Owyhee River Canyon (East Fork), Idaho

acowanacowan Registered Users Posts: 156 Major grins
edited November 12, 2009 in Landscapes
I recently camped one night and hiked around the East Fork of the Owyhee River in extreme southwest Idaho. This is an area that is not typically thought of when one thinks of Idaho's landscape. Spring would have been a much better time to come (as you'll see by the drab winter colors) but that gives me an excuse to come back again. All pictures have had levels adjusted and a midtone contrast curve. Hopefully the images don't come across too contrasty. I always keep an eye on the histogram to make sure I don't overdo it. All critique and comments are welcome!

1. Aspens at a spring in the Tules. (2 shot pano)
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2.East Fork of the Owyhee River. (Shot at 11mm on Canon 30D. I did a perspective crop to help the leaning canyon walls. I thought about taking a multishot pano but I wanted to use a polarizer for the river.)
710285659_ReqfQ-M-1.jpg

3. Another view of the Owyhee River canyon.
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4.A small side canyon off the river. (The use of a polarizer didn't have too much of an effect on the water. Besides, I had a 2-stop soft ND grad across the frame for the left side of the canyon.)
710286436_entQU-M-1.jpg

Comments

  • Marc MuenchMarc Muench Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2009
    Incredible location and great imagesthumb.gif

    I was there many years ago in the middle of summer when the temp was around (way to hot to be there). I recall viewing boaters floating the river below.

    Your contrast is just a bit hot, but overlooked because of the strong compositionsclap.gifclap
  • acowanacowan Registered Users Posts: 156 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2009
    Marc,

    Thank you for compliment! Regarding the contrast, I recently read Tony Kuyper's tutorials on luminosity masks and painting and have been applying those to my images, especially the midtone curves mask. Photo #3 had tightly distributed histogram and I applied an S-curve adjustment in ACR so my midtone curve pushed it over the edge. I'm still trying to find that area between not too flat and not too contrasty. I've reeditted photos #1-#3 but I don't have time to post the new versions. Thanks again for the critique!
  • Marc MuenchMarc Muench Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2009
    acowan wrote:
    Marc,

    Thank you for compliment! Regarding the contrast,

    This is one of those things that just takes experience. I believe your better off jumping in and getting your feet wet than bashfully waiting on the side lineswings.gif

    Note - ACR's changes are invisiably accumulative. That is, if you add contrast with the contrast slider the cuves will not show the change and vice versa. I have always considered this an issue. Optimally, they would all be connected.
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