From an outing in May of this year. I not sure how to handle the highlights on water like this but I think it looks better than my earlier post of this falls.
Posted by Chris Hodney on December 15, 2007 at 12:26 AM
I took a very similar shot from this very spot in May also:) I really like the overall detail in the midtones and shadows here. This is a very evenly lit image. I'd only say that the whites in the water look a little bluish and flat overall. Perhaps a little more contrast, or little less of the Shadow/Highlight filter if that was even used.
Posted by Bryan Swan on December 15, 2007 at 2:31 AM
In regard to your processing, this definitely feels flat to me. The shadows need to be deeper, especially in the background and on the right side of the stream. I wouldn't worry too much about blowing out the highlights in the stream - get the rest of the image looking right, then you can deal with the highlights (I'd suggest either double processing or duplicating the layer, using the shadows / highlights tool to tame the burnt areas, then mask the layer off completely and paint in by hand the areas you want showing through).
Compositionally this one feels a bit cramped to me. Would have preferred one of either a wider vertical or a horizontal shot, or a closer cropping of the boulders and the water, leaving the trees in the background out of view instead.
Posted by John Lehmkuhl on December 15, 2007 at 3:57 PM
Seems too light everwhere - amost HDR ish. Agree with what Bryan says about the comp also....
Posted by Adrian Klein on December 15, 2007 at 8:01 PM
Hey Larry, I do feel the HDR'ish a little here too, as John mentioned. I personally like the comp and colors but I agree that it seems a little flat.
Thanks folks... The beauty of digital is you can always start over from square 1.
Posted by Marc Dilley on December 17, 2007 at 11:56 AM
I'm coming in a bit late to add much of anything new here. Overall I like the feeling of suffused light, esp. on the moss-covered boulders. On first blush the preponderance of yellow seems a bit unreal, but then the water has no yellow color so that provides a reality check for the viewer who has never seen such moss in person (However, even the conifer foliage above appears pretty yellow). I don't have any experience with HDR, but I noticed that there are no true blacks anywhere in the image. Also, I agree that the FG comp feels a bit cramped, but then, you use what is at hand.
Posted by Jack Graham on December 17, 2007 at 1:40 PM
Discussion
9 repliesCompositionally this one feels a bit cramped to me. Would have preferred one of either a wider vertical or a horizontal shot, or a closer cropping of the boulders and the water, leaving the trees in the background out of view instead.
JG