rocky castle

[Jeremy Roussak]

Comments?

Jeremy

[Lisa Nikodym]

I love the subject and composition, and the B&W (sort of) treatment goes very well with it, but the midtone contrast seems unattractively flat to me.  Have you tried increasing it somewhat and seeing how it looks?

Lisa

P.S.  I'm curious - where is it?

[degrub]

The flatness may partly be from haze.

Rather reminds me of the Sphinx  - just translate some of the formations in the foreground.......

Frank

[jasonrandolph]

My first instinct is to want to see more of the foreground, but including any more may distract eyes from the subject.  I like the layers of detail that are accentuated by the lines on the outer portion of the frame.  Nice work.

[Jeremy Roussak]

I love the subject and composition, and the B&W (sort of) treatment goes very well with it, but the midtone contrast seems unattractively flat to me.  Have you tried increasing it somewhat and seeing how it looks?

Lisa

P.S.  I'm curious - where is it?

Thanks! It's converted to b&w in Lightroom and I added a little split toning. As to contrast, I see what you mean: something like this might be better, perhaps?

I took it at Navajo Bridge, Arizona.

Jeremy

[pegelli]

Jeremy, I like the second version better. Slightly more punch without losing the layering.

Other item I see is a slight perspective distortion since it seems the camera was pointed slightly up. Have you tried correcting that, since to me it distracts a little?

[RSL]

Jeremy, I'm flabbergasted! When I first looked at this fine shot with splendid light early this morning I figured the croppers would descend on you like locusts. There are so many ways to crop this picture, none of which would improve it, which seems to be the criterion most croppers look for.

In any case, it's good work. I rather liked the atmospheric perspective the haze gave the first version, and I think I still do. That's the kind of thing you can do easily with painting, but not so easily with photography -- at least until Photoshop came along.

I'm not sure how Pegelli can detect perspective distortion in a picture with no straight lines, but whatever...

[tq-g]

I liked the first version much better. The haze gives a sense of distance and makes the picture so much more intriguing. I can imagine myself being there and traveling towards those old ruins, perhaps to find out whatever secret they might be hiding. It teases my imagination in an interesting way. The second version just killed it. Even though it's a small change I think it ruins(no pun ) it. Keep it as it is and you have a great picture.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I like the second version better. As for cropping (watch out, Russ!), I'm slightly bothered by the partial sliver of cloud at the top. My first choice would be to have aimed the camera slightly higher to get just a bit more of the cloud.

Since you didn't do that, I would be tempted to cr*p the cloud out completely (or turn it into blank sky with some combination of the clone stamp and Content-aware fill -- without, of course, cheating in any way. 

Eric

[louoates]

I admit I'm a recovering cropper and had lots of cropping temptation when I saw your first version. The ruins struck me a being too light toned and too centered. The second version however removed that cropping compulsion. I think because the other shadow elements became more of an element without competing with the ruins. And I still see the nice transitions due to the mist.

I did notice the cloud Eric mentioned but my cropping instinct wasn't tempted.

Very nicely done. I vote for number 2.

[RSL]

...I would be tempted to cr*p the cloud out completely...

See! See... I was right... I did... I did... I did see a cropper.

Nonetheless I do agree that the little cloud is a distraction in the thumbnail, but when you expand the picture it sort of falls into place.

[tq-g]

If you believe in fate, which I don't, that cloud at the top had but one purpose in life; to be in this shot. It belongs there, as if it was made to accentuate the lines in the landscape. I mean, look at the lines!  Sure, I can understand the comments about having a little more of the cloud in frame, but i'm not even sure about that. Either way, when nature deals you a hand like that you should play it, and you played it very well. That's why I feel strongly about defending the shot; I think it's that good.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Now I'm in quite a quandary. If Russ hadn't posted before I did, would I have thought of cropping the cloud? I will never know. So maybe it's all Russ's fault.

Anyway, I do like the photo, and I still prefer the second version.

Eric