These summer storm shots were taken a couple of months ago. I was driving around trying to find a decent location to shoot this storm and found this salt pan which was a couple of inches under water. I'm still not sure which one I prefer. I like the simplicity of the single strike of the second one, but maybe the multiple strikes of the first one have more impact. Pattern noise is becoming noticeable in the first one as it is a longer exposure.
#1 for me, i think the way the cloud spreads out in a half circle in the middle seals it for me, but both are really nice. Catching that lightning is really sweet.
Love the multiple strikes and reflections in #1. The clouds, which appear to rotate around the one that looks like a tornado, just kind of suck you in on #2. Difficult choice.
Thanks everyone. Looks like the first one wins, but the noise bothers me. Maybe I can blend the bottom left hand corner of the second one, which is nowhere near as noisy, into the first to cover the worst of the 5D2 pattern noise.
For my taste I'd be tempted to turn down blue saturation just a bit. Blue is like one of my pet peeve colors (although that is not a correct term because it does not make me mad or irritated) and feel like it often dominates landscape a little too much. But I know that is my individual taste, as some like strong blue in their images...
). Can't see any noise at this size. Even if its there, I'd still print it.