Pike's Peak Sunrise

[tlpphoto]

While in Colorado Springs this past week, I spotted this view of Pike's Peak from the Siamese Twins rock formation in the Garden of the Gods Park. I went back for sunrise later in the week. The first image is an HDR created pre-sunrise. I didn't like the sky, so I replaced it with one shot earlier that week. Does it look too fake?


pikespeak_HDR2 by Radiant View Photography, on Flickr
Canon 5D Mark 2, 24-105 F/4L at 50mm at F/11 and focal length 12m, ISO 100, T = 1/4, 1/2 and 1 second (three shot HDR)

The 2nd image was shot after the sun rose. It's a focus stack of two images, one focused around 5m and the other focused around infinity.


img_9640_9645_focus_stack2 by Radiant View Photography, on Flickr
Canon 5D Mark 2, 24-105 F/4L at 50mm, ISO 100, T=1/125 sec. Focal length = 4.5 m and infinity (2 image focus stack).

Which image to you prefer? In the 1st image, does the sky look fake? In the 2nd image, does the protrusion on the right hand side that "touches" Pikes Peak distract from the image? Is the sky too boring?

Thanks for your comments.
Tim

[Barbara V]

That first shot looks completely fake to me, and it doesn't do anything to enhance the shot.
I'm not sure how much the focus stack makes a difference. It's an okay shot, but the centering of subject doesn't work so well. Try some other angles at that spot, if you get back there. I'd like to see some shots straight out of the camera, really.

[Krusty79]

I also prefer the 2nd one, as the first one has an unnatural purplish cast. I also agree about not centering the composition - you usually have a more dynamic feel when it is not centered.

[tlpphoto]

Thanks for the feedback! How's this?

img_9640_9645_focus_stack3 by Radiant View Photography, on Flickr

[Krusty79]

I think that's an improvement. LeeR said that unless you have a VERY compelling subject, it's usually better not to center it and that seems to be true from my experience.