[Markulous]

Not too sure about this one. Would welcome any comments. Was using the "waterfall" as the focus whilst really going for the light to make the shot. But wonder if that lump of black on LHS might not be too large?

[lolyton]

I think you're probably right about the dark area being a little too big. This kind of shot is an awkward one and one that i always have a whole lot of trouble with.
The area is beautiful and it is crying out to be photographed, but once the camera is out of the bag, how the bl@@dy hell do you frame it. Nine times out of ten you choose an image that you are not happy with just because you feel that it should be good because the area was so nice and you can't believe that you didn't do it justice in the picture.....or atleast i do!
As it is i'm not the biggest fan, mostly because of the composition. The (my) eye wanders around although it finds the waterfall, it gets drawn to the water below the dark area in the bottom left corner, which it shouldn't. There is too much nice subtle lines of light to be wasted in that dark area, so i have cropped it.....



I now feel slightly more comfortable looking around the image, (i would prefer not to have so much at th top as the shape of the image is slightly awkward, but left the clouds in and the point is the same) the subtle yellow light guides me in from the bottom right towards the waterfall, which pulls me to the tree and with it's shape leads me back round into the image, going up to the cloud and then back down the tree on the right to start the journey again. Now my eye feels contained, and with it's containment a certain contentment, especially with the extra details of the image such as the snowcapped 'hills'.

[fionaB]

yep i think lolys crop very much improves the shot... the eye is now more on the weir than being drawn to the left..... i do love the depth u have got in here and the light catching the snow on the hills at the back is lovely!

Fi

[Dabhand16]

I feel the same as you Mark. If the tree on the left could be brought out a bit more it would give a bit more balance.

Loly's crop is (for me) just as 'not quite right' as your original, and I think the stream in the LH corner, and to the left of the tree is worth keeping.

[Markulous]

Thanks, Loly. Can see where you're going with this tho' wonder if the river hasn't been too chopped?

Cheers, Fi! It was the BG lit hills that made me attempt tp get something out of this

Sadly, Dabs, there really is no detail at all behind the tree and little enough of the tree.

Think that maybe this is one for the cutting room floor (for want of a better description!). But many thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

[Dabhand16]

This was more what I had in mind, but probably could be done better.

[skipper954]

Originally Posted by lolyton

This kind of shot is an awkward one and one that i always have a whole lot of trouble with.
The area is beautiful and it is crying out to be photographed, but once the camera is out of the bag, how the bl@@dy hell do you frame it. Nine times out of ten you choose an image that you are not happy with just because you feel that it should be good because the area was so nice and you can't believe that you didn't do it justice in the picture.....or atleast i do!

Loly - you hit the nail on the head here. There are so many times that I have come across a really lovely landscape and tried to capture it, but it just didn't work out of the camera. Or even after processing, for that matter.

Landscape photography is a lot more difficult than I had imagined.

I am going to stick to models

skip

[Markulous]

Thanks for the mod, Dab. Think you've maybe the best solution - will try to dig out a shot closer along those lines

Yeah, Loly defo hit nail on head. It's all too easy to get carried away with the whole view without thinking to comp for the somewhat narrow view - unless you go pano, of course!

[Rob Barron]

I like the original image anyway so be careful you don't lose sight of the fact it's going to be liked by most people. We might look and think we should crop this bit or highlight that bit but remember to see it how the non-photographers see it as well.

I definitely agree an original portrait comp would have been great as long as it kept the whole of the weir as it drops down as cropping it short does rather detract from it. I love the colour on the right, the silhouetted branches on the right of the open area and the weir as it falls to the left giving balance to the image. The left upper area is a touch dark but I can live with it, I just enjoy the picture as a whole, really pleasant

Cheers,
Rob

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by Rob Barron

I like the original image anyway so be careful you don't lose sight of the fact it's going to be liked by most people.

'Fraid I'm one of them that've got to like it myself first (unless I'm being commissioned, of course!)

Well, here is my final go at this scene. Different shot and think it might be better balanced (was swayed by the cloud in the other); that is, if I can get the sky right!

[Rob Barron]

I still prefer the original shot, I feel I can roam around the scene and breathe in the lovely fresh air. In the latest one I feel like I am about to lose my footing on the slippery bank, fall down the bank and go head over heels into the freezing cold water!

Just kidding, they are both lovely shots. I like 'em but then I didn't take 'em nor did I commission 'em so who cares what I think

Cheers,
Rob

[lolyton]

I prefer the last attempt by quite a way. I had the same 'not wanting to lose the cloud' thing when i cropped the first one, but now they're gone i don't miss them. What i am liking about this one, is as you say the balance is better, also there is more general detail in the shot. You don't get the dark voids you did originally. I especially like the detail running alongside (on the far side) of the river, as it leads up into the hills.
The only thing i may consider altering..... I think the bottom right hand corner is a little colour rich (oversaturated). I am unsure if you have altered the saturation especially in that area (maybe not given the colour of the light elsewhere), but to balance the image slightly better i reckon a slight desaturation in that corner would be good!

[Markulous]

Always interested in what others think, Rob, so thanks for the input!

Absolutely, Loly! As you say, now the clouds aren't there it's a case of not missing 'em! Think I upped the sats and then dodged and burned that corner with the inevitable result that it's now overcooked! Thanks for that!