Sheridan WY at sunrise.

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

I took this picture with my Nikon 1, V2 last summer during a stay in Sheridan one morning from behind the motel I was staying. The light was really great and I tried to take full advantage of it. After I returned home I converted it to B&W using Google/NIK conversion plug-in. I really liked the result and was wondering what you viewers thought of it. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Shooting data below:
2013:06:25 184:18
24.4mm
65mm (in 35mm film)
1/80 sec, f/5.3
Mode: Program
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 160
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off
File size: 62.9MB
Image size: 4608 x 2383
Color space: AdobeRGB
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Color profile: Adobe RGB (1998)

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Wheeler, I like the light on the mountain range and the way the dark tones in the clouds form a diagonal from left to right. I also like the B&W conversion as well. Would love to see the color version someday as well.

[Don Railton]

Hi Wheeler

A very dramatic sky... I like that the fg flows all the way through to the light on the mountains... I do think the Foreground could be a little lighter however which I feel would lift the FG detail and draw you into the image more.

regards

DON

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

Thanks Don and Andrew for your thoughts. Don, I specifically darkened the FG because I wanted the light mountains to sort of jump out at you. I don't know whether it worked or not. Here is a version with a lightened FC, which do you like best? Thanks again.

Mac

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

Andrew-
Here is the color version of the image. This is original with only a slight crop to rid the image of a very unattractive FG.

Mac

[Grady Weed]

Wheeler you have come a long way from where you first started! the second posted version is way much better. the lighter appearance makes it jump at you, more details and more realistic tones. A nice save here from color to B&W. Good eye, seeing beyond the image taken. By lightening up the mountains and foreground you draw the eye right into the image and highlighted the fine details for us. TFS.

[Don Railton]

Hi Wheeler, Yep, I agree with Grady in every way.. Good to look past the image you captured..

DON

[Diane Miller]

The OP with the darker FG gets my vote. It isn't muddy-dark and it balances the very dramatic dark clouds and makes the detail in the mountains stand out, for me. The RP might work better for me if the clouds were just a bit lighter.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Nice scene here Wheeler. I actually prefer your monochrome repost as there's more tonal variation for my eyes to soak in.
Good call on the conversion, I like them infra-red-ish and contrasty. Just be careful of that glow you introduced on the horizon, I'd rework to tone that more evenly into the sky.