Input requested

Here's a shot I took yesterday morning at Lake Estes. I like the image but I think that there is something that is not quite right. I'm not sure if the top left is too dark or what it is. Any thoughts?

The only thing wrong is I didn't take this image.

The top left doesn't look too dark to me. Well done, Erik!

Upper left is a little dark but not bad. I think one thing we all look for is those magnificent reflections which are not in this picture. However, the great color in the sky and the silhouette of the mountains is what really makes this stand out. That would be my only thought Erik.

There is a bit of a line down the middle, with the darker parts of the image on the left. If there's any problem, I'd be more inclined to say it's the blank patch of water at lower left. These are hardly big problems, though. I can't say anything at all stood out as amiss when I first looked at this.

I don't think this is unlike what was actually going on as far as light distribution. It does have a definite two halves appearance with the right side very bright and the left overly dark. To me it's not as visually pleasing as a result.

Nothing bothered me on first viewing, but I agree with Jackson that the entire left side could be lightened a bit. There is a rather abrupt vertical transition from light to dark on the lake. Too bad the entire lake doesn't have the same glow.

This would be a killer shot, if you could catch the same light on a glassy lake surface. I wonder if that ever happens on Lake Estes?

Picky, picky, picky...Whatever, this is still a very beautiful image with very beautiful clouds.

Thanks everyone! I've brightened up the left hand side of this image and agree that it was just too dark. I sure wish I had a glassy reflection and great clouds but that probably only happens once every 50 years or so.

There, the first is reality and the second is visually pleasing

Erik, I agree the issue with the first was that the entire left dark was a bit too dark. A minor nit, but since you asked. That said, the issue I have with the second is that the brightening seems to have brightened the entire spectrum (lights/mids/darks). This has lead to some loss of contrast as well. For instance the area around the horizon really didn't need to be brightened that much, but the top clouds and lower part of the water did. I would recommend running some luminosity masks and targeting the changes to the darker pixels in the frame.

Good thoughts Koveh! Thanks!

Beautiful Image Erick, I do like the 2nd more.

Erik, the natural beauty of the first image is very appealing. I also like Koveh and Pam's editing suggestions to optimize the final image. Thanks for the opportunity to help.

Bill Brennan

Erik,
Did you stack ND filters for this? Sometimes when I stack filters I get results that look a lot like this that I correct by bracketing WITH filters in the field and blend in PP using Luminosity masks etc. Not sure your technique in the field, but looks like there is a color cast and loss of clarity in areas to me. I may be way off, but think you'll be able to correct the minor issues and have a nice image from this.

I didn't think the top left was bad at all, but I like the lighter version you've posted. Great shot!

Right place...right time. This is gorgeous!
Repost looks much better, and the final touches (re: Koveh's advice) will make for a beautiful print.

The top left didn't bother me at all until you posted the 2nd image. Don't get me wrong #1 is still nice but I really like #2. Lightening it seems to have softened what appeared to be a light / dark split in the image.

I think the second version is better. It's a beautiful image.

- Dan.

What John M said.

Terrific shot Erik and I like the first one quite a bit, but the re-post is an improvement and takes it over the top.

Why didn't you use the MegaSunBlaster Flash Fill to get some detail in those mountains?
Actually, I like both, but #2 is definitely better. Gorgeous color.

The repost is phenomenal! Outstanding, Erik!

The revision looks great Erik!