Critique Please Mammoth Hot Springs

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]

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.

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.

Was making my brain hurt too...


http://trowski.com/files/pictures/Ma...otSrpings2.jpg


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.

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

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!

Awesome pictures. Would love to have been there - thanks for sharing!

I love this shot, it's beautiful. I like the oiginal one better, as it looks more abstract. I think the tilt works in this case, because it's hard to tell exactly what the proper horizon in relation to the Mountain Range and Clouds, futhermore, the white sulfa? appears to be cascading down the plateau, so I think it totally works.


Sometimes rules are meant to be broken!


Rich

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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

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

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Originally Posted by Lars

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

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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

The tilt is very evident in your originally posted photo. You can detect it in both horizontal and vertical planes.


Some may like it, think that it adds a dramatic effect and even say that rules of composition can be broken. But breaking the rules have to be not only conscious but also adding something profound to your creative process. Breaking them just because you can, makes no sense and makes your work look amateurish. Details like the tilted horizon may break otherwise perfectly good photo.


It is a beautiful scene, but what bothers me about it as a photographic image, is the multitude and variety of points of interest. They all compete for my attention and none of them wins. I am not really sure what you wanted to show me. You should use the perspective of your lens, the selective stand point and selective focus (among other things) to point my eyes toward that element of the scenery that made you decide to click the shutter. There are also many ways to enhance the impact of the photo in post-production.

Firestarter, I understand what you're saying, but this is the view you would have had if your eyes were able to only see 24 mm wide. If my vision were 24 mm wide, I would be looking at this scene and be impressed by what I saw. After all, it IS what I'm looking at, only now it's recorded as an image 24 mm wide.


In "live view," (that is, actually being there), I would be perusing the whole area. It's personal preference what constitutes the points of interest, but I would think that a more restricted view of this particular scene would detract from it. Generally, landscape photos stand out when foreground and background are in focus, even in print, since this captures the scene as your eye sees it. If that pool were out of focus, it wouldn't look as revealing, compelling, or "threatening." (meaning, it looks ominous, sort of like something that caused the death of the tree).


Just my 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by Richard Lane

I love this shot, it's beautiful. I like the oiginal one better, as it looks more abstract.

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I couldn't have said it better myself! Very artistic! It's one of those photos you'd see on an art gallery wall & stand back and admire!

Great job!![Y]

Denise

Thanks for the comments guys, the comments are all good stuff.


Firestarter:


I debated the tilt in the picture for some time before I posted it to this thread. At the time it is how I rembered the scene and in my minds eye, this thread has given me a new perspective as to if I should have leveled it or left it alone.


What I was trying to show, was the immense size of mammoth hot springs as it has engulfed this tree. There are a few things I would have done diffrintly if I could have, for instance the fallen tree fully in the frame, a wider view showing more of the size of the springs, but this is as wide as I could get without taking in the boardwalks to the left.

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

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

1 thing though...it might be my crappy screen, but the whites in the ice don't seem to be truly white.

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Might be because it's not ice? [A]



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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

I took this picture at Mammoth Hot Springs on a trip to Yellowstone this summer.

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It's mineral salts, so probably should not be snow-white...
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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

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It's mineral salts, so probably should not be snow-white...
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Sheiky


If I understand right it is calcium carbonate that is pushed to the surface through limestone. The structue of the springs is continualy growing and changing and it has over taken this tree and others. It is also my understanding that the diffrent orange and brown colors in this photo, and other colers you see in formations at yellowstones springs and geysers, is the result of bacteria growing in the wet areas. The bacteria change color depending on how hot the water is. The orange you see in part of the picture is hotter than the brown in the lower areas, changing the color of the bacteria.


Thanks for the comments

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

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It's mineral salts, so probably should not be snow-white...
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True that, I thought it was normal ice. I saw the picture on another screen and my screen just is way too warm and has an annoying greenish hue about it.

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

If I understand right it is calcium carbonate that is pushed to the surface through limestone. The structue of the springs is continualy growing and changing and it has over taken this tree and others. It is also my understanding that the diffrent orange and brown colors in this photo, and other colers you see in formations at yellowstones springs and geysers, is the result of bacteria growing in the wet areas. The bacteria change color depending on how hot the water is. The orange you see in part of the picture is hotter than the brown in the lower areas, changing the color of the bacteria.

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Thanks for the national geographic part [:D] I enjoy it.


Thanks guys

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

If I understand right it is calcium carbonate that is pushed to the surface through limestone. The structue of the springs is continualy growing and changing and it has over taken this tree and others. It is also my understanding that the diffrent orange and brown colors in this photo, and other colers you see in formations at yellowstones springs and geysers, is the result of bacteria growing in the wet areas. The bacteria change color depending on how hot the water is. The orange you see in part of the picture is hotter than the brown in the lower areas, changing the color of the bacteria.

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Great info, thanks! Actually, a technique in nearly every biology lab (PCR) uses an enzyme first discovered in those thermophilic bacteria from Yellowstone hot springs...

Not trying to steal your thunder, HDNitehawk, but seeing your photo of the Mammoth Hot Springs reminded me of another place in Wyoming with these interesting formations. Located in Thermopolis, WY, it's the place with the largest hot springs in the world.


The formations are quite old. The one immediately below is about 100 years old. They call the deposits travertine. The town is mostly built around these tourist attractions. It smells heavily of sulfur dioxide and other volcanic-like gases.


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/24/4743.travertine.jpg[/img]


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/24/4532.thermopolis.jpg[/img]