Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: AJMorris on February 27, 2012, 01:04:12 am

Title: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: AJMorris on February 27, 2012, 01:04:12 am
This image is testament to the diversity of the Alaskan landscape. I used 4 images stitched together to create this panoram. If i hadn't seen it with my own eyes i would scarcely believe it was Alaska at all! I liked the run of blue lupines that clashed with the almost arid edge of the cliff. Some 50-100 feet below the water as a tropical feel while an island (not sure which one) and the mountains of Kodiak loom in the background. Let me know what you think!(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/268151_248368821841689_100000057195997_1077024_2000044_n.jpg)
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: tom b on February 27, 2012, 01:16:28 am
Your images are not showing up on my Mac computer in either Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

Cheers,
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: AJMorris on February 27, 2012, 01:37:52 am
Hmm. Thanks Tom. Ive modified the post and attached the image instead of embedding it. I hope this works!
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: tom b on February 27, 2012, 01:44:46 am
That works.

Cheers,
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: Walt Roycraft on February 27, 2012, 07:12:33 am
I am sure this was a beautiful location, but the photo does not work. The pano format suffocates the view.  I want more space.
The focus in the distance seems soft to me. There is an unnatural blue reflection in the water on the right.
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: sdwilsonsct on February 27, 2012, 10:22:35 am
Great location and a thoughtful panorama. I tend to share Walt's perception that the panorama format sometimes crams too much into a narrow little strip. A straightforward wide-angle format would have included more sky and might make for a more pleasing balance between earth, sky and ocean. The variety of blues in the water seems a little unnatural.
Apart from all these niggles, there is lots of potential here.
Scott
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: PhotoEcosse on February 27, 2012, 10:46:01 am
Nor sure that I agree with Walt.

I absolutely detested the transient fad, a few years ago, of using very wide-angle lenses for landscapes in a way that distorted the perspective and showed close foreground objects unnaturally large.

But using the panorama format does, imho, allow you to include the lupins up close, the crags in the middle distance and the sea and islands in the background.

I think it is an idea worth persevering with.

The colours do seem a trifle unnatural, though. Maybe take them back to the Raw files and avoid using too much saturation when you reprocess.
Title: Re: The Alaskan Summer
Post by: rambler44 on February 28, 2012, 11:00:13 am
Interesting. I just finished reading an article on panoramas in which the author suggested taking panoramas in the vertical position.  That camera position allows you to capture a lot more sky which you can then later crop downwards.  I would agree with others who find that the sky was clipped too low. It is especially apparent right over the top of the cliff.  That land (vegetation) needs a bit more sky to grow into, a little more breathing room.  
I do like the colors and the composition other than being squeezed along the top. The curve of the cliff draws my gaze out over the water to the far distant edge.

There is also a recent thread at this site concerning panoramas where I think Bill T shows an an example of a homemade system for holding his camera in the vertical position for panoramas.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=62420.0 (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=62420.0)

The article I refer to was from Scott Kelby's book on Digital Photography, Volumne 3, p.123