The Sound of Music

[dankearl]

Mt. Rainier at daybreak.
1/6
iso400
f11
18mm (cropped for pano)
Grad ND filter used.

DSC_1394nx.jpg (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=100661&stc=1&d=1316296822)

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Dan, I like your pano crop. The lupines in the foreground are quite lovely. For me the snow capped mountain is a tad bright, I might try toning that down and perhaps add a little more contrast to the middle area of the image. What strength grad filter did you use? Perhaps a darker one would have done the trick. Nicely composed scene.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Lovely scene Dan...my immediate thought as well was for a hint more contrast, especially mid- and background...:S3:
I also agree with Andrew on toning down the mountaintop a tad.

[Robert Amoruso]

I like the composition and reversing laying of diagonal plains in the image from FG to BG (the flowers, the middle ground hills, the larger peaks as you move to the BG).

I would suggest carefully working with a reverse S curve to tone highlights and open up the FG. Then selective color and add black to FG colors to increase the inherent contrast of the image.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hey Dan. I came back here tonight and thought I'd play around a bit. This was done very briskly so I might have been sloppy with some of the selective work I did.

Selectively darkened (burned) the mountaintop and sky to simulate a "harder graduated density filter" feel.
Added blacks to selective colour as per Robert's suggestion above.
Added about 15 points saturation overall as it needed a bit of "oomph".
Added some LCE (USM 20% 10px) to the FG and midground.

WDYT??

[dankearl]

I like it Morkel, it actually looks more like the scene as I remember it.
It was pre-sunrise and I metered to try and lighten up the foreground as it was
pretty dark, so the mountain ended up a bit on the bright side. I also think the sharpening
improved the foreground, I have been gun shy to do a lot of sharpening as I am still figuring out
the web downsizing and the sharpening seems to get magnified in the process.
Yours has some over sharpened look on the ridge line, I realize due to the hasty conversion you did.
I am still working on web presentation.

[Rachel Hollander]

Dan - I like the title and it is a lovely scene and comp. Good suggestions by Robert and Morkel and the repost improves it even if hastily done.

TFS,
Rachel

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hi Dan, I didn't realize the Von Trapps moved to the States! Opening up the FG in Morkel's version is a great improvement, but I like the softer look of the mountain in the OP. Lovely scenery.