Valley

[armand]

An older shot that I keep coming back to trying to fix its technical flaws (mostly by less stellar technique at that time, partially by the camera limitations) but I'm curious what do you think about the composition by itself, is worth it? I do like it but as I spent some time with it my objectivity it's probably gone by now.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Well, the good news is that you have well-defined leading lines... the bad news is the leading lines converge to... nowhere.

[shutterpup]

Sedona? Or somewhere else in the southwest? I have one similar to this, and like Slo said, nothing going nowhere in my version too.

[armand]

Sedona? Or somewhere else in the southwest? I have one similar to this, and like Slo said, nothing going nowhere in my version too.

Yes, it's few miles north of Sedona. And those lines are leading to Sedona

[RSL]

Armand, Since, unlike people on the street, this part of the country's not going anywhere, if you're unhappy with the shot why not go back and re-shoot it? Even though I'm not much of a landscape guy I like it. Technically, Slobodan may be right, but good photographs aren't made with rules. Actually, the slope of the hillsides join the river and the river bluffs, make two pleasing triangles. It's not bad at all.

[popnfresh]

+1 for the reshoot.

After a while these things get to be like beating a dead horse. But at least you hopefully learn something along the way.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

...Even though I'm not much of a landscape guy I like it...

Well, that explains it then

[RSL]

Okay, Slobodan. I know you were surprised to find I'm not a landscape guy.

[popnfresh]

Okay, Slobodan. I know you were surprised to find I'm not a landscape guy.

It's okay, Russ. Nobody's perfect.   

[armand]

I would love to go back but there are 2.5k miles between Sedona and my current location, so I'll need a lengthy, proper vacation. Overall I really enjoyed the SW, huge photographic potential.

On this particular shot I was not sure about the rock on the right lower corner, as I didn't really wanted it in the shot but I was already on the edge.

[RSL]

I think it's an important part of the picture, Armand. It gives the viewer a sense of position.

[armand]

I posted this one long time ago but I just gave it a little more Lightroom and Nik love.
An improvement?

[AFairley]

I think the composition just makes it unworkable, the very strong line of the path and the river drags the eye deep into the landscape, but the eye is abandoned at the back with nothing to fix on or guidance as to where to go next.

[degrub]

I see two ideas for compositions. Neither are great, but maybe useful. A vertical frame of the right third so that the river is left of center and the focus is between the cloud highlight and the river highlight. Maybe there is an interplay between the two ? A second formed in the upper left quadrent so that the focus point is the peak with the lightness of the bluff leading to the dark rift off to the left to the peak?

Frank