peterneibert

You need to select Large setting to see this one.

Tony,

I'm not sure there is a right answer to your hard/soft question -- your points of concern border, at the least, on sylistic choices of the photographer.

My sense of things is different from yours, and I would probably back off from the "hard" contrast between the water and the rocks.

A polarizer might have been sufficient to soften both in the capture. Even so, PS7 light controls are probably up to the job now.

The heavy (thick) black frame doesn't seem to help anything here and probably clots up most of the left side down through the lower left corner.

Yes, I see the optical illusion of the water level appearing to be higher than the rocks. Whatever else you might do, keep that.

All in all, I think this is a great picture, and if it were mine I'd tweak it now.

Wayne,

I can't improve on Tony's and Michael's workups.

My wish: I wish you tried your sun glasses on the sky here - darker blue would be better and maybe it would let the wisps of white clouds stand out a bit.

Lisa, One of my sons blow glass and I have tried countless times to get it on film, but so far not so good. The comments of others' here have helped me a lot!

Fred,

Your cityscape is as spectacular as it is instructive.

Thank you for your explanatory notes. Just when I was gaining some confidence in my use of Photoshop, you have to drive us into Imageready.

Wayne, this is one of your best. Print it.

On first view, I thought this was a drawing based in Illustrator. Only after close inspection did I realize it is your artfully crafted photograph.

Actually, the doggie shots are getting better, one after another.

Indeed, some people make a living at it -- keep building that portfolio.

Yes, it works. Set up a bidding competition for the Morgan patent rights with your competitors Cokin, Lee, Hoya right away!

Stephen's Multiply Blending really succeeds here.

The frame needs work:

The black is a bit too heavy, darkening the lower left overmuch. Inserting the blue "matting" alleviates the problem, but doesn't fully resolve it. A thinner black frame is probably required.

The Blue matting seems about right on the top and bottom but on the right side it is rather over-bearing. Even though it is close to the hue of the water,it produces a nearly neon lighting effect, inappropriate to this excellent, natural abstract.

Lisa, the strong points of this picture (blue cast, blown snow, tracks) are very strong, creative forces. The compositional deficiencies (weak foreground, uphill/downhill clues) are clear points to work on next weeekend.

What contrast: a 3/3 from "too dumb to use a camera club" and a serious appraisal of this "nature abstract" by a talented nature photographer.

I must parrot Michael's praise. Also, what I see on my monitor is indeed a serious nature abstract -- have you tried printing this one?

The earth sculpture (yes I can read it's gypsum) has a lot of potential to revisit yet another time with all these posted suggestions.

In particular, you should take up Fred's offer to import more sky from Colorado, and let the lights and shadows play on your Gypsum Hills at sunset (sunrise may be too early).

Contrast needs work: for example, color is lost in the cliffs, while the sky is flat and the water needs a polarizing adjustment.

Wide black frame is overbearing of itself and moreover accentuates the contrast problem -- better just to leave it off.

Some color displays are too rich to resist! They explode upon you.

Fred,

Great picture, great background.

Is there any concern with low temp, high altitude, complex lens and mechanical tube parts & seals?

Great composition here. Image would probably benefit from further adjustment of contrast, and possibly, from sharpening.

Very attractive.

It doesn't really matter where the line is.

Please keep them coming.

When they made this version, they forgot to add water.

With all due respect to everybody, I vote for Regina's treatment of this picture. It shows a clearer distinction among reds and copes well with the sun's glare.

Wayne,

sorry i missed this before. if you could get the horse to pose again, it would probably be better to move him (?) to the right so that the white in front of his shoulders and the white aft of his haunches are about equal.

also, I wouldn't crop anything more, just fiddle with the balance of pieces within the frame that you've made.

 

Michael,

The Committee here has voted in favor of your adjustments. About the only thing left to do is to bring out the North Tower very slightly.

With thanks,

I commute to San Francisco by Golden Gate Bridge District ferry boat four or five days a week. Sometimes its dark, or foggy or wet. The new boats, huge double hulled catamarans, throw a spray of 50 degree salt water on anyone who rides on deck.

On November 14th one of the new boats broke down. The GG Bridge District brought out an older, slower, Spaulding class single hull boat where we can ride out on deck again. I put a camera in my lunch bag, the fog lifted and the sun shone all day.

Wayne,
maybe try a little more contrast to offset the afternoon sun (see attached).
jim schwaiger must be slipping -- he failed to remark upon the color potential of the cow chip to right of subject