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Cindy Cone
07-19-2009, 10:05 PM
This was from last year's trip to the Moab area. It had been very cloudy and windy on this day, and then the sun found a break in the clouds and lit up the hillside My own critique - I wish there was some kind of anchor in the foreground and that the lone conifer wasn't centered in the frame.

Canon 40D
Canon 17-40 mm at 17
1/250
f/18

Judd Patterson
07-19-2009, 11:31 PM
This is quite a vivid scene, Cindy! I agree with your own critiques...but am left wondering if perhaps they are related. Maybe you could have walked up closer and tried that lone pine as your anchor. The color of the pine might make that difficult to pull off, but the thought came to my mind. I am also really intrigued by the line of aspens running up the mountains...it seems like there must be a great vertical composition in there somewhere...hope you were able to give that a try.

Katherine Enns
07-20-2009, 12:17 AM
This is a stunner of a photograph, and i actually like the subalpine fir tree, (I dont think its a pine) in the middle position, simply because this looks post fire to me, and that is possibly a post fire surviving veteran although it looks like it cant be more than 35 years old. I think this photo says a lot about fire ecology, to me, anyway.

Would you mind saying where abouts this is, its not a name I know.

Anyway, I like this a lot. The colors are very dramatic and the textures in this are amazing.

kat

Robert Amoruso
07-20-2009, 09:17 AM
Though the dark green tree in the center does provide a stopping point I do not think it is overpowering and if you consider it with the two peaks creates a triangle in the upper part of the image. As for the FG, you do have the reddish bush LR that does act to anchor the FG somewhat. The strong line of the valley up to the center BG provides a good leading line. Just the right amount of sky.

Good saturation on the colors. At first I thought to much but after looking at it a while I think I like it as presented.

Cindy Cone
07-20-2009, 10:13 AM
I hadn't thought about the triangle created, Robert. It was the line of aspens that had initially struck me, Judd, so I didn't think about the fir at the time. I'll have to look back in my files to see if I have anything else that might work.

Kat, this is just south of Moab, Utah. There are so many great photographic scenes in the area.

Thanks to all for your commments. They're very much appreciated.

Roman Kurywczak
07-20-2009, 10:19 AM
Hi Cindy,
I was working on this as Robert was typing but he covered my thoughts on the tree making a nice triangle. I also like the slopes and undulations of the ground but felt they could be brought up more and further emphasized. I did like it presented, but figured I'd show you where I wound up.
Now, I went pretty agressive so the difference would show. I used approx. 10 levels layers (nothing more than large scale dodging and burning IMO) and a final few areas of dodging. I did patch tool out some of the blown clouds.....a bit of the greenery in the red FG bush and the brighter blade of grass. I did this to my tastes and ethics and just wanted to show what it would look like without them......final call is yours! May be a bit much for some.....but let me know your thoughts.
PS Saved at 47 quality. I did dessat the yellows in the left aspens a touch also.

Cindy Cone
07-20-2009, 02:47 PM
Wow, Roman! I really like what you did. The aspens look better de-saturated to a more golden color and the slopes are really emphasized now. I do think patching the greenery, etc. in the FG is an improvement, and it wouldn't have occurred to me to try that. I especially like how the snow-capped mt. peak is lit up now. Thanks so much for the re-work and the detailed explanation. I really appreciate it.

denise ippolito
07-20-2009, 03:01 PM
Cindy, These are gorgeous colors and a lovely view!! I like how Roman illuminated the BG Mountain and added definition to the FG. Beautiful image!!

Gerald_Gilligan
07-20-2009, 09:46 PM
Cindy,
I really like this image and did not think that the tree was distracting. The Aspens from the left carried it for me. I really like the rework that Roman did here...
I would have liked a little more sky as it might have added some more to the mood.
Compositionally this may not have worked but my eye (or mind) keeps searching up there for it.

Jerry

JB Ellis
07-21-2009, 06:57 AM
Beautiful image Cindy. I've been to Moab and did not see anything quite like this. I guess a return trip is needed. Thanks for the excuse.:)