Dream Lake Morning

I made my first winter trip to Dream Lake yesterday with Dave VandenHeuvel & friend. What a great snowshoe hike! Sure glad I didn't reset the alarm.

We were fortunate to have met Fred Braun at Nymph Lake. Without his guidance, who knows when or where we would have ended our day! I must say finding the trail in the dark after a fresh snow is a challenge.

Dave, the first two were taken about 10 minutes before you arrived.

The small patch of blue sky and color lasted for just a few minutes. I had already given up hope of seeing anything other than sold grey clouds, but fortunately the camera was still setup.

Any comments and critique appreciated.

2 - The WB was changed to Daylight 5500 K for this image. #1 was processed at 6050 K, the camera default.

I think I like the more intense blues in #2, but would appreciate your feedback.

3 - I always find it hard to call this Flattop Mountain from this perspective.

4

5 - Hallet Pk with frosting

Bill, Really Nice images.
Nice website also!
Question: How do you get 5 images into one posting?
It is great for comparing shots from the same trip.
Thanks for your comments,
Dave

Bill, an excellent group of shots. All good comps, great light, and conditions. Well done.

Very nice selection of images Bill!. It's a tough decision between #1 and #2, my personal preference is #!, I like the slighly warmer feel to it. I really like the close-ups of Flatop and Hallet's Peaks!.

Great collection!
Looks well worth all of your efforts. I'm just amazed when I compare your first image to Dave V.'s earlier attempt. A masterful job of 'development'!

Great shots, Bill! I really like that imposing face of Hallett in # 4! Hard to chose between the first two, but i think i prefer the 'bluer version'.

I really like the first one Bill! Looks like it was a great morning to be in the park!

Bill,

Great Images! Yes it was an adventure :) Glad Fred was there, and you guys cut the trail ahead of us. What a difference 10 mins makes! I like all 4 of these.

I have been playing with a plugin called NIK Viveza. Using control points, it seems to do a good job adjusting certain aspects of an image without ruining others.... This image has the white balanced tweaked (warmed), and I increased the contrast and saturation in the mountains, leaving the trees alone, then did a Aperture levels adjustment, and sharpened....

Still having issues I think with this iMac Monitor, need to check it against something more calibrated at work. I just kinda like the way this comes out -- even it it is slightly "simulated" sunrise white balance :)

Great day -- thanks for coming!

The Bluer version -- which is what the scene more naturally looked like :)

Hey, Dave, hope you had a good nap. I sure did.

You'll just have to leave a few minutes earlier and do it again next weekend.
As they say, third time is a charm.

Question: How do you get 5 images into one posting?
It is great for comparing shots from the same trip.

Thanks for commenting, Dave.
For each additional image, just reply to your own post and include a JPG.

A masterful job of development'!

Thanks for the generous praise, John.
These are all single exposures processed only in Lightroom.
I continue to be amazed at what can be done in LR with the new gradient and brush tools !

Thanks for you input, Stan, Morris, Erik, and Nick.
It appears I'm not going to get a strong consensus on the WB.

Erik, did you sleep in Saturday or were you out on an adventure?
We drove by the gallery at ~10:30 AM but it appeared closed.

Oh, sorry, Bill, I was too busy admiring to catch you wanted input. I like the blues, too. I feel the cold more in that one.

Beautiful stuff, Bill. I prefer the cooler white balance of #2, but either one could hang on my wall!! All of these images were well worth the challenges of getting there.

Perseverance prevailed. Nice series. I really like the first one.

Bill

I think you got the best shots of all of us. I like #2 the best. I was hoping the wind would blow the snow off of the ice but I enjoyed the 20 degree weather with no wind. I have never been to Dream Lake in the winter before when the wind wasn't blowing at least 30mph.

Great Stuff Bill,
I like # 1 myself but the rest are very nice. A heck of a lot nicer than the ones I got up there the other wknd.
Kurt

Thanks for the further input, guys..

Fred, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU , for the guiding us to the lake in time for sunrise. I was getting ready to find a good spot at Nymph Lake just as you arrived.

Nice work, Bill. I like the cooler version 2 of the 1st pic. The Hallet with frosting leaves something to the imagination - good eye!

Look great Bill...I like the head on composition...especially #1.

You're initial presentations are very Bierstadt Stylistically! I love them and would hang these in ANY Fine Gallery Especially #4

Really nice stuff, Bill. I like 2 a bit more than 1, but that's only because I can see them side by side. I also really love the clarity and detail in 4 and 5. Looks like you had a productive day.

Very nice. Love the light and colors in that first image.

I like the warmer feel of #1, but they both work. They composition on both seems tight, but it's a nice way to present these dramatic peaks.

The frosted Hallet photos are a visual treat.

I prefer the cooler light in the second version, but as Jesse said, they both work. Nicely done.

Thanks,everyone for the additional feedback.

Jesse, I cropped the sky because I thought the cloud in the upper left was too dominating, with no balance on the right.

For comparison, here is the full frame of the warmer version.
Is this where you thought the composition was too tight?