OT - California Fall Trip

Hopefully a few photos from out of the RMNP territory are okay to post. We didn't have time to make the drive from Oregon to CO this fall, so we instead opted for a quick trip to the Eastern Sierra. I got a few traditional shots from the various canyons that I'll post later, but this one was kind of a surprise.

On the way down, we stopped at Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern CA. We camped outside the park and planned a quick drive through on way to Bishop. Certainly not a fall destination, but the ground cover and morning light made for some good photography.

This one seems to reside somewhere between literal and abstract, with wide-ranging responses. So I'd be interested to hear if it resonates with you.

Oooooooo very nice Rick! I absolutely love the composition and this image is definitely effective! Its simple and yet strong.... looks like a great place to visit.

Overall, I like it Rick. While it isn't as dynamic as your Escalante detail shots there still is a lot to look at here. I'd go for just a slightly tighter crop, maybe a tenth off of the top and right side.

As I scrolled down to view the photo, I saw the first part of sunny slope and just chuckled to myself, knowing as the shot unfolded that I was looking at something that I'm nearly always woefully incapable of seeing when I'm out in the field. It's such a well-thought-out and well-constructed image, right down to that oh-so-important shaft of sunlight grazing the slope in the upper right-hand corner. Magic.

(I'd probably take those blues in the shadows and de-saturate them, making them a dark slate gray.)

I think it's excellent, Rick. Great details and a wonderful composition. Lassen is one of my favorite parks and you've done it justice here!

I love the light you captured here, but compositionally, i have a problem: the top dark portion doesnt mesh with the bottom 4/5 of the shot, its disruptive to me. Ideally, id like to see the line of backlit trees snake their way into the ulhc, but that would require a crop at top at an uncomfortable spot, cutting off the treetops! I guess id compromise and crop just a bit off the top, that would make this more cohesive, IMHO.

Wonderful light! I also really like those bushes on the left snaking through the image.

Nice, Rick. Ây eye follows the golden ridge. This would look great BIG.

The warm light is what makes this image stand out, and the shadowplay that help define the contours. I think you did a fine job capturing this.

Thanks for the comments everyone! Yeah, I think the blues got away from me a little up top. I pulled them in and tried Stan's crop suggestion. Not sure about it, Stan. I think the balance is a little better, but the impact of the light shaft is lessened. Maybe something in between...

Very nice Rick. Any more to show? I always love looking at your work.

RichieV

Rick this is a very unique shot! What I really like about the original is the way the shafts of light cut through the shadow in the upper portion reciprocated by the long shadows of the trees wrapping over the top of the nicely lit hill. Good thought on Stan's part but I agree that messed with the dynamic of the shot. Those light shafts in realtion to the shadows I think is the more important element here. As Dave suggests, this is screamming "PRINT ME BIG!!"

Thanks guys! Richie - I have a couple more that I'll post, though I think this is my fav of the small bunch. It wasn't a very productive trip, unfortunately. The scenery was great, but the weather... not so much.

John - yep, you and Todd hit on what made the shot for me. The shafts of light in the shadow area and the shafts of "shadow" in the sunlit areas brings the two parts together. If I get my Epson 3800 soon, I'll be printing it to at least 16x20!