Kaweah River - Sequoia NP

[Jay Gould]

Hi, I have been going through some of last year's G9 images. This was only processed in LR; more interested in compositional issues with these G9 images. Would you present the scene differently?

Tried to slow the water; as I recall I was unable to lower the SS any further. It was frustrations like this - and looking at my brother's 20D images - that caused me to order the 40D :eek: a couple of months later. Little did I know at the time what gear was in my future!

Camera: G9
Capture date/time: 21 May 08; 2:00pm
Light condition: Sunny
Lens: 7.4-44.4
Focal length: 13
Extender: none
Tube: none
Flash/Comp: none
ISO: 80
Exp Prog: Av
Speed: 1/25 sec
Aperture: f/8
Exp Comp: -2
Metering: Evaluative
WB: Auto
AF Drive: One Shot
Tripod: yes

All C&Cs gratefully appreciated!

[JB Ellis]

Great composition. I really like how the stream winds though the image and the mountain makes an impressive BG. I find the shadow in the stream of a pole or something distracting. You could clone that out pretty easily. The shot might have been even better had the light been less harsh/bright.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Jay,
I actually do biginner Macro workshops where many of the participants use similar equipment. I tell them that they have to work just a bit harder because of some of the camera limitations but many simple things are posssible.
The white border represents what i would have concentrated on from your vantage point. Judging by the shadows, it does appear to be later in the day, but all camera's would have struggled because of the large tonal differences in the scene. If you look at the white crop, I have eliminated a good portion of deep shadow areas, thus minimizing the impact. The blue X......with the blue border (which continues into the red).....shows that by moving forward towards the near shoreline in front of the trees, you would have minimized their impact also and eliminated them as distractions. Now the red X and border...this shows why I often wear/bring waterproof boots or carry sandals.....I can put them on and easily cross the strem to what I consider the best vantage point. Standing there I would have eliminated all the distracting FG elements and been able to concentrate on the mountain and the curve of the river. Since there are no strong shadow areas....the G9's meter would have been better able to evaluate and handle the scene.....maybe even keeping detail in the clouds. Think like your camera and lens (no matter which brand)......not what our eyes see!

[Jay Gould]

Thanks JB and Roman, these are exactly the type of comments I am seeking. When I shot this image, even though it was just one year ago, the last thinkon my mind was shadows across the scene etc. I was shooting travel photos - memories for our website album.

I had not yet read any landscape publications about shadows and items dragging you eye out of the scene rather than into the scene.

It was only after this trip with my brother that I decided to learn photography and the rest is history.

Regarding this scene, had I been alone instead of out hiking in a group I might have taken the time to hike down to the water's edge - not into the water/too cold!

Roman, here is the "red" crop.

This exercise has been similar to the cropping down of the Picnic Rock waterfall. Your assistance in training my eye is greatly appreciated. I will continue to post some of the older images as they can be great teaching aids.

Interestingly, I do not like the RP nearly as much as the OP as the RP emphasizes the granite mountain and not the river; perhaps today I would not have taken the shot or would set my position very differently for the shot using Live View. What do you think?

By the way, the color of the sky completely changed when, in CS4, I did a save for web!

Thanks.

[JB Ellis]

Thanks to both of you, I'm learning too.

[Katherine Enns]

Originally, when I first saw this I thought, oh my what a lovely image, reminds me of lots of Cordilleran scenes from round here (not surprising it IS Cordilleran).

However, browsing again I saw the clip Roman did, and I sort of disagreed, as I thought it lost too much of the lovely bend in the river. THEN when I opened the image and tried to do my own version of a crop, I came up with the same crop as Romans because of the little tree in the forground. The thing is, I am not sure I would have recognized that tree as an impediment during taking the image, as Jay has discussed. I have learned so much about framing from you folks.

AND it IS a lovely image Jay.

Kat

[Jay Gould]

Thanks Kat, which do you like better? The OP or the RP. Hopefully, using Live View I would have done the RP OOTC or not taken the shot.

[Katherine Enns]

Went rushing to the acronym list to look up OP, RP and OOTC only to find...I am on my own in the translation, I gather you mean old photograph, revised photograph and..? Anyway, I get your drift and my answer is, I would have taken the EXACT same shot as you, for the same reasons.

I am just after sifting through my photographs for the last two weeks since I first started posting here. And I have things that right now, I swear I did NOT take that shot. I swear it! Your photograph may be an indication of your enthusiasm for travel in the Cordilleran landscape. Now, here in northern Cordilleran BC we have no shortage of massive rock faces just like this to photograph, so I am both partial to them, and know that in order for them to be good looking they have to have color from light, or intrinsic color from the bedrock.

The trees are not in the best of light in this shot...you lost that lovely shallow water, & sinuous curve in the river due to the small fir tree, there. That was the thing I liked the most about the photo. A pair of large handled snippers maybe...? Oops did I say that? Its a PARK! For heavens sake.

Yes I would have, and probably still would.

kat

[Jay Gould]

OP = Opening Post
RP = Repost
OOTC = OOTB :o; Out of the camera

You may have had to look at the BPN acronym list; I had to Google Cordilleran Landscape: http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/ict/2learn...cordillera.htm

Perhaps this site applies to you in Canada ;):D

I know what you mean by looking at old photos and swearing you would never have taken that shot.

I am constantly looking at an image and telling Jackie what is wrong with the image applying the exacting BPN criteria.

Look forward to enjoying more of your images.

:D:D

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Jay,
Definitely lost the river as impact......but that's why I mentioned going in the water or far shore.....standing on that side.....you would have been able to get the shoreline as a leading line but the light appears better. You do not know what other "issues" may appear when you get there.....but always worth a peek! With the re-post, I tried to show a thought process.....take the image the way you did first......then work different views and angles......megs are free !!(relatively).....compose as many images you can with the scene that caught your eye......debate which one you like best.....when you get home.
At the very least in the OP......I would have gone in front of the FG trees.....or maybe even stepped back to use some of the trees as framing elements. When a vista catches your eye....trust yourself and compose....recompose, and explore it even further from higher, lower and all angles. Slowing down this way (even though you have to move rather quickly at sunrise/sunset) and looking ....will insure you capture the most pleasing scene of something that appeals to you.....that luxury we have in landscapes as compared to the avian or animal world.

[Katherine Enns]

Roman, I definetely learned from your posting showing the delineation. I might have lay down on the rocks to the right of the tree and shot from there, of bend over very low to the ground and shoot up river at the face.

[Jay Gould]

Roman, Very helpful tutorial; thank you for taking the time.

[Robert Amoruso]

Not much to add over what Roman did.