Less Iconic Angle of Smith Rock

When I headed over to Smith Rock from Prineville, there was a blue sky with big puffy clouds. By the time I got there, it was gray as can be. I took a dozen or so anyway (figured I would focus on composition and treat the trip as reconaisance) and then, on the way back to the car, a little blue peaked through the clouds, and I looked up river and thought, gee, that's pretty. I never thought to shoot that bend in the river. Funny how we get stuck, eh?

Always eager for suggestions. I'm wondering if the foreground is a bit dark or whether it works and helps to push the eye further in.

Like you said, dont make the trip for nothing, take the shots no matter what. Comp wise, i would crop off the right side to the end of that slash on the hill and let the water lead you in.

I think Cliff's nailed it on the comp, good idea. I don't mind the dark foreground and agree that it helps lead you in. In fact, I'd burn down that llc a bit so it more matches the lrc.

This is a cool comp I have not seen. I've never been here, so it's interesting to see a new perspective.

Thanks, Cliff and John. Regarding the crop....which slash are you referring to: the curve of lava rock between the upper and lower hillside, the road that runs horizontally from right to left, or the old road or deer trails on the distant hill. I'm assuming the latter, but....

Marylynne, I like the comp, and agree with the idea of cropping some off the right. I like how the river leads the eye into the scene and how it frames Smith Rock. Nicely done.

Ditto on cropping the right a bit. A great alternative view of that area.

Thanks, David and Ryan. I did two crops:
one more hesitant and keeping 4x6 aspect ratio and the other more dramatic but with a 5x7 aspect ratio to keep the river and top of the cliff face from feeling squeezed.

Sorry about the links....I gotta figure out how to post one than one shot in a thread at some point, but I think I have to pay up to get that access and somehow my wallet and laptop are never in the same room ;-)

4x6=
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/mldiggs/Landscapes/IMG7D-0852VivOPSharpNRWeb-1.jpg


5x7=
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n232/mldiggs/Landscapes/IMG7D-0852VivOPSharpNRWeb-2.jpg

Both look good, but the 4x6 works a bit better for me...not quite as harsh. It's my preference of the three.

Thanks, David. It was my preference too, but 4x6 is imbedded in my dna, so I wasn't sure if it still left too much scarred and scruffy stuff to the right. I did a wee bit of burning on the llc. Hope that pleases as well.