Ewaso Nyiro

[Hilary Hann]

This is an aerial shot of the Ewaso Nyiro river in Northern Kenya which looked interesting when I first saw it. Last March it flooded and washed away many safari lodges in Samburu, this year it looks like drying up completely. I like the way the sand bank curved around the river and the glint on the shallow water in the river but it was taken through the aircraft window so am interested in opinions as to whether it works or not.
I kept the ISO high to enable a high ss. I used to shoot aerials from small planes with the doors taken off, so much better than this shooting through glass. :e3
5dmk2; 24-105 @ 105; ISO800; f13; 1/1000 hand held from a plane

[Robert Amoruso]

Looks great for through the glass Hilary. I think you really framed this well with strong leading lines and diagonals in the image. I like the stark contrast of the river bed and the sand and trees.

[Chris Korman]

Reminds me of a shot from an orbiting satellite. I feel that the brush on the lower right hand corner is bit too blocked up into dark.

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Robert.
Chris, I agree with you. I thought about working on them but before spending too much more time thought I'd see if anyone thought the basic composition had any merit. I'll see if I can get any more detail.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Hilary,
A bit idfferetn and yes.....I feel the comp has merit! Like Chris, I feel the LRC is a bit dark and needs to be opened up and I think the URC could benefit a bit from that as well! At first I wasn't thrilled with the trees in the LRC......but I think they give a sense of what we are looking at so I think it is the darkness. While maybe not the most dramatic.....it does give a nice sense of the river plains and works very nicely compositionally overall!

[Dave Mills]

Hi Hillary, Interesting view. My favorite area is the texture on the left. If I didn't see the trees I might think it was veins going through a rock. Agree with Roman regarding lightening the upper and lower rt hand corners. Compositionally I also feel it works...

[Hilary Hann]

Thanks Roman and Dave, I'll have a go and see what I can manage.

Dave, this is a vertical crop through a horizontal image and I was interested in your comments re not having trees, I might look at that as another option.

[Morkel Erasmus]

love the lines and colour contrasts here Hilary
agree with Roman on lightening those areas...