Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Josh-H on February 13, 2010, 04:53:24 am

Title: Buckland Valley
Post by: Josh-H on February 13, 2010, 04:53:24 am
I shot this just after dawn this morning. I had gotten up at an ungodly hour and driven to the top of Mount Buffalo to photograph first light on Lake Catani. Unfortunately.. it was one of those mornings that 'just got lighter' the colour just didnt happen - to much cloud and fog. Grrr...

Anyway.. somewhat despondent I jumped in the car and started the 45 minute drive back down the mountain. Rounding a bend a good 25 minutes after sunrise the sun finally broke through and threw a warm glow into the Buckland Valley fog. I slammed on the brakes, grabbed the camera and had time to squeeze off two frames (this is the best of the two) before it went grey and dull again (which it stayed for the rest of the day).

So thats the back story to this image - the real question is..
Is it any good? I am somewhat tired after a long drive today so cant really make up my mind about it, thoughts appreciated.
[attachment=20240:_74X16192010.jpg]

Technically it was shot with a Canon 1DS MK3 with a 70-200 (at the 70mm end) F2.8L IS at F14 ISO 100 at 1/8th of a second.
Title: Buckland Valley
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on February 13, 2010, 06:04:03 am
Quote from: Josh-H
I shot this just after dawn this morning. I had gotten up at an ungodly hour and driven to the top of Mount Buffalo to photograph first light on Lake Catani. Unfortunately.. it was one of those mornings that 'just got lighter' the colour just didnt happen - to much cloud and fog. Grrr...

Anyway.. somewhat despondent I jumped in the car and started the 45 minute drive back down the mountain. Rounding a bend a good 25 minutes after sunrise the sun finally broke through and threw a warm glow into the Buckland Valley fog. I slammed on the brakes, grabbed the camera and had time to squeeze off two frames (this is the best of the two) before it went grey and dull again (which it stayed for the rest of the day).

So thats the back story to this image - the real question is..
Is it any good? I am somewhat tired after a long drive today so cant really make up my mind about it, thoughts appreciated.
[attachment=20240:_74X16192010.jpg]

Technically it was shot with a Canon 1DS MK3 with a 70-200 (at the 70mm end) F2.8L IS at F14 ISO 100 at 1/8th of a second.
It's very pretty. I like the light in the valley. Is there any detail in the foreground to the right? It's difficult to tell on a small jpeg.

Jeremy
Title: Buckland Valley
Post by: francois on February 13, 2010, 06:39:44 am
It's pleasant photo but I agree with Jeremy, a larger version would be nice. I like the hazy valley with the soft light and although sky colors weren't as dramatic as you hoped, I don't think you wasted your time that morning!
Title: Buckland Valley
Post by: Josh-H on February 13, 2010, 06:56:11 am
Quote from: kikashi
It's very pretty. I like the light in the valley. Is there any detail in the foreground to the right? It's difficult to tell on a small jpeg.

Jeremy
Thanks - yup there is plenty of detail there - just sort of lost in the small jpeg. I only crushed down to black the very front mountain layer.

thanks for the feedback.
Title: Buckland Valley
Post by: wolfnowl on February 13, 2010, 04:20:51 pm
There's a lot to like there - the patterns in the clouds, the subtle gradations of the light, the road pattern 'v' on the right, picked up again later in the frame.  Definitely NOT a wasted morning!

Mike.
Title: Buckland Valley
Post by: John R on February 13, 2010, 08:11:28 pm
Two striking things: the colour and the repeating gradations or layers. Very nice. If by detail you mean you can see the outline of the last foreground layer, then no doubt that would be great. But if it means obsessively trying to bring out details in dark areas, then I would not bother. You get what you get and sometimes one has to live with dark areas or incorporate them into the image and go for expression rather than perfection. Very nice.

JMR