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Author Topic: Devils Jump  (Read 2357 times)

Walt Roycraft

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Devils Jump
« on: October 26, 2012, 01:00:58 pm »

Big south Fork NP, Kentucky

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Walter Roycraft
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luxborealis

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2012, 01:36:29 pm »

Beautiful in its natural "chaos" and complexity. There are many photos within this photo which keeps me looking. Nicely done!

It may sound niggly, but in all of that apparent chaos, I find my eye is particularly drawn to the curvy white birch in the top left. Would you have the same shot with more of that birch showing (and less of the right side with the slight intrusive branch)? Just a thought.
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Walt Roycraft

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2012, 02:59:13 pm »

Terry, totally agree about the curved birch tree on the left. I purposefully included the tree on the right because I thought it framed the shot nicely, only to discover in post that it is slightly obtrusive. I'll have to go back and see if I have a different view to work on.
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Walter Roycraft
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Chairman Bill

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2012, 03:55:42 pm »

Nit-picking a little, but check the spirit-level on your tripod too; that water looks to be on a considerable slope  ;)

Walt Roycraft

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2012, 04:27:33 pm »

Bill, here in Kentucky water runs uphill! Ha Ha, good call.

It was quite unstable where I was set up. Even more reason to double check things.
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Walter Roycraft
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davidh202

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2012, 09:19:42 pm »

 Walt,
I don't know if it is proper for me to make suggestions here since it is not the critique forum, but, here goes...
 This is no doubt a beautiful scene in real time, the photo as presented is quite busy with no real focal point. As Terry said "Chaos".
I find my eye wandering with no real place to settle down. I think about your title, and I belive my eye should be drawn to the stream not the Birch in the very corner  ???
I played a little in PS and I think what I've done somewhat improves upon your vision for this scene.(won't post without permission).

I  cropped the right side and bottom, lost the tree on the right , shortened the foreground rocks and gave it a little gradient blur which softens it and draws my eye to the center.I also straightened a little according to the water line on the large rock on the right(which unfortunately cut out the Birch since it was so close to the edge.
I gave the background trees a little more vibrance, and lightened the stream(focal point) slightly.
 PS: if you really like the crooked Birch it could be left in :).

JMHO, David
  
« Last Edit: October 26, 2012, 09:23:55 pm by davidh202 »
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IanBrowne

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2012, 09:35:56 pm »

Terry, totally agree about the curved birch tree on the left. I purposefully included the tree on the right because I thought it framed the shot nicely, only to discover in post that it is slightly obtrusive. I'll have to go back and see if I have a different view to work on.
now that's interesting; i never noticed tree first time round but i did notice the tree/leaves on the right and thought that should not be there  ???

I personally find the scene just too busy for my head. But i love those autumn colours and I feel that is the image i would have focusing on.

Just a thought on composition.........tree LHS: generally we read a photo from the bottom LHS and there fore the top LHS (and maybe the botton RHS) is often the last place our eyes go to in a photo.

That's what I love about photography forums; our eyes can be opened to see so much more and in our own time. I will return to this photo later on to see how I see the image at another time.
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Walt Roycraft

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Re: Devils Jump
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2012, 07:21:39 am »

David, I have no problem with suggestions or critiques, even hard ones. The name "Devils Jump" comes from history. Loggers used to float their timber down river and at this point the rapids were so severe that they sometimes had to jump off. During the rainy season all these boulders would be under water. I have many scenes with more trees showing the fall color. I wanted the emphasis to be the foreground. I do have another shot that shows more of the curvy tree on the left and the obtrusive tree on the right cropped out, BUT it crops the foreground out. I regret not being more careful about the way the scene is cropped.
In this case, I am not asking what you would do differently, so I would not appreciate varying versions. Thanks for asking.

Ian, Yes, a very busy scene. Except for the tree on the right, I thought there was a cohesiveness to the scene, even tho it was busy. I find it peaceful to look at and makes me want to keep looking.
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Walter Roycraft
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