Oak Creek Canyon

[daveman]

I would appreciate some critique of this photo. This is in the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon.

Thanks,
Dave

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[Dogdots]

I like all the elements in this photo. Rock, leaves, sand and water. It all fits well into the photo.

[TheMightyZog]

I love taking photos without all those people cluttering up the place, but for this particular shot I think the odd bod would help to give us the sense of scale this shot deserves.

Could I suggest that next time (for these sort of shots) you bracket the exposure and then you could have faded in the hilights a bit.

I would be very tempted to pop in a touch a lab saturation, especially on the rock face - a touch of the Man for Mars would give it a lift.

I dont know this place, but what is around the bend to the left - I take it you have cropped it out - my eye wanders that way and leaves me asking what is there. Not sure whether that is good or bad - sort of leaves me a touch up in the air.

Well done

[Dogdots]

I love taking photos without all those people cluttering up the place, but for this particular shot I think the odd bod would help to give us the sense of scale this shot deserves.

Could I suggest that next time (for these sort of shots) you bracket the exposure and then you could have faded in the hilights a bit.

I would be very tempted to pop in a touch a lab saturation, especially on the rock face - a touch of the Man for Mars would give it a lift.

I dont know this place, but what is around the bend to the left - I take it you have cropped it out - my eye wanders that way and leaves me asking what is there. Not sure whether that is good or bad - sort of leaves me a touch up in the air.

Well done

I think this photo does a good job of leaving the viewer in a wondering state. Sometimes I think photos give to much information out and with that it doesn't hold the viewer long. They just look and pass it by.

[daveman]

Thanks for the comments DogDots and TheMightyzog. I do also like to sometimes leave the viewer wondering, as long as it is not distracting to the overall impact of the shot.

I did try to reduce the blownout highlights with the shot below - is this more like you were looking for Themightzog? This was a subtle change, but I think the color on the rock face at top and in the middle is a little less washed out. I think I like this one better.

Thanks again!

[TheMightyZog]

I did try to reduce the blownout highlights with the shot below - is this more like you were looking for Themightzog? This was a subtle change, but I think the color on the rock face at top and in the middle is a little less washed out. I think I like this one better.

Thanks again!

Very delicately done - just gives that tiny extra saturation of colour. It has also darkened the bottom left corner - are you happy with that? Is this more how you remember the scene? Personally I would be a bit more agressive in how much colour I added - but then I usually go over the top!

Well done

[banbro]

For me the composition seems to be off. My eye is drawn to the shadows and crevices in the rock but there is nothing to pull me away and through the rest of the image. I have come back and looked at the image a few times and get the same feeling... maybe it it the connecting point of the three sections? Possibly a pan to camera left... maybe shot in portrait (I know this goes against the landscape rule)?

I would be curious to see the original image (uncropped)

[daveman]

I would be curious to see the original image (uncropped)

Banbro - Below is the uncropped jpg version of the original raw file. I have not done any post processing on this version, so you can see the starting point. I would be curious of what you would do with the cropping , given this to start with.

Thanks for the input.

Dave

[Dogdots]

Banbro - Below is the uncropped jpg version of the original raw file. I have not done any post processing on this version, so you can see the starting point. I would be curious of what you would do with the cropping , given this to start with.

Thanks for the input.

Dave

Dave I really like this image as it was taken. If I were to do any cropping I would take off ---1/2 the space between the side of the photo and the tree to the left. Thats it---then work with the saturation etc. and you've got it :thumb I feel sometimes we crop to much out of a picture. Of course that is only my opinion.

I feel the picture still keeps you wondering where the stream goes or is coming from on the left side of the photo. In fact, I found that with this size crop I am more drawn that way.

[broby6]

I like this picture. The focus is good, the colors interact nicely, and the reflections add tranquillity. The scale isn't an issue with me - the photo is appealing whatever the scale is.

broby6