p.2 #5 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
Very nice Scott. I actually like your last shot the best. Moraine is such a great location but it can sometimes be difficult to find a unique shot. The crowds there are what usually keeps me away though....
p.2 #6 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
claudefiddler wrote:
Scott-All four show details highlights at least on my monitor. Image 1 obvious highlight in the sky. The snow dappled on the peaks in the background also looks to be too bright. Image 2- Same as image one and highlight in sky is showing cyan fringing. Also the bright area on the left lake shore could be brought down to better fit in with the tone scale. Image 3-In sky and reflection of the highlight in the lake. In image 3 I would have worked to eliminate the branches on the left side of the frame by moving 5-10 feet to the right. Image 4- also high light in sky. It also shows a yellow color.
Scott-I don't know what your experience is as a landscape photographer but you are obviously sensitive and aware of the drama of light as it unfolds. What I see in these photos is that with an awareness of some technical field problems your photos would benefit. My benchmark is a perfect 30x40 inch print. If you take the things I've pointed out in your pics and blow them up to 30x40 or 16x20 for that matter the things I mention would be obvious and in my estimation a problem.
A simple curve move in PS or LR where you darkened the photos would easily show the bright areas. Also the eyedropper would show color shifts. Or an HS move could work.
Claude
PS. I went to the Columbia Ice fields in 1982 to ski Mount Columbia. Didn't make the ski due to bad weather. My photos didn't make it either. With completely overcast skies the highlights in my pics were basically impossible to manage, especially with film....Show more →
Hey Scott,
The advice that Claude gives here is exactly what I was thinking too. It's nice to see suggestions like this.
Beyond correcting those highlights, my favorites are #1 and 3. You really have me wanting to run across the border when I am in Glacier the end of July. What can I look forward to in regards to conditions there at that time?
p.2 #7 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
Scott - been coming back to these images a few times, since I really like the images. Just saw the comments about the highlights above. Looking at them, I see what they mean, but I hadn't noticed them until they were brought up. The images are very strong in that respect - I see the beauty without noticing the flaws. In my mind, if you can fix them, do so, but if not, you still have some very nice images. I'd be very happy to hang them on my wall.....
p.2 #9 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
dgdg wrote:
What a great day. Never know when the clouds will open or a wolf passes you by.
1,3, and 4 are my favorites. I might play with darkening the lakeside pines (image right) in #1 which is my top pick regardless.
David
Thanks for the specific feedback on darkening. I rushed the processing of these pictures. I am going to go back and look at them. Glad you like 1. Much appreciated. Scott
p.2 #11 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
claudefiddler wrote:
Scott-All four show details highlights at least on my monitor. Image 1 obvious highlight in the sky. The snow dappled on the peaks in the background also looks to be too bright. Image 2- Same as image one and highlight in sky is showing cyan fringing. Also the bright area on the left lake shore could be brought down to better fit in with the tone scale. Image 3-In sky and reflection of the highlight in the lake. In image 3 I would have worked to eliminate the branches on the left side of the frame by moving 5-10 feet to the right. Image 4- also high light in sky. It also shows a yellow color.
Scott-I don't know what your experience is as a landscape photographer but you are obviously sensitive and aware of the drama of light as it unfolds. What I see in these photos is that with an awareness of some technical field problems your photos would benefit. My benchmark is a perfect 30x40 inch print. If you take the things I've pointed out in your pics and blow them up to 30x40 or 16x20 for that matter the things I mention would be obvious and in my estimation a problem.
A simple curve move in PS or LR where you darkened the photos would easily show the bright areas. Also the eyedropper would show color shifts. Or an HS move could work.
Claude
PS. I went to the Columbia Ice fields in 1982 to ski Mount Columbia. Didn't make the ski due to bad weather. My photos didn't make it either. With completely overcast skies the highlights in my pics were basically impossible to manage, especially with film....Show more →
Really appreciate the time you took to give me more detail on your suggestion.I will look at them in more detail tonight. I rushed processing of this image because of family obligations (okay I hiked about 100km last week on vacation and that made my family impatient ). I normally blend hdr and best image with little hightlights but this one got away on me. I will go back and see if I can recover the higlhlights.
The great thing about photography is that i) it gets you out to enjoy the beauty that sometimes you eye sees but you camera cannot manage, and ii) you have an excuse to go back and try it again and again.... Mount Columbia sounds like fun and dangerous.
p.2 #13 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
Gary Clennan wrote:
Very nice Scott. I actually like your last shot the best. Moraine is such a great location but it can sometimes be difficult to find a unique shot. The crowds there are what usually keeps me away though....
I don't go back more than 2x a year because I have done it so many times. But every time it goes well. The challenge is to find something new. And the crowds get busier each year. But boy is it pretty. Thanks Scott
p.2 #14 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
JimFox wrote:
Hey Scott,
The advice that Claude gives here is exactly what I was thinking too. It's nice to see suggestions like this.
Beyond correcting those highlights, my favorites are #1 and 3. You really have me wanting to run across the border when I am in Glacier the end of July. What can I look forward to in regards to conditions there at that time?
Jim
Thanks Jim. I appreciate the confirmation. I will go back and reprocess.
It is great here now. The weather is good. The wildflowers are out. The grizzlies seem to be easy to find. Moraine Lake is great. Vermillion is great with a nesting loon. And Peyto and Boom lake have fantastic colour. Most trails are now clear up high with a bit of mud. There is no reason not to visit except that it is quite busy with low Canadian dollar.
p.2 #15 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
JimKied wrote:
Scott - been coming back to these images a few times, since I really like the images. Just saw the comments about the highlights above. Looking at them, I see what they mean, but I hadn't noticed them until they were brought up. The images are very strong in that respect - I see the beauty without noticing the flaws. In my mind, if you can fix them, do so, but if not, you still have some very nice images. I'd be very happy to hang them on my wall.....
Thanks. I rushed my processing and will reprocess. Its great you like the beauty. Much appreciated. Scott
p.2 #16 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
Mark Metternich wrote:
Never a bad day there! Awesome collection here. Thanks so much for sharing them with us!
I remember one fall when they closed it down and I got special permission to go up there when there was no one there but a few construction workers working on the lodge. The lake was just starting to freeze (about 1/4 of it) and it was astonishing to have it all to myself for a day. That is a memory forever burned into my brain. Such a sacred spot. One of the most awesome spots on earth for sure!
Woops I missed your post. Glad you like the images.
Your post reminds me that I can just bike or hike up the 15km to get a late season shot. I will have to try that in October. After October it becomes a big avalanche hazard. It would be nice to shoot without the crowd.
p.2 #18 · No Bad Days at Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
So Scott I decided to extend my reply. First, I have made a ton of technical errors and continue to learn, and need to learn, more about the photographic process. I hope my photo of Precipice Lake, Sequoia National Park uploads with my comments. I uploaded the photo for a couple reasons. First is to show the highlights in the snow and rocks in the picture. They are very difficult to correct so that they are mottled and detailed. I made this picture in August 1985. I was well aware of Ansel Adams picture titled Frozen Lake and Cliffs, 1932. I am also well aware of the difficulties Adams had trying to control the highlights in his photo. Even with black and white negative film. I used color negative film and a Galvin view camera for my picture.
My awareness of Adams photo made me think carefully about where and what kind of photo I was going to make at Precipice. Creativity and ultimately photos that reveal a vision are not derived from chasing someone else's tripod holes.
I digress. The other picture of Adam's you need to look at is Denali from Wonder Lake. Notice the snow on the left side of the peak. It shows slight, but still there detail. Along with a spotting (cloning for the youngsters) mark. Also notice how the shadows show detail. The middle ground is open and detailed and moves the image through the tone scale. Gorgeous!
I understand the rush to process. I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed finding something amiss
with a photo. What this brought me to is very careful examination of a ton of elements essential to making a good or even great image at the time I click the shutter. Doing that is a whole other matter. More than a quick reply can handle.
). I normally blend hdr and best image with little hightlights but this one got away on me. I will go back and see if I can recover the higlhlights.