Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: David Eckels on June 28, 2021, 12:06:30 pm

Title: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: David Eckels on June 28, 2021, 12:06:30 pm
Yes, I confess ;D Would appreciate comments if anything stands out as obviously manipulated. From a 4 shot vertical merge. Hard to knock down the mid-late afternoon contrast.
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: Wolfman on June 28, 2021, 03:42:06 pm
Need to see an image please.
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: David Eckels on June 28, 2021, 06:43:10 pm
That would help, wouldn't it? :-[
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: degrub on June 28, 2021, 06:45:19 pm
the background bothers me for some reason.
Maybe it needs colour ?
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: David Eckels on June 28, 2021, 06:57:21 pm
Maybe it needs colour ?
But then it wouldn't be a B/W. I did darken it about a stop.
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: Wolfman on June 28, 2021, 06:59:50 pm
I agree with degreb...something about the bkgd. doesn't feel right. I think the bkgd. needs to be darker adding more contrast with the foreground. I tried a quick edit and it seemed a little better.
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: David Eckels on June 28, 2021, 07:14:07 pm
Even darker, wow. Very helpful; I worried about it being to much.
Title: Re: I took liberties with Panamint Dunes
Post by: langier on June 28, 2021, 07:58:45 pm
It's fine, Dave, though darker seems good with these dunes to pop them. However one should be bold at times!

In the spring, during the morning Hunter Mountain and the Cottonwood Range can add some dramatic shadows as the sun rises over the Panamint Range and spotlights the dunes.

Most photos of the Panamint Dunes tend to need a long lens since it's a long walk to the dunes from the end of a rough dirt road and there are more accessible dunes in the region besides the Mesquite Dunes that always seemed for me to be more rewarding to shoot.

One long shot that gives one a high POV is along the road to Hunter Mountain. However, I think one of the better vantage points for me was near Panamint Springs which put the dune field in context with its semi-remote environment.

Here's one from years ago shot with a focal length of 250mm.