Critique Please Mammoth Hot Springs

[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

[Firestarter]

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.

[Alan]

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.

[ddt0725]

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

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

[HDNitehawk]

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.

[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

[neuroanatomist]

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

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



<div>

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

It's mineral salts, so probably should not be snow-white...
</div>

[HDNitehawk]

<div>


It's mineral salts, so probably should not be snow-white...
</div>

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

[Sheiky]

<div>


It's mineral salts, so probably should not be snow-white...
</div>

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.

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 national geographic part [] I enjoy it.


Thanks guys

[neuroanatomist]

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.

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...