I'll sound off on the full pano as well. Nice stich!

I like the pano best, nice shot.

Pano for me too. I think the reason I want to see more when looking at the crop is not only because the of sweet light on the right side, but also what looks like a ridge line leading out of the shot is so straight that my eye tells me there's more mountain to see here. If that line were descending down like on the left side then the crop might seem a little more complete. In the pano you've got the descending line on the right side that is lit up with light that seems to provide a little more balance, at least to my eye anyway. Either way though Jack they're both beautiful shots!

Great shot. I vote for full pano, the other seems a little tight.

Jack that is some awesome light but I agree with comments regarding the pano. The shadowy, undulating ridge in the foreground anchored by the tree on left just pull it all toghether for my eyes. Nice!
John

Nice work Jack. I love that FG ridge line as it drops off to the right. So jealous that you basically wake up to this view every day...

Thanks so much everyone for your comments and advice. Wow, the pano pretty much won in a landslide! Interesting to me, since I'm still pretty torn between the two. It probably goes to show how your vision of your own work can be skewed or biased. But your overwhelming preference for the pano certainly weighs in. I think if I can pull out some more color/contrast in the bottom right foreground of the pano, it will help the problem that I see with it.