Katahdin from Pogy Pond

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Nice.

But for me it's too blue. Did you calibrate the color balance?

The rule of thirds is hard in cases with reflections like this. But if you cropped it or shot it so the lake shore (pseudo-horizon) were centered (vertically) you would have 1/3 sky, 1/3 mountain+reflection, and 1/3 reflected sky in the lake. Another way to say this is I think there's too much sky and too little lake. And the idea of a reflection shot almost insists on the equality of the subject and its reflection, although I'm sure you could argue that.

And you would still have the better part of the sky (if you cropped it to be just the upper 1/3) because I think the lower cloud is more interesting than the upper. And it's very nice how the lower cloud pulls your attention towards the mountain - that's one of the nicer things about the shot - and with the reflection you are being pulled from both top and bottom, the mountain is almost being squeezed.


I had the same issue when I shot The Balsams in Dixville Notch Here so I put the pseudo-horizon in the middle. (But no clouds pulling your attention anywhere. Pretty, but rather static compared to yours. :()
 
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The photo you’ve chosen certainly would be improved by some cropping off the top. It also apparently can use some color tweaks as noted above, and some other adjustments, which may be done where/when you get the print made.

Now …

Looking through your shoot, I’m drawn to some of the frames with fog on the water. They have what I think is more dramatic light on the mountains, as well as the moodiness of the fog.

Also, I’m drawn to the shot labeled “Last,” which employs foreground framing tricks that (to my eye) add extra interest.

I don’t know if the frames you’ve shared in your photo album constitute the whole shoot of this scene. If they do, I recommend that you shoot more when tackling a subject like this, using different focal length lenses, working through the changing light, and moving around to explore framing options. I particularly recommend trying longer focal length lenses on scenes like this when the goal is to emphasize the mountains (or other features) in the distance. You might also play with exposure adjustments and filtration, contrast controls, etc.

In other words, really “work” it to explore many possibilities and build a greater array of choices when it comes time to edit. Memory to record images in the digital age is inexpensive, physically compact and reusable, so there is little or no economic or other excuse to not shoot more frames.

After all, consider the time, effort and other resources expended getting to places where you can see nice scenes like this one. The cost of recording digital images is next to nothing by comparison (once camera and lenses are paid off). Why not make lots of shots to improve the chance of coming home with something extra special?

G.
 
Thanks for the comments.

PB- There aren't any adjustments to the color- the picture is as taken. I definitely have had issues leaving too much sky in shots lot this; a habit I need to break. More lake would have been better.

Grumpy- There were other shots taken but not put in my gallery, but still a valid point. At times I don't take enough variations looking for the perfect shot. And with 4GB thats silly. Another thing I need to work on. One of the shots with the fog I do like alot as well. The shot titles last, was taken from a different location. It felt a little crowded to me, but again, like it due to the subject matter.

Appreciate the feedback.
 
It's good that you recognize your composition issues and are trying to overcome them, Eric.

What lens focal length were these photos shot at? The reason I ask is that longer focal lengths can help materially in tightening up composition in scenes like this. Shorter -- wider angle -- lenses can be very challenging.

I carry 4GB memory cards, too (2 of them, plus a pair of 2GB cards). A single card holds nearly 600 images shot in RAW format, so I tend to shoot lots and lots of frames. That's one huge advantage I found in making the switch from film to digital. One day I might even learn to do all that shooting with real discipline! ;)

G.
 
There are 2 adjustments "I'd" make.

The first and most basic is to clear up some of the haze using auto levels in Photoshop:

2238444730100209210S600x600Q85.jpg


The second is a little more color. I do this with a 20% increase in color saturation using Photoshop's LAB color space in the curves dialog:

2586041710100209210S600x600Q85.jpg


The auto levels adjustment by itself is probably what most would do, but I'm a big fan of getting some more color out of an image if it doesn't look fake.

Nice shot,
Kevin
 
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