PDA

View Full Version : Le Gour Bleu falls (France)



Jerry van Dijk
08-23-2015, 03:26 PM
During our summer holidays, we followed a river through a gorge with 7 waterfalls. I'm especially proud of this capture, because there were about 50 people at this waterfall either trying to get under it or photograph it. A good lesson in excersizing patience (and no, I didn't clone anyone out!). The falling water isn't as blurred as I liked, because I had not tripod with me so I couldn't use the ND filter.
I tried a version where I dodged to falling water to make it more white, but decided I liked this subdued version better. I'm totally new to waterfall photography, so any C&C is welcome!

D7000, Tamron 16-300 @ 16mm, handheld , ISO-200, f/10, 1/5 sec (great IS, this lens!), -0.7 EV. Minor PP.

Don Railton
08-23-2015, 06:57 PM
Hi Jerry..

This is a very nice image.. I love the composition and the scene... Has a nice feel to it, like you would like to be there... So, if it were mine I would use luminosity masks to tackle the bright FG rocks Lower LC to lower the brightness there just a little more and also with a different mask lift the dark shadow just to the right of the fall. Just a little for both but for me that would help. I have a feeling you might have worked on these areas already however, maybe you pushed as far as you felt comfortable?

DON

Jerry van Dijk
08-24-2015, 12:48 AM
Thanks Don. I did work on the shadows already and felt that the image started to look a little flat if I opened them up too much, and reduced the focus on the falling water. I'm on a different screen now and see here that the shadows are quite a bit darker than on my calibrated monitor, which doesn't look good. I'll try working on those FG rocks.

Don Railton
08-24-2015, 03:56 AM
Yep, thought as much.. Have you had a crack at double processing & blending?? Process one image from the RAW optimizing for the highlights, Do it again optimizing for the darks and then blend then together...You can usually push a little harder from a RAW than after the conversion...

DON

Rachel Hollander
08-24-2015, 07:37 AM
Hi Jerry - looks like a nice lush scene and I can understand why many people go there. Don covered my thoughts on the highlights and shadows. The dark shadows to the right of the falls bothered me more and I thought perhaps you could raise some detail there. I would also look at a more pano crop, taking some from the bottom as an alternative so that the image isn't so equally divided between the pool and the rest.

TFS,
Rachel

dankearl
08-24-2015, 02:37 PM
You did an excellent job hand holding this, shadows mentioned, but the waterfall looks good...

Andrew McLachlan
08-24-2015, 07:27 PM
Hi Jerry, what a lovely waterfall...I imagine it would be quite spectacular in the spring-time when water levels are higher...you did very nicely with the conditions you were presented with...as noted I too would like to see more detail in the shadowed areas and my personal tastes are to compose such scenes to eliminate as much of the sky showing through the trees as possible...if you were so inclined you do have lots of room to play around with various cropping options to remove the bright sky section...just a thought...TFS.

Jerry van Dijk
08-25-2015, 03:50 PM
Thanks everyone, I will try out your suggestions!

Valerio Tarone
08-25-2015, 04:06 PM
Jerry hi, I like the image as it communicates a sense of calm and harmony. I always wonder whether an image communicates or not any sensation.

Jerry van Dijk
08-26-2015, 01:22 AM
Thanks Valerio. I think an image can actually do that. Not only by capturing the atmosphere of a special place, but also when the photographer is able to convey her or his vision thruogh the image.

Jerry van Dijk
08-26-2015, 03:57 PM
Here's a repost with most of your comments acoomodated. Minor changes, but visible improvement I think. Cropped slightly from the top (Andrew, I didn't like the composition anymore with all of the bright sky eliminated) and considerably from the bottom, some burning of the bright sky and the FG gravel, opened up the shadows on RH side by dodging and a very minor S/H correction.
Still contemplating brighting up the falling water...

Don Railton
08-26-2015, 06:50 PM
Agreed Jerry, a definate improvement.. and I would do the water..

DON

Don Lacy
09-07-2015, 07:06 PM
Hi Jerry, Sorry for the late comment, the repost is much better for tonal value.

Morkel Erasmus
09-09-2015, 04:45 PM
Late to this one, Jerry, but very much like the repost.
Yes from me on dodging the falling water a bit more as well!