River shots

Cornflake

Criticism would be welcome. I know that some don't like completely burred water but I do.

1

2 Exposed for 133 seconds.

denisegoldberg

I prefer the look of the water in #1, but I would like to see it cropped at the lowest point in the sky. I think showing just the water and rocks makes a more powerful photo.

Cornflake

Thanks very much, Denise. I'll give the crop some thought. I thought the sky and canyon walls were necessary for context, but you may be right.

roaddog52

Very nice Don. I like them both, and have to disagree with Denise on this one. I think the sky and the canyon walls go a long way towards defining this location and telling a story. Without those rain clouds, this may be but a trickle of water.
I like the concept of shots like #2, where you have the juxtaposition of stationary boulders and the motion of water. My problem is, trying to find a crop where I'm not chopping some rocks off at weird points. I'm seldom 100% happy with my final composition. This one feels a bit pinched.

Phil

denisegoldberg

@roaddog52 said:
Very nice Don. I like them both, and have to disagree with Denise on this one. I think the sky and the canyon walls go a long way towards defining this location and telling a story. Without those rain clouds, this may be but a trickle of water.

My preference would actually be for more sky in #1. The reason I mentioned cutting off the sky that is there is that it just isn't enough for me. I'd like to see sky across the entire horizon, not just the center. Without an expansion of the sky, I think I prefer a crop. But that's why we participate here - it's good that we don't always agree!

Cornflake

Phil, thanks. I know what you mean about cropping shots like the second.

Denise, originally there was more sky. The sky was very bright and the canyon was quite dark. I used a three-stop ND grad to darken the sky and the top part was still blown out when I got sufficient shadow detail. I cropped it a bit. So we're in agreement about what should have been done but the photographer couldn't pull it off!

denisegoldberg

@Cornflake said:
Denise, originally there was more sky. The sky was very bright and the canyon was quite dark. I used a three-stop ND grad to darken the sky and the top part was still blown out when I got sufficient shadow detail. I cropped it a bit. So we're in agreement about what should have been done but the photographer couldn't pull it off!

I've done the same thing! Sometimes you just don't have the right light and the ability to pull back far enough (but not too far to lose the scene you are trying to capture).