This Morning at GoG

I knew i couldnt waste a single snow at GoG since this winter has been so unkind to the front range snow-wise, so i froze a couple batteries waiting for sunrise in the -5 or lower temps this morn. Here's a few of the less-classic shots, the overdone icon is at ESS!
Comments and critique always welcome!

Here's one of those classic trees on Rattlesnake

The lone sprout on the way out!

Nice stuff, Stan looks like you were copying me on the first shot there.

The first one is really nice. The 2nd one is ok but I would crop it down, maybe just the trunk and sunstar. I think the 3rd one also needs to be cropped, if the focal point is the tree, then you need to make the tree larger in the frame, as is it is lost amidst the contrasty and busy background. Just my 2 cents, which is probably what it's worth.

I like the composition, light and telephoto perspective with that first one.
Nice juxtapositioning of the red rock and the mountain! Much better than the post at ESS.

I really like the sunstar through the ancient tree. I do wish the big gap in the middle wasn't there, but what are ya gonna do?

The third doesn't work for me for some reason.

All in all, looks like a very fruitful, frosty morning.

They are all nice shots, Stan. The first one looks a litte too red on my lousy monitor, but I like the comp. #2- I like the comp and the sunstar a lot, but the "golden light" on the right looks too much like polution (on my lousy monitor), #3-I like the snow and the tree and the color, but the tree is too bullseyed for me. Maybe a crop in from the left to put the tree on thirds, because the diagonal lines on the right really lead my eye to it. Oh, well, take it for what it's worth.
Morris

I like the light in the first one and the deep red of the foreground rocks. It would be even better if some stronger clouds had formed - but what are you going to do.

Love the 2nd image. Great tree and sunstar. The light coming in on the bottom left is wonderful. Sure, it would be nice to have some clouds in the gap top-center, again, what to do. The right does bother me a little; as Morris pointed out, looks a little like pollution. You've got some flying snow or dust spots on that side as well that I'd clone out.

3rd is not really doing anything for me. I like rocks and trees, but I think I would have preferred a straight on shot. Your subject is just too hidden in this for me. Perhaps a tighter crop would work.

Stan, #1 is cool, #2 the sunstar is really nice and you hgave good light but i agree with Don's crop suggestion. I think I would crop number 3 also so the tree is more in the magic upper right corner.

I love the deep saturated reds in #1. The colors look great on my monitor.

I agree with Don's crop suggestion on #2.

Stan,

I'm glad you made it to GOG today...if I didn't have a job, I would have been there too. I grabbed a couple sunrise shots of The Peak this morning on the way in to work, which can be seen on my flickr account. They are definitely nothing special, but at least I had my camera with me. As for your pictures, I love them, especially #1 and #3. Nicely done!

Here's my out of focus shot from this morning.

The ESS and #2 versions are fairly obvious, but #1 and #3 show some creative thinking. Try cropping #3 to a square from the right edge, and see what it does for you. The color contrast in #1 is nice - although the impact of the image can be enhanced by cropping even tighter. Just food for thought anyway. Keep up the "less-classic" shooting.

...looks like you were copying me on the first shot there.

You and who's army?!

Really nice stuff, Stan. All three are so different. I caught a glimpse of the view towards the Garden this morning on one of the local stations, and it looked like some fog had formed. I thought it was just breaking up (it was well past sunrise), but the absence of fog in your shots tells me it occurred well after sunrise. It looked pretty localized, but it did look like some of it was over by the Garden.

I like #1 a lot - the red rock balances the comp and contrasts with the peak nicely. #2 is a good idea, but has too big of a hole in the middle. I'm not sure what the subject is in 3 and agree that the tree should be more dominant.

Stan,

I love the color contrast in these -- and especially the shot over at ESS. Where #1 and #3 shot FF with the 200mm ?

Thanks for all the helpful comments folks! One thing ive noticed (maybe its just psychological) is that the colors in the Garden always seem more brilliant when it's really really cold out. Dave, #1 was shot at ~200mm with my 70-300, #3 was at 40mm.
Todd, you're right, theses comps have been done a bunch of times (i was actually copying myself from previous shots in #1!). I think next time ill give a little more pre-thought rather than my semi-concious grabs of this round!
But i made up for it with a trip to the Dunes today

Nice, Stan, and I really like your second shot. Great sun, great lines!

I like the comp and the light in #1. The gap in #2 doesn't really bother me, because it's filled with the dead branch; if anything, I think it adds a nice touch. I agree with the others about #3. It could benefit from some cropping to make the tree more prominent. Overall, nice work Stan.