The Zion Narrows

[Tonyb]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22752485@N03/2212392406/" title="The Zion Narrows by anthony.bishopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2418/2212392406_d7b2f3c7e2.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="The Zion Narrows" /></a>

This was one of the first pictures I took with my digital SLR (before I had to send it back and get a replacement). It's of the Zion Narrows. I don't know so much about photography now, and knew even less then. The photo is taken using a tripod, but at the time I didn't have a shutter release cable, and I think that that could be the reason for the slight blur.

It's one of my favourite photos of that trip, I know that it could be improved. Certainly if I shot it again, but also with some post production (but I'm not familiar with what tools to use).

The lighting was a real problem, the canyon was really dark, but the far wall was blasted with light. I have a series of photos (unfortunately jpeg) taken with different shutter speeds. In some the left wall looks OK, but the right is over exposed. In some the right wall is good but the left too dark. As they are were taken on the tripod, is it possible to cut the walls from different images and place them on the same image? If so how?

Could someone also comment on the rule of thirds? In the image the canyon bisects the image on the mid point. I like it like this despite it not fitting the rules. The canyon looks good too, if the left wall is trimmed and the canyon put to a third of the way it looks fine, but the river looks odd. I would be upset to see the river go, so can't see how to crop the image another way.

[Matthew James Norman]

Hi my friend,

I really like that image. Some mild processing maybe to bring out the detail and some saturation to add a bit of colour and you'll be set. I'd love to have a play around with it myself, if I may?

Here's a good page describing Rule of Thirds (http://www.photo96.com/blog/?p=371) with some photo examples.

[Bateryman1970]

Hi

I really like the shot and the slow movement of the water, nice and crisp

The rock to me look a little washed out and could do with a colour boost or is this how they are in real life?

Love the shot

[Godfu]

Really beautifull picture... I really like the composition, the texture and the perspective... What bothers me a bit is the cliff on the left, it's a bit too dark for my taste (especially at the bottom). Maybe enhancing the local contrast could help or a bit of "fil light" under Lightroom.

anyway, Iwould have like to shoot it...

[jonny4now]

I really like the water in this shot. The composition seems pretty strong as well. The Narrows is a super hard place to shoot for sure. I was there this last summer with my dslr and like you don't know much now, but even less then. Anyways, I was looking at your picture that you posted and was trying to see if I could tell where on the hike it was. I looked a bit closer and saw something I recognized. If you look about half way down the right wall there is a multicolor wall with a tree popping out from it. I took this photo there. Its funny how we were both in the same place and have two totally different pictures! I did a fair amount of post processing with this one to bring out the red colors of the rocks...maybe to much. I had a ton of shots like yours that turned out no where near as good due to lighting...like you said, one wall will be totally dark and the other all washed out. Good job working with the light in there. Some day I would love to hike down from the bottom, apparently you get to see some really really spectacular emerald pools and walls that are 2 feet apart!






<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23005441@N08/2227354976/" title="zion by jonny4now, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/2227354976_14a05fee10_o.jpg" width="347" height="576" alt="zion" /></a>

[jonny4now]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23005441@N08/2226598105/" title="I DID NOT TAKE THIS PICTURE!!! by jonny4now, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2236/2226598105_618ef6fc58_o.jpg" width="264" height="327" alt="I DID NOT TAKE THIS PICTURE!!!" /></a>


Vaguely understanding the rule of thirds, I cropped this so that the "exit" of the water lands on the left third(?) of the image. Brought out the red a bit too.

[Tonyb]

Thanks for the comments. I've put the different versions on my Flickr account (you should be able to get there by clicking on the original) so if Matthew or anyone else wants to play with them I'd be very happy. I'd like to get one printed for the wall, but thought I'd see what I could do with the post production first. A friend of mine has access to Lightroom so I should be able to play with that in a couple of days.

It's really amazing how the photos seem to be taken at the same spot. We camped at the Spotted Owl campsite and this was taken fairly early the next day only a little after Big Spring.

[Matthew James Norman]

Hi Tonyb

I had a quick play around with your image and came up with this. I think the sharpening may be too much this time round, but I wanted to show you what I mean by adjusting levels/contrast etc. I also added some burning in the river.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21389112@N05/2229125154/" title="After by M J Norman, on Flickr" target="blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2384/2229125154_5525e1019b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="After" /></a>

[Sandie]

Ok, I only did this because I have too much time on my hands, and needed a distraction.... you asked about the rule of thirds, so

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandiemg/2229195728/" title="canyon by sandiemg, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2409/2229195728_49fa22c0ec.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="canyon" /></a>

I did this to show you that for the most part this composition follows fairly well on the ROT. You have two minor points of interest right on the intersecting points and your horizon is properly on the bottom third line. The three main points of interest form a nice triangle that is comfortable on the eye. While the tall narrow opening demands a lot of attention, the texture of the water pulls your eye back out.

This is a great shot and you did a wonderful job composing on the spot in a tight situation.

[peeperita]

i think this is a very nice image.....the blur doesn't bother me as it seems to be defined to the water....without you exif data, i am assuming you shutter speed is the culprit to your "blur"..........to me....it's a very lucky capture...
'
thanks

peeper

[Shawn]

I really like this picture. I think you did very well and for the most part the shot looks fine to my eye.

I keep thinking about how much fun one could have in this spot at night with some off-camera strobes and gels... :)

[Tonyb]

Thanks for your help. The new image looks great and I'll try something like this myself.

The exif data is somehow missing. It was taken at F9 with a shutter speed of 0.8" and ISO 200.

The blur of the water was intentional, but I thought that the rock walls weren't as sharp as I would have liked.

I'm sure you could have fun with an arsenal of lighting gear but, (and this is a big one) you'd have to carry it pretty far and you'd have to wade through the river with it. The canyon is so narrow there is no other way.

[netbymatt]

I like what the long exposure has done to the water.

You're right, the left side of the canyon is a little under exposed. But it's rather easy to combine two different photos into one with Photoshop or Gimp, especially since you've shot from a tripod, so you won't have to do much to get your images lined up. <a href="http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/blend/blend.html">This tutorial</a> is for Photoshop, but the procedure is the same in Gimp, some of the shortcuts and menus are the only differences. Once you've got your gradient and layer mask setup, take a close look at the center of your image, and move one of the layers as necessary.

I'd like to see your result if you have a chance to try it.

[Tonyb]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22752485@N03/2233346234/" title="edit zion by anthony.bishopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2263/2233346234_7610c5510a.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="edit zion" /></a>

Here is my best effort so far at the re-editing. I have taken two images merged them with the layer mask, so that the left hand wall becomes lighter. I then increased the red (because the rocks were red) and I like the way the sunlight is spreading towards the viewer. I've sharpened the image using the "sharpen more" filter in photoshop. I didn't burn the water but I have at least read what burning an image means and I'll probably try it at the weekend when I try to photograph eyes. :)

[Sid]

This is what I think it should look like. I think the portrait orientation gives you more of a sense of scale and it drops the river town taking ti out of the center of the photo. I also edited the colours a little... might be a bit over saturated.

[netbymatt]

Nice work with the layer mask. It really helped to get rid of the shadows on the left side of the canyon.

[Tonyb]

Wow Sid, it's amazing how different the photo looks. It certainly looks grander and more impressive. There are some aspects of the landscape which I like that seem to be missing from the portrait version. In the landscape the river almost acts as a leading line. When I took the photo I didn't know what a leading line was, and if I took it now I would try to line up the river with the bottom corners of the frame. I also like the way that the warmth of the sun seems to be travelling towards you. When we were hiking the Narrows, it was pretty cold and we could always see the sun ahead but it was only rarely that we were able to feel its direct warmth. But, in your crop it just looks so much taller! And it was, I think the image shows only the bottom half of the walls.

[peeperita]

nice job with the re-edit and good on you for thinking outside the box on your own.....

peeper

[BlueSage]

I so want to go there to shoot. The water has a sheer, tangible quality - just like in a photo of the Zion Narrows on my wall calendar last year.