I worked this image weeks ago and spent a good deal of time on it. I started by masking the sky and working the rest to suit, then I did a few things to the sky like darken it.

But when coming back to it, I saw a color cast that looked off. So I adjusted just the hue. In this case the sky is almost 100% blue, changing other colors has little influence so I changed the blue hue of the sky.

My eye doctor says I have a yellowing of lens which is a normal part of aging. Maybe this effects my generally poor color accuracy, or maybe its genetic. I don't ever recall being good with color.

Anyway, to the question, does my reworked version look better? What would you do with the sky?

Other comments are fine, just hoping for some help on the sky color. I want to post this on another forum but would like to fix any problems first.

The difference looks pretty subtle to me; it looks like there's a bit of violet or purple in the sky of the first version that the second one seems to not have. I think the second one looks just a bit better.

The 2nd removes the slight purple hue and would be my choice.

Thanks for the feedback. It was pretty dark when I took it. 4 sec at f5.6 iso200. WB is difficult under these circumstances just grabbing a bit of predawn light.

From my experience, your original is probably closer to the truth in predawn light, but the adjusted image is more pleasant. Your choice.

Hi Sadja. You have been there and know the situation. If you wait for sunlight to strike the cliffs, it very quickly overpowers everything. Hard to tease detail out later.

The original is pretty much what my camera produced out of camera. But I just did not like the tone.

I wonder what this would look like with some clouds?

ben egbert wrote:
Hi Sadja. You have been there and know the situation. If you wait for sunlight to strike the cliffs, it very quickly overpowers everything. Hard to tease detail out later.

The original is pretty much what my camera produced out of camera. But I just did not like the tone.

I wonder what this would look like with some clouds?
No reason to wonder. I added to pretty bland version of some sky so the faked sky does not pull away from the main interest of the image.

Hi Jim, it helps of course, but with the sun directly at my back and lighting up those cliffs, it would also light up the clouds. Even predawn clouds tend to get red well before the mountains.

This is one of those places where I plan to return and hang out as long as possible for the real deal. But I need to get the basics as well, when to be there, how to compose.

This is sort of self composing however and other than doing some dark sky shots which I have already shown, not much creativity is possibly.

ben egbert wrote:
Hi Jim, it helps of course, but with the sun directly at my back and lighting up those cliffs, it would also light up the clouds. Even predawn clouds tend to get red well before the mountains.

This is one of those places where I plan to return and hang out as long as possible for the real deal. But I need to get the basics as well, when to be there, how to compose.

This is sort of self composing however and other than doing some dark sky shots which I have already shown, not much creativity is possibly.
I only saw a blue sky in your image and did not realize when it was shot. It would be a simple matter to tint the clouds and sky I added or to just start over with a different sky. I have no idea what you saw and are expecting. The attached might work better. Personally I have minimal interest in standing around waiting for weather or other atmospheric events to produce some different effect. As I contintue with photography, I find I have less and less interest in those trophy shots we discussed previously. They seem mostly just a matter of time and luck. I am looking for a more creative approach which I have yet to find.

That's looks more like what I was thinking.

I am like you on trophy shots. Here are the alternatives I see because I am not at all interested in intimates, non landscape or non large vista.

1. Local shots with the requisite great skys. Getting up at 4:00Am is easy because I seldom sleep after 2:00 Am anyway. Sunsets are tougher because I am pretty drained when the sun goes down.

2. Get a camper and stay at places like Dead Horse point for a week at a time.

3. Sell everything. This is certainly under consideration.

I think Jim got a good version wih his revision. Camping out will only work if you really have time because a week might not produce any interesting weather. IMO this particular scene is not worth it because the mts are not that interesting in themselves, and thus unlikely to ever satisfy.

Hi Sadja:

This scene is less interesting than the Watchman at sunset, but there are other places to go for sunrise up east of the tunnel. Or even the canyon overlook. But you have to be at Zion first week of Nov. for the Watchman and I think the overlook is a spring location.

I recently saw a Dead Horse point sunrise and I think the light alone makes that scene work even without clouds. Or maybe Monument Valley at sunset.

I need to keep at least one camera for family stuff. And no doubt I will still take local landscapes but they are not likely to be showpieces. I still have a couple years of travel left in me and might as well try for the Utah icons. What else is left?

sadja wrote:
I think Jim got a good version wih his revision. Camping out will only work if you really have time because a week might not produce any interesting weather. IMO this particular scene is not worth it because the mts are not that interesting in themselves, and thus unlikely to ever satisfy.
I would agree. This is a nice piece of rock but the composition is not special. There is nothing spectacular or different from thousands of other similar scenes in the southwest. If you want to put in time to get some sort of special weather then do that at Dead Horse or Grand View or some similar location.

Also there seems to be an idea that the only good landscape images are those taken at sunrise or sunset or with unusual weather. Maybe it is time to break with that tradition.

Hi Jim, I have been showing blue sky shots all year, for the most part that's all I have gotten. The only shots that have received any approval have been sunrise/sunset with lots of color. These have all been local shots.

Sure I can take stuff for myself, but I can't even get my family to like them. I don't hang a picture my wife does not like.

I agree that this scene is not very interesting, but I sure do like the Patriarchs. But no light there until mid morning. I actually like the moonlight version of this but nobody else did.

Also I probably love these great slabs of rock more than most people. We have talked about that before.

I tried some intimate shots of Zion fall foliage and it went over like a lead balloon. Fact is I did not like them myself. I think a prerequisite for certain types of scenery is to like the scenery to start with.

Of course I do like a fall tree in red, but it has to be possible to capture the entire tree with pleasing background, but better yet an entire grove on a hillside with a great sky. A single leaf or a part of a tree does not work for me.

I do like mid morning sky's with white clouds or storm clouds. Does not need to be end of day. But its hard to make do with blue skys.

Edit. I would print and hang an image like this if I could get one.

Took a stab at it ... along with a crop.

Can you give me a clue at what direction the camera is facing. Exif says shot @ 6:30ish AM ... what time is sunrise?

Ben, what kind of cast did the original picture have? Could you please provide unedited version?

RustyBug wrote:
Took a stab at it ... along with a crop.

Can you give me a clue at what direction the camera is facing. Exif says shot @ 6:30ish AM ... what time is sunrise?


I think it was 5;30 I did not change for daylight savings. The sun was directly at my back, I was facing pretty close to north.

Nice job, you got lots more contrast than me and I have added a lot already.

alatoo60 wrote:
Ben, what kind of cast did the original picture have? Could you please provide unedited version?

Here is a SOOC for you. Note the long exposure. It was much darker than this in person.

I should note. This is part of a set. I have the totally dark one this is the predawn shot and another a few minutes after the sun strikes the wall.

Left the FG darker ... kinda in that "as seen" realm that you like sometimes.

Obviously a diff look (working from sooc) than the previous version.

As always, S&P to taste.