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Jonathan Ashton
01-09-2017, 05:32 AM
Canon 5D MkII Canon 24-105mm @40mm ISO 100 1/10sec f16
Unless I did a dual exposure I found I couldn't use DPP as raw converter, with ACR is was straightforward, it seems much easier to control the extremities in exposure with ACR where I used a grad filter on the sky. I have taken blue out of the mountains and lowered the brightness & increased contrast slightly. I also added a little "make it Glow" just to make the colours pop a little. I did consider cloning out the branches top right but it became rather messy - probably due to the grad filter used in the conversion from raw.

I felt almost compelled to post this image, recently we have had three excellent programs on TV covering Yellowstone. Climate change throughout the seasons was highlighted and in one program especially I got pretty animated because it covered this very area I had photographed. There were two dams on this stretch and one was dam was breached in August due to the rapid thaw resulting in a higher water flow. The female beaver could see the there was a possibility of the lodge being flooded so she moved the kits carrying them in her mouth over the dam to a new venue. I visited in early October so I guess the beavers were preparing for hibernation, I never saw them but I was fascinated at their engineering of the surrounding landscape. I have just got to revisit Yellowstone, I am totally smitten!!

Morkel Erasmus
01-09-2017, 06:01 PM
A very nice scene Jonathan! Nicely framed and the colours pop.
I do think you were a bit aggressive with your processing of texture and midtone contrast, and pulling back will allow the image to be a bit "softer on the eye" and subtle in it's enticement?

Don Lacy
01-09-2017, 07:31 PM
Lovely colors Johnathan and nicely composed with leading lines to the beaver den

Don Railton
01-10-2017, 06:22 AM
Hi Jonathan. A classic scene well composed & shot. Well done. I like the FG colour treatment, it may pushed a little but still acceptable for me. I think the mountain range is ok too, but lacks the pop of the FG..

Don

Adhika Lie
01-10-2017, 05:25 PM
I really like the composition and the use of leading line here. It's quite refreshing to see a Schwabacher's scene that does not feature the Grand, although I have to admit I did look for it at first as an anchor to the scene. The light was already a little strong and that's probably resulted in the stronger contrast when you pull highlights back in raw conversion but I don't really mind it. It could use a little CW rotation for me. ACR/LR is a really great raw converter and scene like this is probably a good indicator for that.

I've been to Teton/Yellowstone twice and I can't wait to go back. Hopefully one day our path will cross, Jon!

Andrew McLachlan
01-22-2017, 09:19 PM
Hi Jonathan, I like this images as presented....great colours, leading line to the beaver dam, cotton clouds in the sky, and beautiful golden grasses of autumn....my only suggestion would be to clone the two tiny bits of pine bough that are poking into the scene along the upper right edge of the comp...beautiful work!

Jonathan Ashton
01-23-2017, 04:51 AM
Thanks very much for the feedback everyone much appreciated.

Steve Kaluski
02-01-2017, 12:54 PM
Hi Jon, nice location, but I find the mountains and sky a bit off, if you know what I mean. I like the framing, I just think you have missed something in the PP???

You would love Banff, it's more of this, but bigger. :S3:

TFS
Steve

Jonathan Spool
02-06-2017, 12:24 PM
Another great capture Jonathan! Too bad you couldn't get the birds too cooperate like they did in "Madison Flats" 😊

Jonathan Ashton
02-08-2017, 10:47 AM
Thanks for your comments everyone.