Critique for lake near Whistler

[Alan]

Alan,


I don't really like the color of the rocks anymore. The picture seems to have a different, but undesirable hue that it didn't start with. Not sure how to describe it.
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Apart from the rocks, I don't see much of a different hue to the image. This is where personal tastes come into play, I would suppose.

[Johnny Rasmussen]

Very nice work, Daniel. The composition is good, colors are well balanced. I would experiment with the green tones in the water, maybe increase saturation just a little bit. The transition between the green tones in the water and the trees are good but maybe a little more green could be nice.

[btaylor]

I think the composition is great but it feels a little warm to me. Maybe a slight reduction in the colour temp would help.


A couple of things would help this shot out -


1. CPL filter to get rid of those reflections and deepen the colour of the water. Might also bring out the blues of the sky.


2. Graduated ND filter to give some sky a bit of drama. A bit hard to do with a CPL attached at the same time though. I notice you used Lightrooom 2 for post, maybe add a -exposure graduated filter in LR.


Just my thoughts anyway - since when did I give you advice anyway Daniel. Surely it's got to be the other way around!


BTW Daniel - I've started using the AF-ON button for focus as you suggested in another post. I love it, can't believe I never tried it before. I'm just thinking about all those missed opportunities. Cheers.

[EdN]

The scene looks great.I agree withbtaylor. Perhaps a polarizer would have allowed the gravel under the water to look clearer and enhanced the sky and clouds.


I hope you didn't take the shot recently or else the Winter Olympics will be a bust.

[asmodai]

I have to disagree. If the water lost reflectivity then that beautiful blue path leading up and to the right might have been diminished.








The colors and contrast in this shot are really bold. If it weren't for the reflection on the water I'd have guessed you used a polarizer.

[Daniel Browning]

Thanks for the additional feedback everyone, I appreciate it a lot.

This thread is an example where the suggestions about color, saturation, etc. need to be placed visually, for all to see what is meant by them.

It would be best to download Daniel's picture, do the adjustments you are referring to, then repost the image for all to see.

Better yet -- download the raw file itself!

Download the original raw file

I would love it if some of you could try your own raw conversion of it. The image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license.

1. CPL filter to get rid of those reflections and deepen the colour of the water. Might also bring out the blues of the sky.

Good suggestion. I could also rotate the polarizer to *increase* the reflections. I'll have to try it both ways.

Just my thoughts anyway - since when did I give you advice anyway Daniel. Surely it's got to be the other way around!

[] I need all the help I can get.

BTW Daniel - I've started using the AF-ON button for focus as you suggested in another post. I love it, can't believe I never tried it before. I'm just thinking about all those missed opportunities. Cheers.

Excellent! It's amazing how many features our cameras have.

I hope you didn't take the shot recently or else the Winter Olympics will be a bust.

[] It's from September - I was really lucky to get such beautiful weather for that time of year.

The only things I find a little distracting are the leaf and those small twigs in the bottom right corner. I would clone them out.

I agree.

[Keith B]

I like the composition. I did a RAW conversion along the lines of what I'd do to my own shot, I probably laid of the blues more than I normally would though.


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[piiooo]

1. CPL filter to get rid of those reflections and deepen the colour of the water. Might also bring out the blues of the sky.

Good suggestion. I could also rotate the polarizer to *increase* the reflections. I'll have to try it both ways.

I think it's a very good idea totry different degrees of polarization. Sometimes things look better polarized, other times they look better less polarized or even unpolarized. I sometimes blend polarized foliage (punchier colors) with unpolarized water (nice reflections).

[btaylor]

Well I had a little play with your image Daniel to see what I could come up with. I had the same issue with the RAW file as somebody else here did so I had to use the downsized jpeg (so not optimal but worked ok).


First thing I did was reduce the colour temp so it looked nice and cool (as whistler probably is at any time of the year - remember I live smack back in the middle of Australia so if it's below 35 deg celcius I consider it cold).


Then I added a slightminus exposure graduated filter in LR2 to get a little more definition in the clouds toward the top of the frame.


Also cloned out the distracting leaves/ twigs in the the bottom right corner of the frame in CS4 (very roughly though).


Next step was to reduce the exposure and slightly increase the saturation of the first mountain to seperate it more from the mountain behind it. I also dodged the snowy looking sections on the side of the mountain to add some more interest.


And that was it I think. Anyway here's the result. [] Hope you like!





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[piiooo]

Daniel,


I amneither very experienced nature photographer nor photography critic, but here are my 2 pennies.


The composition is strong and harmonious: foreground interest, nice reflection, placement of the horizon and the saddle, interesting sky - all are pleasure to look at.


As far ascolor/saturation/contrast settings go,I have no problem with them, but if you (for example) wanted to sell the photograph there would be a demand to boost them some.


The only things I finda little distractingare the leaf andthose smalltwigsin the bottom right corner. I would clonethem out.


Overall, I likethe picture very much, andI'm looking forward to see more []


Pete