Meadow stream

[SwissJon]

Now I know all about photographing in harsh sun, but sometimes it can't be helped.

The things I'm struggling with this photo are as follows:

The colours look a little over saturated, this is a result of the sun, but I'm wondering if it's worth desaturating a little in PP?

The Burnt log on the left: is it woth lightening it a little to get some texture (I know there is some, I saw it in the RAW file)

My idea here is to describe a little running mountain stream, to get some feeling of movement, but also to describe the tranquility of the moment, have I managed that? Would a different crop help? On Flickr I have a wider angle picture, but I was wondering if you can see a closer crop that might enhance this?

Any other comments welcomed as usual.

Exif:

Camera: NIKON D7000
Lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 16-85mm F3.5-5.6G ED
Focal length: 25*mm*(equiv. 37*mm)
Aperture: F20
Exposure time: 8"
ISO speed rating: 100/21°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: AUTO1
Focus Mode: Manual
Image Stabilizer: Off
Noise Reduction: FPNR
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

[dlambert]

As you mentioned, the lighting here is just killing you. The foliage seems to have too much contrast - it almost feels pixelated, or noisy. I'm getting a crispy-burnt feeling from the light -- not the tranquility you're going for. Short of using an ND filter, I wonder if it would have helped to abandon the "silky water" look and shoot this scene at a faster shutter speed & smaller aperture.

I also feel like seeing the mountain featured a little more prominently might have helped - that's a "cooling" influence for this photo. It might even be worth trying a portrait crop with the mountain in the upper right to the pine tree in the upper left, and then down to the stream -- what do you think?

[theeventof]

Sometimes it's so hard when you're in the perfect location, but at the wrong time. I agree with dlambert that you could try a faster shutter, but in my opinion, you'll lose the tranquility that comes with silky smooth water.

You can try your best in PP to see how desaturation works and I'd definitely try to bring some details out on that burnt log on the left, in fact, if you go back to this location I'd say try to even frame the shot closer to the log as it could be an interesting foreground subject.

Hope this helps!

[SwissJon]

Thanks..

I think lowering the contrast will help a little, perhaps lose some sharpness as well. I don't really see how a faster shutter speed will help this situation, it won't lower the contrast, and the droplets of water will contend with, rather than complement the leaves.. I think I might try a colour dodge on that particular green and try to make it slightly darker.

I did use an ND6 and a 3 stop NDGrad on the sky. The problem is the contrast I think. I've only done PP in LR at the moment, maybe I'll get PS onto it and see where we go with that.

This isn't far from my house, half an hour away, but short of an earthquake, I don't really see how I can make the mountain in the background taller. I will take a look at flipping this horizontaly because I think I see your point with the mountain/pine business Dave.. I also think the stream leading in from the left, will lead into rather than out of the photo.. I have a portrait shot and a wider angle shot on my Flickr stream already, I was really wondering if a tighter shot might make more of this particular photo.

[milosh]

Jon, I think your biggest problem here is harsh lighting that's causing all that contrast. I'm not sure what you can do about it in pp, but give it a try. IMO, the composition would benefit if you removed that log and placed something less prominent in its place. Since it's already there, you should brighten it, because it's drawing attention like crazy.

[dlambert]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

This isn't far from my house, half an hour away,

You do realize we're all incredibly jealous, don't you?

[MeAgain]

Originally Posted by dlambert

You do realize we're all incredibly jealous, don't you?

Yeah, well I have the ocean...

Yeah, I'm still jealous.

I have no advice on this photo. I just wanted to chime in to say I love it and if I could take a shot, just like that, I'd be a very happy woman.

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by MeAgain

Yeah, well I have the ocean...

Yeah, I'm still jealous.

I have no advice on this photo. I just wanted to chime in to say I love it and if I could take a just, just like that, I'd be a very happy woman.

Well I'm jealous of you having the ocean, so there .. It's what I really miss about living here is no coast.. I have to admit though, I've become a bit of a countryphile since I started this photographic journey.. I used to live in a sh*t hole in North London until I met my wife, jacked my job in and moved here, not knowing the language or culture..

And next time I go there I'll photograph the huge hydro electric dam that feeds this stream, and the road. Like I said in a post elsewhere, the trick to landscape photography seems to be as much about leaving things out as it is keeping them in..

[Krusty79]

That looks like a beautiful area. However, by having the little waterfalls and the mountain in the middle of your shot, I get more of a static feel instead of a feeling of flowing water. My eye does not "flow" through the image. It goes to those two areas and stops. I'm having a hard time thinking of an alternate composition, though. If you move down to follow the flow of the water closer, you lose the mountain top. That may be necessary, though.

Did you use a polarizer?

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

That looks like a beautiful area. However, by having the little waterfalls and the mountain in the middle of your shot, I get more of a static feel instead of a feeling of flowing water. My eye does not "flow" through the image. It goes to those two areas and stops. I'm having a hard time thinking of an alternate composition, though. If you move down to follow the flow of the water closer, you lose the mountain top. That may be necessary, though.

Did you use a polarizer?

Yeah, I had a poloriser on, I span it so that the water wasn't so bright.. Maybe I should have concentrated more on the foilage..

Below is the wider shot that I think is a little better.. It still has that blown out feel on the leaves I think, but because it's got more in it I think the picture moves a little better. What do you think?