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View Full Version : Gorge At Watkins Glen #2



Ed Cordes
09-27-2008, 07:42 PM
Another image from our outing at Watkins Glen Gorge in August. The sky was a mixture of clouds and Sun. we tried to get there about Noon to get light in the gorge. I like this image as it has the wide dripping falls on the left with the main run off centered. To me the color shows the almost tropical feel Upstate NY can have if the circumstances are right.

1DMK2 with 17-40 @ 40. Evaluative metering at ISO 400 with EV zero and f 16 with 1 sec exposure. Tripod used leaning over the wall at the trail's edge. I cloned out 2 people on the left. Full frame with some curves, and burning on the right using a multiply mask.

Thanks for looking. All comments are most welcome.

Robert Amoruso
09-28-2008, 08:58 AM
Hi Ed,

Like this view a lot. I remember the first post from here and you told us how you need to go in the afternoon to get any light in here so you did well with lighting extremes. I was curious on the shadows ans tried a Shadow/Highlight adjustment which opened them up nicely but not too much so they ar still shadows. BUt the other thing I tried has bringing down highlights (75/55/30 settings) and that dropped the brightness of the green grass at the top evening out the tonalities nicely. Something to investigate if you want.

I agree that the small falls at the left balance the larger ones in the middle which makes the more central placement of the larger falls work well. The stairs also guide the viewer into the image from the top.

Ed Cordes
09-28-2008, 03:05 PM
As always Thanks for the excellent advice Robert. Here is a re-post with about 5% shadow adjustment and the brightness settings you suggested. I also rotated CW about 1 degree. I do think the tonal range is much better. Thanks again.

Robert Amoruso
09-28-2008, 04:12 PM
Nice work Ed.

Roman Kurywczak
09-28-2008, 09:48 PM
Hey Ed,
Robert was right on with the suggestions and it looks like you followed them very well with the re-post. Maybe a bit vivid on the green for some.........but since I was a big Velvia fan in the film days......I like it. Nicely composed and re-worked.

Paul Marcellini
09-29-2008, 05:11 PM
What a cool place. I gotta remember to get up there sometime. I like the comp here and the second post is great. Well done. I'm not a big human element type of person, but the bridge works well.

Amy DeStefanis
09-30-2008, 07:02 PM
Wow - this is an amazing spot! I love the picture, and the repost does bring out more of the details in the shadows and highlights.

Thanks for sharing this amazing place with us!

Amy D.

Chris Starbuck
10-04-2008, 05:01 PM
Ed,
The orignal was beautiful, and the repost a subtle but noticable improvement. My only suggestion: Duplicate this composition in mid-winter after a good snowfall (if you can safely get to the same location!).

(I spent 4 years in Ithaca in the early '70s, and never made it to Watkins Glen. Boy did I miss a lot of beauty!)

Chris

Ed Cordes
10-04-2008, 05:14 PM
Ed,
The orignal was beautiful, and the repost a subtle but noticable improvement. My only suggestion: Duplicate this composition in mid-winter after a good snowfall (if you can safely get to the same location!).

(I spent 4 years in Ithaca in the early '70s, and never made it to Watkins Glen. Boy did I miss a lot of beauty!)

Chris

Thanks for the response Chris. I would love to be there in winter with nice soft overcast sky and good ice and snow cover. However, the park is closed and locked up. A large fine is levied if you cross the chain. The trail is also quite dangerous for the inexperienced, so the park officials just close it and do not allow exceptions, especially since I am not a staffer for National Geographic!! ;)