How to improve?

GREAPER

Just wonder what thughts you might have on how to improve this shot.

KC Action

Maybe a polarizing filter to make the clouds and sky more dramatic?

DoctorIt

Ha! I was just reading John Shaw's Nature Photography last week and he uses Devil's tower to discuss horizontal/vertical composition. In his two examples, the horizontal one has the tower set off to the left and the horizon on the lower third to emphasize its size amongst its surroundings. In the vertical shot, its centered horizontally, but the horizon is toward the top third to emphasize how the green fields suddenly lead up to the top of the tower. A very cool example.

In any case, hard to visualize without his example shots.

So basically, my two cents based on that example - your composition doesn't tell much of a story. The tower just fills the whole frame.

Wish I could have the chance to shoot that sight myself though! Are you nearby?

GREAPER

DoctorIt wrote:

Ha! I was just reading John Shaw's Nature Photography last week and he uses Devil's tower to discuss horizontal/vertical composition. In his two examples, the horizontal one has the tower set off to the left and the horizon on the lower third to emphasize its size amongst its surroundings. In the vertical shot, its centered horizontally, but the horizon is toward the top third to emphasize how the green fields suddenly lead up to the top of the tower. A very cool example.

In any case, hard to visualize without his example shots.

So basically, my two cents based on that example - your composition doesn't tell much of a story. The tower just fills the whole frame.

Wish I could have the chance to shoot that sight myself though! Are you nearby?

I live in Ohio, but drove by it on the way to Yellowstone. It was way out of the way, I was there at a bad time of day, the light wasnt very good. I wasnt happy with any of the shots I took.

knary

Is that a scanned photo or digital? (there's a small wedge of black in the bottom right)

Quick thoughts:
1. there's not much tonal range, so the picture lacks Punch
2. perhaps meter a bit more off the sky, thus pushing the darks a bit darker and giving more detail and color to the sky
3. What DoctorIt said. The composition doesn't tell a story.

The following is an old crappy scan of a so-so photo taken with a disposable camera. What I do like is how it emphasizes the absurdity of Devil's tower with the thrust of the tower contrasting the horizontal sweep of the foreground.

GREAPER

Its scanned from a slide, wow, good eyes, your right, i missed on the crop a little. I had to go back and look at the original. I need new glasses.

fish

Adjust the levels, sharpen a bit, and it pops right out. Can't do much about the composition, tho.

jimf

GREAPER wrote:

Just wonder what thughts you might have on how to improve this shot.

Where are the UFOs? They always make that thing look more dramatic.

:-)

fish

jimf wrote:

Where are the UFOs? They always make that thing look more dramatic.

:-)

I edited it out...thought it detracted from the composition. I put it back in just for you.

GREAPER

NOw thats funny


I think that is great.