Lone Photographer in Fresh Snow

[Steve Patterson]

Bryce National Park, Utah. I was lucky enough to wake to fresh snow and blue skies. It was very cold (-10f and windy), but well worth it for the views and photos. I am curious if people feel the person in the image adds (scale, etc.) or detracts from the photograph.

40D 24-105 f/4IS @ 28mm
1/640 f/8 iso200

http://www.pbase.com/spatterson/image/112351933/original.jpg

[Tom Walter]

Great image and timing Steve. For me it has always been challenging to come up with the ideal composition at Bryce. I like this one. I think you could go either way with the man. The trail in the snow fits with the man. My personal preference would be to remove the man and perhaps clone over the path in the snow. You might also consider cropping the bottom so as to remove the small rock in the foreground.

Tom

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Steve,
Oh man! ...that is a dream to be in Bryce with the snow. My last time out I missed it by a few days. Looks like you got a good amount too. I may pull back on the highlights in the immediate FG a touch but feel the trail and person not only add scale they also lead me into the image. Nice job minimizing the sky and very nice light play in between the buttes. Well done!

[Robert Amoruso]

Steve,

The man adds scale so AOK with me but either way a good image. Agree with Roman on toning down the highlights in the FG. Good composition with the spiers as they weave their way into the BG in a nice zig-zag pattern - this adds depth and brings the viewer into the image.

[Steve Patterson]

Thanks to everyone for the comments. The highlights in the FG didn't seem to do well with the resizing....to my eye they look much better in full size image. In fact I like the lighting quite a bit, but agree it looks too much in this smaller version. Larger size image here:
http://www.pbase.com/spatterson/image/93226798/original

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Personally, I would keep the human element in the this image. Agree with you on adding a scale.
Beautiful patterns in the image & a neatly composed frame. Might however bring down the levels in highlights.

[Grady Weed]

Leave the man and the footprints. It adds scale and emotional contact. This is a well imaged photo. Fresh snow, white against the red rocks, blue sky. It says cold! And the feeling he is all alone but not afraid. I like this one a lot.

[Steve Patterson]

Thank you, Grady....I can't even tell you how cold it was. Couldn't feel my fingers for hours....and I am from northern Minnesota! Cold shouldn't bother me......................

[chris Bycroft]

Hi Steve,

Really impressive image in the snow. Very different to what I saw when I visited Bryce Canyon last year. Often I am not a fan of a the human element in a landscape image, but in this case I like it, as it gives the viewer a good feel for the scale of the place. It also gives the image a good foreground feature.

[Steve Patterson]

Thank you, Chris.....I have been to Bryce quite a few times, but had never seen it with fresh snow. It was breathtaking. Here is one more...lighting isn't quite as good, but it shows how beautiful it was.

http://www.pbase.com/spatterson/image/112351930.jpg

[Mark Fuge]

I would agree with the others on leaving in the man and the trail. I would suggest however, that you put a little extra work into it and crop the bottom to the base of the large rock, next to the previously referenced small rock on the bottom. I would them clone out the items circled on the attached and extend the trail to the print border.

Your choice, but I would give that a try if it were mine.

Very nice image though and being from the Land of the Frozen Tundra, I know how cold that is!!!! :eek: :D

Good luck!

[Rich Ikerd]

Exceptional Bryce image Steve. I have yet to see this in person with snow, but the white really does add a great aspect to the image. I agree with the foreground highlights being a bit much and with leaving the person in the image (the perspective it gives makes the hoodoos that much more impressive). I wouldn't do any cloning though as this is the scene you saw - those foreground rocks will be there for quite sometime so having your image match the actual scene is pretty important - especially if you go back.