Here's a few shots that I've taken the past few weeks as I've been driving home. Both on Trail Creek Road, for anyone familiar with Gallatin/Park counties.

The first was right after a pretty nasty hail storm, as it was clearing a nice rainbow appeared. The second is an old ranch, which has overgrown with wild flowers. Both pictures were shot in the Gallatin Mountains, with the Absaroka Mountains in the background.

Any comments/critiques on these would be welcome.

Lovely scenes.

In #1, the best of the two, I'd change the color on those 4 bright red fence posts (3 on the left and 1 on the right) to the same color as the other posts. They are quite distracting as is. I think I'd also lighten the lower left corner FG a bit.

#2 seems very soft. I suspect that a tripod was not used.

I really like the first image, very dramatic and nice rainbow catch.

Bob

EmigrantMtChri: I prefer No. 1, because more dramatic.

But it could improve with cropping. I took the liberty of cropping this colorful image for the sake of illustration.

After this cropping, I noticed the curvature of the rainbow supported by the cloud and hill curvatures.

To my mind, this area presents some of the most magnificent landscapes on the continent. You've captured them well.

DonH wrote:
Lovely scenes.

In #1, the best of the two, I'd change the color on those 4 bright red fence posts (3 on the left and 1 on the right) to the same color as the other posts. They are quite distracting as is. I think I'd also lighten the lower left corner FG a bit.

#2 seems very soft. I suspect that a tripod was not used.

The tripod wasn't used on either of these shots. At the time, I didn't have one I'll try adjusting the color of those posts as well, and see how that looks. I hadn't even noticed that they are a different color, but now that you pointed it out they stick out to me too.

And sorry for my ignorance, but what is FG?

anotherview wrote:
EmigrantMtChri: I prefer No. 1, because more dramatic.

But it could improve with cropping. I took the liberty of cropping this colorful image for the sake of illustration.

After this cropping, I noticed the curvature of the rainbow supported by the cloud and hill curvatures.


I like it cropped too. I had originally left it uncropped because I wanted to show the 'big sky", and I like the shade that the sky is. The way that you've cropped it though keeps those elements, and focuses more on the rainbow. I really like it.

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and comments.

EmigrantMtChri: Yes, I too suffer from the big-sky syndrome, wanting to show it all.

But as you note, a piece of the visual drama often suffices to suggest the rest.

Besides, here, with less sky, the energetic, arching clouds in the lower-right frame area stand out more, and put extra life in this image.

#1 is pretty nice! #2 is okay, but the sky while different, is not all that dramatic, and there is nothing else in the shot to really hold ones interest.

FG = Foreground

What aperature & shutterspeed did you use on these. While tripods are definately a tool we use, and one that will help keep a shot sharp. There should have been plenty of light in #2 that hand holding the shot still should have produced a sharp shot. So I am curious as to your settings (exif data) for that shot.

It's a beautiful world you live in up there, thanks for sharing it!

Jim

I like the potential of the first shot. In my opinion, it definitely needs a bottom crop. I might even crop it to just underneath the small tree/bush on the right hand side.

I think the road belongs in the shot, but less of it may be better.

Cheers,
Ed