The Dark Cove

Comments, ratings appreciated on toned riverscape--another photo of

this same scene (taken with a Holga) is also in this folder.

very moody, but soothing, nice shot

I like it. It looks like the beginning of a journey.

I would hang it in my living room. The other one is very nice too.

Robert: Well done. Shows just what can be done with a good imaging program.

Great ambience, I like the tone

They're both quite good but I prefer the Holga one overall. It's limited depth of feel and better burning overcomes it's closed composition, giving it the nod for me. Although I prefer the open composition of this one, and the not so radical toning, the burning is a little too brutal for my taste, and the halo is a bit bright and detracting for me personally. Still a pleasing result.

John, thanks for your comments--I do like your work and value your opinion. I probably have been taking the toning a bit too far. Actually, this oas mostly dodged--it was fairly dark in the cove and much brighter out over the river--here, at the mouth of the Columbia, the river is 5 miles wide. I might try this again.

I've no experience with overcoming contrast extremes with digital capture, but might it be an idea to do two exposures in quick succession, one at +1 stop, one at -1 stop, then blend the two in photoshop? The dodging of the rocks looks great, nice and moody. My only problem really is the white border between land and sky, but bear in mind that many people love it as it is, so don't pay too much attention to one bloke's nitpicking.