Above the swimming hole

[crockny]

I have been doing digital photography for almost two years now. I started with birds and moved on to butterflies and bugs and flowers and now I'm working on landscapes -- such a different set of skills! I bought the Sigma 10-20mm and am having a blast. Working on composition has been an eye opener, since with birds I usually compose in the crop.

So, is this a good composition? Do you find the rhododendron leaves in the front distracting or good foreground interest? This is one shot in RAW post processed bring out the waterfall and rocks.




Camera Canon EOS 7D
Exposure 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture f/16.0
Focal Length 10 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

[Doug Sundseth]

The sweeping curve of the tree tops is a strong design element, as is the curve of the stream.

I'd like to see more focus on the waterfall, since it seems the most interesting part of the image. To do that, I'd increase its brightness and move it more toward the center of the photo.

I think the bright, strongly patterned green in the lower corner draws too much attention and tends to lead the eye out of the frame, though the vignetting helps here. If there were a bit of separation between that green and the edge of the frame, it might help.

How do you feel about wading?

[crockny]

Better than I feel about falling off the cliff! There are rhododendrons to the right of me and no good angle for the waterfall -- the only thing I can think of is to come at a different time of day and hope the sun lights up the waterfall instead of the bush in front of me! I agree it's a little dark over there .... if I was in the water to the right I don't know if I could get a good angle -- a little tricky too because it's deep and rocky - hate to lose my camera trying to get a shot ...

[Krusty79]

There have been many times when I wish I had some waders so I could get that one angle for my shot, but who wants to lug them around with your gear and tripod. I watched Peter Lik's show on the Weather Channel and he was in some waders near the base of Yosemite Falls, looking for that unique spot that hasn't been shot by thousands of others.

I agree it's a shame that the waterfall seems to be in a shadow. I like the foreground interest, but there may be a little too much of it for my taste. I think I would have preferred moving forward a little bit so there is less of the plant in the foreground, but keeping the angle the same you I could see a little more of the ground and a little less of the sky. I would like to see that person in the distance closer to the 1/3 line. I still think it's a very good shot, though.

[mykadog]

The only things I can make out in it is the vegetation and the blue sky, which I like. Most of the time I like a foreground object to add interest, but because the rest is dark, in this case it turns out to the main object. Probably not what you were after. I'm sure it's a neat scene, it just didn't show. I have the same problem all the time.