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View Full Version : 3 Mittens at sunrise



Lyle Gruby
09-09-2013, 09:15 AM
This is from Monument Valley. Blended by hand. Tried to find a unique comp for the mittens, this is one of the many I tried. All C&C welcome.

Techs:
D3S
16-35 @ 28mm
f/16
ISO 200

Morkel Erasmus
09-09-2013, 02:28 PM
I've got a few thoughts on this one, Lyle...but will wait for others to chip in first - see what comes out...
Will say 2 words: luminosity balance...:w3

dankearl
09-09-2013, 02:34 PM
Lyle,
The comp looks fine, however it looks like
you used a grad filter and pulled it too low over the monuments.
I would definately try to bring up the light on them.

Andrew McLachlan
09-09-2013, 08:25 PM
Hi Lyle, I do like the composition for this mittens at sunrise, but feel it could use a little more TLC to make it shine. You don't mention using a grad filter but Dan is right that it has the appearance of a mis-placed grad filter. I would like to see a bit more contrast in the mittens and if you use Color Efex perhaps some detail extractor on the foreground.

Don Lacy
09-10-2013, 12:45 PM
Hi Lyle, I like the comp with the placement of the elements within the frame but I am also seeing issues with tonal values. To my eye the foreground is to bright in relationship to the sky and middle ground and the big bright blown out area were the sun is pulls the viewers eye form the rest of the scene and dominates the image. I think if you could have partially hid the sun behind one of the mittens creating a nice starburst would have worked well here.

Don Nelson
09-10-2013, 11:09 PM
I am having the same issues as others posted -- my eye goes immediately to the blown sky area then moves down into the bright forground. I never even look at the mittens which are too dark for my tastes. I think Dan hit the issues precisely -- were you using a grad filter? Or did you apply something of a grad in photoshop (if the latter, you can go back and do a little creative masking to bring back the mittens.....)
Best
Don

Morkel Erasmus
09-12-2013, 01:07 PM
Hi Lyle, I like the comp with the placement of the elements within the frame but I am also seeing issues with tonal values. To my eye the foreground is to bright in relationship to the sky and middle ground and the big bright blown out area were the sun is pulls the viewers eye form the rest of the scene and dominates the image. I think if you could have partially hid the sun behind one of the mittens creating a nice starburst would have worked well here.

Don summed up my initial thoughts well...

To balance the exposure as presented the FG needs to go darker, the mittens lighter. But I do feel overall the exposure balance could be better balanced by reworking from scratch...how did you go about blending these?

Martin Dunn
09-13-2013, 04:45 AM
From a less technical perspective..
I don't mind the foreground being a bit brighter than it should be, the colour is rich.
What spoils it for me is the placement of the sun.
Firstly, It is bright and draws the eye straight away. Secondly is is behind a straggly tree which has now become the main focus of the photo.
If the mittens are meant to be your main subject then they need to be more than just black lumps.

I said it wasn't technical.