Spray Lake National 2

Please let me know what to think. Thanks

Fantastic shot Michael ! The only thing I would do is level the shoreline.Maybe also on any future shots is try and use that rule of thirds, so your image isn't centered.

Michael; First of all you need to pay attention to the horizon. Its absolutely critical when the horizon line involves water because everybody knows water is level. If the water line is distant as in this shot it will always be level even if one side is closer than the other. If the water line is quite close and one side is much closer than the other the water line will be angled and won't represent the true horizon. In this case it definitely should be level so the image should be corrected. Next thing to address is the dull appearance of the scene. Since its not a stereogram the only clues the eyes have to register 3-dimensionality is contrast between shadows and highlights. I would recommend increasing the contrast of the photo somewhat to give it a little more dimension. It will also enhance the details, especially on the peaks. Last, but not least, I disagree with the previous critique on the centered horizon. The rule of thirds doesn't work well with panoramic formats to begin with because of the unusual ratio of length to width. If you put the horizon closer to the bottom in this shot you would lose most of the reflection which would defeat the obvious main point of the photo plus you would add a whole bunch of non-interesting sky which would be nothing but negative space. If you put the horizon near the top you would lose the top of the mountain and you would have a bunch of non-interesting water (negative space) at the bottom. The attraction in this scene is the symmetry created by the reflection and putting the horizon dead center actually enhances the impact of the symmetry. One more thing. If you have the opportunity, plan your photo ahead during a time when the light is lower in the sky and generally warmer in tone. You'll get a lot more definition because of the strong shadows and a much more dramatic lighting. Hope that helps & good luck with your future landscape photography!