RustyBug Offline Upload & Sell: On
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+1 @ Jim ... alignment of message. 60% foreground, becomes 70%-80% foreground adding emphasis to the cliff. I think the power of this particular image comes in the form of the height of the cliff ... so that's the way that I'd try to "go with it". Of course, if that's not your message, then something else is likely more appropriate. But, given your choice of portrait/vertical orientation, it would seem that that was the strongest part of your intended conveyance.
I've cropped down on the sky and also some from the right (to help retain height/power ratio).
As always, S&P to taste, but just food for thought @ message alignment. I leaned toward more foreground power, putting serene more toward the bg ... your message will likely be different/opposite that @ serene/expanse/view/etc..
BTW ... diggin' your crop. The reduction in sky pulls us down, and the "less vertical" format softens things a bit, which is also harmonious with your tonal range.
Here's something you might try as an exercise to aid your pp decisions ...
(Close your eyes, pretend/re-imagine) Grab your cell phone (satellite, of course) while you are standing there to take the picture. Call your very best friend and tell him/her:
"OMG, I wish you were here to see this." And then continue to describe in words the most amazing aspect(s) of it that you want them to see.
The view is breath taking. The height is dizzying, The scale is monumental. The mist is surreal. The river goes on forever. The house is beautiful. The cliff is rugged. It is such a powerful place. Or, it is such a serene place.
As you tell your friend these things (whatever they may be) that you wish they were there with you to experience ... two things typically happen. 1) You usually (not always) start of with the most powerful emotional attribute(s), and 2) you develop a list of attributes that you want to pay attention to how you address / bring out each one in your image in a sense of priority/relationship to each other.
If you had to choose one attribute (btw, breathtaking doesn't tell me anything) which would it be? I realize that it does take your breath away ... but WHAT is it that is taking your breath away. Also, I realize the desire to "share it all" with your viewer. But, imo when you try to give equal credence to everything ... it waters down the power of the image. Lead with the strength of your intended message (what you would tell your best friend), and let the others "adorn" it to complete the "breathtaking" aspect of it.
You get to choose your words to "paint the picture" on the phone. So, it is with your pp decisions that you get to choose how to "paint the picture" with tones. But, either way you have to first know what your "picture/message" is that you want to convey ... then you pick your words & tones to share with others.
Hopefully, that makes some sense.
HTH, GL ... will be watching to see where you take it ... whatever YOUR message may be. There is MUCH GOODNESS contained here. Take your time with it and convey the message that you want to convey to your friends who couldn't be there ... and the rest of us.
P.S. Rule of thirds ... if you don't have a message, it (rules in general) can be helpful in some instances.
Imo, pretty images follow someone else' rule ...
Meanwhile, great images focus on the message being conveyed to the viewer. Then others come along and try to figure out why an image is great, constructing rules that might emulate such great imagery. However, that is largely ignoring the fact that an image is great because it conveyed the message to the viewer, not because it followed a rule.
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