Gateway to Paradise

Well, the title says it all. This was near the exit (entrance for most) to one of the finest hikes in the world, Zion's Narrows. The place cannot be overphotographed. If you've never backpacked the whole thing (and side canyons too) I strongly recommened it.

What do you guys think of the comp? That big wall in the ULC distracting?...would it have been if I didn't mention it ;-) It works for me as-is. I am lead towards the background and the water flow, but I'm interested in hearing some opinions. I might crop a little more off the left. Thanks.

I like it but the trees seem too centered. I'd go for a crop down from the top and right actually.

The dark ULC is somewhat distracting. I tried cropping off the left to make an almost square comp and believe that improves the scene. The bend in the river and dark wall just don't offer much for the eyes to feast on. Just my 2 cents worth.

Man I didn't know I left GPS locations of my tripod holes in Zion
Nicely done Mark.

My eye went right to the trees then straight up to the top left corner, so yes, distracting and yes it would have been if you hadn't mentioned it. Cropping to just above the trees seems to alleviate the problem.

Marc,
If you could bring out some of the shadows ( not too much, just a little) the wall would look a bit better, but I'd still crop it off just a little. Otherwise it is a fine image.
JG

I like the placement of the trees...and the scene looks great, although part of me likes a crop to pano just above the big right boulder. Other than that suggestion...this is pretty cool. I'd love to do the whole hike sometime.

I like the idea of cropping that left side to the point of a vertical image in that classic 4x5 medium format. My eye kind of yearns to see a touch more at the top if you did a vertical.... Marc, is there more of the top in the original that's usable? If not, you certainly have enough image to have some creative fun. This is just an alternate approach, not an "I think it can be better" approach. ::

The big wall doesn't bother me much, Marc - it's visually balanced with the expanse of still water in the lower right. I really like the way this composition frames the grove of cottonwood - they seem to float like a cloud in this scene. It has beautiful "regional" context of a typical stream scene in the red rock country. I really like this image!

Marc: My eye began at the LRC cascade and traveled to the beautiful trees where it remained. I don't see the roof as a negative. For me the URC wall with the solution pockets provides enough balance. I really like the image; the light on the orange wall behind the trees is great. I would not like to see you crop off the orange wall just to remove the dark roof.
edit: perhaps bring out a bit of detail in the roof, but it's almost not worth mentioning.

I like the image the way it is Marc. I tried the crops, but don't think they're necessary and they disturb the flow of the image. Without the open space the the left, the composition seems too busy and condensed. The open space also adds to the flow for the eye to drift right to left and then back again. The rocks and dark wall to the right act as nice anchors for the composition.

David M. Cobb

Beautiful Marc! While I agree with others suggestions on various crops, I find the scene one of enormous beauty and serenity. The light that is in the distance is super, leading the viewer into the image. Well done!!

Hmmmm... Marc, I now got to view this on my main monitor, and maybe we should forget all I mentioned above (4x5 vertical, yadda...). The ULC mass is growing on me. You have the light of the exit in front of you with the darkness of "going in" slung to the left. It works, quite well!

Also, your image quality keeps getting hugely better. Is this image with the 5D/17-40, or your new setup? I can't get over the color detail... it's like large format.

This is a tough one to gauge due to the number of elements that catch the eye....I tried a few different crops, but I agree with David, they were too condensed. The negative space gives the eye some freedom to rome and travel around the pick as opposed to jumping from the rocks to the tree, to the rock in the URC, etc. I'd stick with the original.

Marc, I like the whole central part of the image from top to bottom. For me that's most intriguing part of the image. If you cropped out the laft wall and even some of the right it wouldn't bother me because I don't find it all that interesting to look at, it just seems like an open, empty space. I also think portrait would help to draw attention to the chasm nature of the gorge. My 2c.
Sounds like an awesome hike. Would love to do it someday.

Superb image - I wouldn't change a thing. Although the trees are more or less centered, it works here. My eye follows the diagonal of the rocks/water, off to the left where the sculpted canyon wall sweeps it back to the cottonwoods, then up to the bright oranges of the upper canyon wall.

I like that there's a hint of the river bend on the far left, and cropping in would eliminate that sweeping feeling as the eye moves around and back to the cottonwoods.

Tomas - great photographers see things alike, eh? I didn't know you shot this one though... I do have a lot of stuff from throughout the entirety of the narrows, 5, 10 miles up past the springs and also of Orderville and Deep Creek that not a lot of people have shot as well though.

Thanks to all for the detailed opinions.

I too vote for leaving as is, nice shot Marc.

Hi, Marc,
I found the ULC to be distracting; it took me a minute to get past that and become more oriented to the scene from the perspective you chose. Everything eventually came together for me, though. Then I thought again about how overpowering that UL is compared to the water below it... The green trees in there are great; wow, they're brilliant. So, there's my train of thought in looking at this image.
Agreed this spot is so alluring. Sounds out of my reach, though... I'll continue to love to see the shots everyone else gets from here! So, I kinda hope you'll post some more.