Monument Valley, from Hunts Mesa

Tango

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schmoo

Really cool Aaron. I like how this came out, even though it makes me want to run

jamesl

What, no lightning? ;-) Great shot. Very moody.

CWSkopec

Very nice, Aaron! I love the extra detail in the rock from the flat, even lighting.

I personally hate to crop and lose those precious pixels (especially since my XTi is only 10 mp) but I think you may benefit from cropping a bit off the top and off the bottom here. I did a quick attempt by shrinking my browser window and took about a quarter inch off the top and almost a half inch off the bottom. With that crop, the clouds and the foreground rock have a kind of Yin/Yang shape to them and frame the valley, keeping my eye there and not lost on the detail in the foreground rock or the brightest part of the clouds at the top.

And I think I speak for everyone (read that as myself) when I say, Have you tried a B&W of this image?

Tango

turn out.

pathfinder

Hi Aaron I missed seeing this image when we were there.

I like this image a lot.

But I do think the image is in the left 2/3 side of the image - the right 1/3 seems rather empty of interest to my eye.

If you crop off the right 1/3-1/4 or so, the image then places the Mittens in the upper 1/3 spot in the image compositionally speaking. Just my 2 cents.

coscorrosa

pathfinder wrote: »

Hi Aaron I missed seeing this image when were there.

I like this image a lot.

But I do think the image is in the left 2/3 side of the image - the right 1/3 seems rather empty of interest to my eye.

If you crop off the right 1/3-1/4 or so, the image then places the Mittens in the upper 1/3 spot in the image compositionally speaking. Just my 2 cents.

I agree with this. Sorry,

That being said, I really do like the light and the background (on the left) is really cool!

Sexy6Chick

I love everything about this shot.

anwmn1

Man- you really are scared of the edges aren't you?

Love the light in this shot and agree some cropping could benefit it even more.

B&W sounds interesting too.

Tango

anwmn1 wrote: »

Man- you really are scared of the edges aren't you?

yes for the hundredth time.....

Tango

Thanks everyone! I will try your suggestions tonight and repost asap.

hawkeye978

It's about time you posted something else, slacker

I agree with the crop and I agree with looking at B&W.

I like the shot in general but I think it might lack some contrast to help draw your eye. I didn't immediately notice The Mittens until Pathfinder mentioned them in his post (could be I'm just stupid, though). Where do you want our eyes to go?? Once I saw The Mittens my natural inclination was to follow the line to the upper right. Is that where we should go? Depending on how you want to do your PP, maybe some local contrast/exposure adjustments to lead us where you want us to look. The foreground and middle ground exposure and contrast seem to be about the same to me so my eyes just kind of wander aimlessly (kind of like my brain ).

My two cents, ignore if desired.

Tango

well th

ian408

Aaron. I hate you still

What's funny is I think this means more if you've ever seen a squall coming toward you like this. I like the detail in the clouds and the advancing cloud. I can see how someone might not like the shot for the way your eye is drawn to the hole. Otherwise, I do like this and all of the great shots you've posted from your neighborhood

Good work!

Tango

hawkeye978 wrote: »

It's about time you posted something else, slacker

:Dguilty as charged

Tango

ian408 wrote: »

Aaron. I hate you still

What's funny is I think this means more if you've ever seen a squall coming toward you like this. I like the detail in the clouds and the advancing cloud. I can see how someone might not like the shot for the way your eye is drawn to the hole. Otherwise, I do like this and all of the great shots you've posted from your neighborhood

Good work!

Thanks Ian,

Tango

:patch

waiting on the verdict everybody...

Brendan

Aaron, I find the B&W a little flat for my tastes, but perhaps I like contrast too much. Have you considered boosting the highlights & contrast a little bit, and perhaps doing some selective dodging on the log in the foreground to bring it out more?

CWSkopec

Brendan wrote: »

Aaron, I find the B&W a little flat for my tastes, but perhaps I like contrast too much. Have you considered boosting the highlights & contrast a little bit, and perhaps doing some selective dodging on the log in the foreground to bring it out more?

I like it!
The new crop diminishes that yin/yang frame I saw in the first version, but I think this comp is more effective than what I was envisioning anyway.

There does seem to be a lack of contrast, but that would be from the overcast light and I'm not sure that adding global contrast in photochop would be appropriate. The more I look, the more I think my eye needs a "first read." Maybe some dodging and selective contrast work on the foreground log would help.

(keep in mind, and you've seen my B&Ws, I have no idea what I'm talking about! )

Brendan

CWSkopec wrote: »

There does seem to be a lack of contrast, but that would be from the overcast light and I'm not sure that adding global contrast in photochop would be appropriate.

It's appropriate if you want it, isn't it? Anyway, I wasn't suggesting doing something unrealistically dramatic. But when I compare the B&W and color versions, I think there's more contrast in the color version than the B&W. Ror example, the clouds on the upper left are darker in the B&W (or at least feel darker, and the contrast between the rocks below the mittens is reduced in the B&W. Maybe I'm going crazy though -- wouldn't be the first time.

CWSkopec

Brendan wrote: »

It's appropriate if you want it, isn't it? Anyway, I wasn't suggesting doing something unrealistically dramatic. But when I compare the B&W and color versions, I think there's more contrast in the color version than the B&W. Ror example, the clouds on the upper left are darker in the B&W (or at least feel darker, and the contrast between the rocks below the mittens is reduced in the B&W. Maybe I'm going crazy though -- wouldn't be the first time.

Didn't mean to sound like I was arguing, just modifiying!

The clouds in the upper left do look a bit darker in the B&W, but to be honest, they "feel" right for an impending storm to me. And I see what you mean about the rocks below the mittens, but I think that if the log in the foreground were lightened, the contrast between the two compositional elements at the thirds intersections would play nicely off each other. Maybe... I like to make things up though, so that idea may entirely ruin an otherwise great image!

Tango

Thanks for the comment

kdog

Smokin' shot, Aaron. As to the edits, speaking as the artistically challenged guy, I like 'em all. How's that for wishy-washy. That being said, I just hate losing the gorgeous red tones in the B&Ws. They are cool though.

Tango

Thnaks Kdog, I will likely just rework the color version with the new crop and call it done. Frankly I hate my B&W processing, I need a class or something.....