A Pocketful of Storm (B&W added)

During the Labor Day week, I was able to spend 4 nights above the Vermilion Cliffs at one of my favorite locations. This is a stitch of 4 vertical images. Nikon D90, 16-35mm @16mm, f/8, ISO 200


As always, your suggestions and opinions are appreciated. I am interested in your opinion about the crop regarding the amount of water and sky.

(larger image provided)

My first suggestion is that you bring me up here sometime

This is very nice Doug, I love the drama in the sky and how the formations almost play counterpoint with the clouds. I think with this I would have preferred a lower angle to include the entire pool of water, but I think I know why you chose not too. Is it really hard to get something bad from here?

I think this image is an excellent candidate for conversion to black & white!

Cool Photo! Like it all, including the crop. I think Adam is right this would look great in B and W!.

After looking at it for awhile I think there is to much water and as dark as it is my eye gets stuck there. I think your intention is to have the rock formation as your main subject so I wouldn't hesitate to cut the sky too making this even more of a pan image and putting the emphasis back on the rock formations. With a little less competition between the elements this is a great image Doug.

Love how the swirl of the cliffs and the clouds mimic each other. The crop looks good to me.

Another vote for more water and trying a conversion. Still, a fine image.

Haha me and Peter said the same thing,"Take us here" As I said on fb, this is an excellent shot. I also vote for a b&w conversion.

Here is a B&W conversion, with a little of the pool cropped off per Dean's suggestion.

The B&W conversion looks better (IMO). I think if you add a slight vignette to the corners you can make a bit more dramatic, and have more emphasis on the middle formation as thats where most of the drama is.

Man, you sure can't beat the advice you get in this joint!
First thing I thought when I saw this image was the 'dead pool' of water in the foreground. Alas...
But the b&w version changed everything! It really does look a lot better, IMO.
However, the 'dead pool' is still a bit too blank for me, esp. because there are reflections in there! I found 'em when I did a b&w conversion using SilverEfexPro. This makes me wonder if reflections might have been there in the original? I posted that b&w version below, along with one that brings back just a wee bit of the color. Hope you don't mind. I'll remove them immediately if you wish.

B&W

I tried to keep true with your conversion except for the water pool.

B&W with 96% Opacity

Thanks all on the suggestion for a B&W version. I think i like it more. Maybe I should tone down the brightness of the rock portion in the color version?
John, I have no problem at all with the "showing" of your suggestion. Bringing out the reflection and lightening the pool really helps.

Doug,

I prefer the color, myself. I like the contrast between the warmth of the rock and the cool skies. Really stands out. I like what John did with the first conversion, though, bringing out some of the detail in the pool; I think that might help it from becoming "too much" of an element in the original.

My only other suggestion, if I can be so bold, is that your work is more than good enough to update your camera. Of course I can't tell any difference at this screen resolution, but while most photographers aren't as good as their cameras, I think you've outgrown a D90. Please take that as the compliment it's meant to be.

Mark, thank you very much for your kind compliment. I am considering the new D600 sometime this fall after some reviews come in, and trying to justify the $2k.