Hey folks! What do you think about this shot?

Well then, i guess you want the truth, I'm not saying anythinkg that's un true when I say you need to take more, it's very interesting and I like it. I think that you always manage to get very clean photographs with good color saturation, they are very realistic.

I do have one question, and pardon me if I'm off base, but for some reason when viewing the shot, I get the feeling that it's a horizontal panoramic made from two images stitched together. It seems that there is a vertical line about in the very center.

Keep up the good work, I like to view your photographs.

Thanks Tony! Hmm, this is weird. No, it is not a stitch of two shots. I used my new ultra wide-angle lens to take the photo, Sigma 10-20. I can't place that line you're referring to on either one of my monitors. Can anybody else see it?

Regards,
Misha

maybe line is too strong a word. It's more like a semi-unitform blur and it extends from the vanishing point (in the trees) down and through the creek. If you look close, you can see a "uniform" blur in the creek at the center line running it starts near the vanishing point and extends down through the creek. Nonetheless, it's a very nice photograph!

Hey Tony,

I think I hear what you are saying. The eyes are definitely brought to a convergence in the creek. Having said that, I did not get the impression that this was a stitch. The photo is quite good, actually. I like the way my eyes are drawn to it.

Hey Misha! Nice work. You been doing any climbing?

James

I too like the shot, I keep coming back to it just to look more closely at it. Misha, thanks for posting it.

Tony

At first I was saying it is a technically good shot. Exposure is good, composition isnt amazing...I see why somone thought it was a pano...as they eye goes to the center as the subject is there making it kinda static.

Then I looked closer.....tell me if I am weird...but I see a bear (a la bev doolittle) in the lower right hand corner.

The big rock makes up the nose...the think stick is laying over the eye...and the head follows the red needles fallen on the forest floor....over to the knotty tree trunk.

Wonder what it would take to make shots using pieces of rock etc. ....to make parts of a forest scene to reflect the spirit of the animals hidden within....

Very cool...

Roman

okayyyyyyyy, a bear, hum, hey Roman, do you got the munchies? LOL, just kidding. I think there's a lot going on in this shot, maybe thats why I'm having a hard time with it. But maybe that's a good thing.

In any event I too like looking at the shot, I've come back to it may times just to look it over, it's very interesting, and again, I like. I'm nost sure what draws me in, as roman points out, it's not the greatest composition, but then again, is it? I'll keep looking and thinking. . . Thanks for the post.

Hello Misha,
I love it. But it has water in it and that, for me anyway, is almost all it takes:) I was first caught by the color/white balance. May I ask how you obtained such a good color balance? Next is the exposure, I love the softened water from the long exposure, but it is also nice and bright. You have a good eye for spotting really good even lighting. Did you use any filters to get you up to 5 seconds and or even out the scene? Overall I love the shot.
I do agree with the others on the composition, but that is my weak point and I will be hard pressed to comment:) In fact that is one reason I am here, I will be soliciting compositional comments. BUT:) If I were there, I would have lowered the camera concentrating on the water more and moved to my left. I would have tried to place the two portions of the creek where the water enters the scene, in the two upper 1/3 points. Now if there had been something interesting on land in that upper left corner then this would work real well. Say a trail coming down to the creek or a deer:) I do find that piece of land in the upper left cool though and maybe I would have shot a Portrait orientation shot with that and the creek from a similar view point.

Hey guys,
Thanks for all your feedback. I've been crazy busy over the last few weeks. James - I wish I was climbing! It was mostly work work work. My busy climbing season starts in early April!

On a positive note, I just found out that National Geographic Adventure magazine will publish one of my images in the next few months. I'll post details here once they are finalized so you can get your copy!

Now to respond to everybody's feedback.

Roman - thanks for your frank opinion. I agree that the composition here is not anything special. This photo was an afterthought and not something I envisioned in advance (which is what I usually do when I photograph a particular scene). Now about the "bear"... It took me a few minutes to figure out but I finally did! It sure does look like a bear!! What a visual eye you have!

JeffDinPA -
>May I ask how you obtained such a good color balance?
I bracketed it with various auto-WB settings (sun, AWB and clouds). Since it was a mildly cloudy day, the cloud setting worked the best.

> Did you use any filters to get you up to 5 seconds and or even out the scene?
The only filter I used here is a circular polarizer. It created more punchy colors for greens and browns plus reduced the water glare. As for exposure, I like to takes such scenes when: a) it is a late afternoon and the light is not as harsh; b) it is overcast and not sunny. That allowed me to take a small exposure shot with a reasonably long shutter speed. Trying to remember that day, I think that I "over"exposed the scene a bit since it was pretty gloomy as-is.

Thanks for your composition pointers. I'd agree with all of them! There is always another time I guess

Over and out,
Misha