I was lucky enough to be at Rainier for the peak of the wildflowers. I was not lucky enough to have any clouds, just bright blue skies. I have literally hundreds of images similar to this one with different views of Ranier and surrounding mountains and different wildflowers. After a while they all seemed the same and I don't know what I could do to make this sort of image more interesting. I am even thinking of adding some clouds.
This is a nice image... One improvement, IMO, would be the time of day... I realize we do not always have "Golden light" but lighting seems harsh... Foreground, & middle share the same range which is dominated by the mountain... A little PP to add separation would help... Possibly a lower angle
Hi Jim.
What a gorgeous place! I'd have a zillion images too.
I think the image is very well composed and nice detail in the foreground flowers. I love the daisies mixed in. As is, I think the image is very good.
I think the image could be tweaked by opening up the shadows a bit. The darker portion of the image at the bottom feels a bit too dark. Did you apply a bit of negative gradient exposure there?
I also wonder about some selective dodging of the purplish flowers for more depth and a less uniform feel. Maybe a tad of selective warming of the foreground?
Scott
First off, great image. It is not easy to get that much snow in August, that many flowers and sky's clear enough to even see the mountain. My first trip there I never even got a glimps of the mountain.
It would be nice to have clouds This view which appears to be from around Paradise is pretty good at dawn.
sbeme wrote:
Hi Jim.
What a gorgeous place! I'd have a zillion images too.
I think the image is very well composed and nice detail in the foreground flowers. I love the daisies mixed in. As is, I think the image is very good.
I think the image could be tweaked by opening up the shadows a bit. The darker portion of the image at the bottom feels a bit too dark. Did you apply a bit of negative gradient exposure there?
I also wonder about some selective dodging of the purplish flowers for more depth and a less uniform feel. Maybe a tad of selective warming of the foreground?
Scott...Show more →
Scott, I used the burn tool to darken the foreground shadows. Without that burn the exposure of the image was even flatter. Based on the comments about doing something to create a less uniform feel, I think I will try an even heavier hand at burning and dodging and probably add more vignetting. I need to think about this a bit more and give this another processing try or two.
Jim- good clouds are nice, but so is a deep blue sky.
IMO- People who require clouds are in the same category as those who don't seek photographs except during the "golden hours." Fine for them, but don't imply it's a universal law .
This is a gorgeous image!
Hey- here's a slightly out-of-the-box idea. Stick a lightweight 6-foot step ladder in your vehicle. Whenever shooting fairly near your car, use it for an entirely different perspective (imagine it for this shot).
Ansel Adams built a platform for the top of his Suburban, and shot from up there quite often.
Actually, packing a lightweight ladder and a single camera is no heavier than carrying a sturdy tripod and a bag full of equipment that you MAY want to use .
Charlie
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