Critique Please Mammoth Hot Springs

[HDNitehawk]

I took this picture at Mammoth Hot Springs on a trip to Yellowstone this summer. It was shot with a 5D Mark II, 24mm 1.4L II, F8.0, 1/800 ISO 100. I had to lay on the boardwalk and supported the camera on the railing to get a low perspective. The only post I did on it is corp a little off the side to cut out the board walk to the left side of the picture, sharp +1 and changed the standard format to landscape.


Any thing I can do to improve this or have changed during the shot, please tell me.


Thanks


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-47-09/MammothHotSrpings2.jpg[/img]

[Sean Setters]

Before I say this, let me put it into perspective--I'm a portrait man (it's what I love, it's what I do). But when I saw this shot, I literally said to myself, "Wow, I like that."


Well done indeed.

[btaylor]

I like it too, however it hurts my brain a little as the horizon seems to be at an angle. It might just be compounded by the lean on the tree in the right of frame. Looks like a great spot.

[Trowski]

Was making my brain hurt too...





That's better. I love the colors. Other than the tilt, I'm not seeing anything that jumps out as being wrong with your technique. I'd hang that on my wall.

[bob williams]

The level horizon is a big improvement--with that I think this shot is very good. Just for fun, this shot would be great for trying a little pseudo HDR in photomatix. If you don't have Photomatix, you can get a trial download here : www.hdrsoft.com/download.html


Nice Shot,


Bob

[Sean Setters]

I must say I disagree with my comrades--I like the framing just the way it is. It seems artistically (& perfectly) unlevel to me--it interjects a level of interest and captivates me. Oh well, to each his own!

[HDNitehawk]

I like it too, however it hurts my brain a little as the horizon seems to be at an angle. It might just be compounded by the lean on the tree in the right of frame. Looks like a great spot.

Thanks for the comments guys.


I was debating the tilt wheter it was correct and as the actual ground lies. The actual ground does drop left to right. As the boiling springs come up and over time thismake this structures by depositing minerals. The flat area shown on the left should have a slight drop to the right. The only thing I could find to coordinate the picture with to see if it was accurate are two people standing in the far upper corner and the clouds. From what I can tell from other frames I capturedand can rember, I think the orientation of the picture is correct to what is actually there.


Again thanks for the comments


Rick

[Lars]

I really like this picture, it is both dramatic and peaceful at the same time. I liked the straighten version best, but I am very sensitive to horizons leaning on way or another. I don't want to project my opinions onto others. If I have to pick on one thing, it is the log at the left. I would like to have the whole log in the picture. Now, it is leading my eye out from the picture, and I am a bit curious on what I might find at the end of the log. I know that the location might make it impossible to include the whole log, but you asked for opinions []. Agree that some HDR could increase the dramatic aspects of the picture, but be careful to not overdo it. But all in all, this shot is something I would be proud to have in my portfolio.


Lars

[HDNitehawk]

I am a bit curious on what I might find at the end of the log

Thanks Lars, I had to crop part of the log out, because of the parking lot in the left hand corner. I thought the log could have added a lot to the picture if i could have had both full in.





I have to take what I said earlier back. I did some more research from other pictures I took that day to see if the terrain did indeed fall like shown in this picture. The area to the upper left is a flat pool that lets water cascade out slowley when its full over the sides. This area should be near level. Here is what I think is about correct:


[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/550x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-47-09/MammothHotSprings4.jpg[/img]


This is the original


[img]/resized-image.ashx/__size/550x0/__key/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles/00-00-00-47-09/MammothHotSrpings2.jpg[/img]





Thanks for everyones critique. I learned a few things today.


Rick

[Sheiky]

First off, I like the photo, it looks like a great piece of nature. Very beautiful.


However, I personally thought 1 thing when I viewed it. You messed up the horizon! .... But unfortunately not messed up enough.[A] For me it's right in between being an artistic shot and an off horizon. I think I would have prefered an even more tilted view, because I like broken rules []


I personally don't think HDR would have improved this shot. There's too little parts of high contrast in this shot. The tree and the ice make the colors pop out at this moment.


1 thing though...it might be my crappy screen, but the whites in the ice don't seem to be truly white. What white balance did you use? But again, my screen doesn't work properly lately so it might be the cause.


I also agree about the log being cut off.


However overall it's a great shot andI must say that some of the commentary is about little things. I think if I would look trough all my photos like this, many wouldn't pass the critique [A]


Jan