Crit: Rockscape

This is am image shot with Leica M7 on 50mm Lux lens

 

Data:

ilford fp4+ rated at 125 at f16, 1/60. #11 yellow/green filter.

Developed in Xtol 1:3, fixer TF-4, with tap water stop bath.

 

Likes: The tonal range and the extreme detail. It look to me like

the rock make a river of lighter tone running between 2 contrasting

foliage. I feel I did capture the mood of the scene as I was there.

 

Dislikes: should the sky be darker? Does the picture have and

infrared quality?

 

Some photoshop editing was done on this negative (burning the clouds)

 

this is the first roll of film I have developed in 10 years. I am

very happy with these results, but some advice in ways I could

improve this image would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Steve<div></div>

Here is another version with different dodge and burn.

 

thanks<div></div>

I like the detail and textures, but would do three things to improve the image:

 

1. f16 at 1/60th is fine on a tripod, but if this were a handheld shot I would use a faster shutter speed and correspondingly larger aperture.

 

2. Use an orange or red filter to darken the sky considerably.

 

and above all...

3. While looking through the viewfinder, take some time trying various angles, distances and heights above ground, so as to find a simpler and stronger composition. Try to eliminate anything from the frame that doesn't contribute to the composition. Then, what remains in the frame will have more impact. Less is more!

it's a nice, quiet image, "capturing the mood of the scene" (do i hear A Adams speaking?) i can see why you like it. Burning the clouds some more wouldnt hurt.