Sawmill Canyon Eastern Sierra (updated)

This is just below Sawmill Canyon which is just south of Division Creek. I spent most of yesterday exploring this area which was involved in that huge fire two years ago between Independence and Big Pine. The soil here is actually cinders(reddish color) which makes up the base of this portion of the sierra crest.

I'm not sure if I've added too much contrast to this and whether the sharpening looks right? The bg rocks are a little soft from my chosen dof but the fg is sharp. thanks for any feedback you might have.

edit: I've added a second version here with a little less contrast and better sharpening via Marc Adamus' technique. Looks like I don't know how to use PKsharpener worth a #$@!! I also burned in the clouds a bit on the left.

Hey Cory. I really like how you handled the bush in the foreground against the dark ground. I woudl try to tone down some of that white in the ULC but otherwise this is a well done B&W.

Big difference in the second image, much more pleasing to me with less contrast and the sky burned a little, well done

Cory, the second image is the ticket, big change overall as a result of the post processing. Much better look.

Wow, what a difference. Looks really good in the second version. I like the perspective and nice conversion. Nice image!

I have found that nothing does a web presentation like Marc's method. I tried all the versions of Photoshop sharpening with little success. Marc's method is easy and is especially useful with compressing large files from LF scans, but works great with digital too.

Wow, the second version is really nice!

Nice, Cory. Isn't that the drainage that used to have the monster sized lupines in May/June. I've been up the road just south of Division Creek, but not since the fire. Too bad they're all gone. Maybe some will pop up this spring.

Jeffrey, off of Cory's information last year I went to Division Creek in April as I recall, and there were lots of lupine lining the road on both sides. Unfortuantely, as the terrain there is wide open it was subject to steady winds the 4 days I was in that area.

thanks for the great feedback guys. Ya, the first one is just down right ugly. I must've had too much coffee when I worked that up yesterday morning! :) This is the first time I've used Marc's method and it doesn't get much simpler and effect than that.

@Jeffrey: I'm not real sure what this area looked like before the fire. But there are lupine blooming there now, so the prospects look good for the future, save anymore fires!

Cory,

I'm glad I waited until you posted the update... :-) Not only is everything improved in the rework, some very pleasing shadows have appeared beneath the spent rabbit brush. Excellent near/far comp AND b&w conversion.

I too use Marc's sharpening technique and like Harley mentioned, works extremely well with the LF scans - and I'm usually trying to downsize from 10,000px+ images! For printing, it's a whole nuther ball game and I usually stick with simple USM adjustments.

Wish I could get over there for spring/summer flowers...

Lon

Big difference between the two Cory. Definitely a fan of the second version, which looks much less contrasty and much cleaner.

thanks Greg & Lon! Yep, the second one is my pic too. I liked the shadows in the fg too and was carefull to keep them for this version unlike the first one.