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Climbing to the top!
Climbing to the top!
WriteHeart


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Contre-jour (Basic Editing)
Camera: Pentax K100D
Lens: Quantaray AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Tele-Macro for Pentax
Location: Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO
Date: Mar 31, 2007
Aperture: F19
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/2000sec
Galleries: Sports
Date Uploaded: Apr 1, 2007

I don't know how this will do, but I love this capture! I love that I am learning new things here at DPC and Contre-jour is fast becoming one of my favorite techniques.

The only post processing I did was to rotate and resize. I don't know what else I should have done. Please let me know any suggestions you have for what else I could've done.

Statistics
Place: 62 out of 332
Avg (all users): 5.9609
Avg (commenters): 6.3333
Avg (participants): 5.8228
Avg (non-participants): 6.0700
Views since voting: 1420
Views during voting: 258
Votes: 179
Comments: 16
Favorites: 3 (view)


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AuthorThread
04/13/2009 11:39:56 PM
lovely shot... no doubt, it should have done well in the challenge...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
09/01/2007 02:53:54 PM
This is deserving of a much higher score. The silhouette against the clouds is stunning.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/19/2007 06:05:53 PM
I think this is one insane picture. The detail is amazing and the dynamic range is incredible. This one should have done so much better. Actually, I am marking it as a favorite!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/17/2007 03:52:46 PM
Greetings from the Critique Club.

Wow, what a beautiful image! I gave it a 7 during voting, and it probably deserved higher.

Striking subject matter, definitely contre jour, and the clouds have alligned so beautifully...

The composition is somewhat imbalanced - there are a lot more dark areas than light ones (hence the comment about wanting more sky). However, I think this benefits the image. Because of the imbalance, the mountain looks very imposing, and the dark sky above it adds to the effect, with the white cloud giving this lovely aura of light to the struggling climber. The focus is good, and the fast shutter speed worked great - I love the level of sharpness and detail that the silhouette has, especially the chain hanging off his belt. Nice use of the rule of thirds too.

In general, I think people prefered images that weren't just silhouettes, but had a second, more gentle source of light that gave some detail to the subject. However, the advantage of using silhouettes is that, while it removes some of the reality of the subject matter, it gives it an iconic appearance, making it a lot more symbolically powerful. What I see in this image:

I have what could possibly be my last ever exam in 3 days. And I've been struggling under a ton of revision for days now. I requested another image to critique during a revision break, had a look at it, and let it linger around in my mind for another revision session before coming back to it. And it really moved me, I found I could actually identify with it. The struggle of the rock climber, the need for perseverence, the fact that the top was so close, yet getting to it still seems so difficult. I think there are a lot of life situations like that, where people could really identify with this image and the need to be strong, and to go out and find beauty. Very Nietszchean actually - the quest for freedom, the will to power, self-fulfilment, there's all sorts of things you could read into it.

In terms of the editing, what I normally do is as follows:
-In PhotoShop, use adjustment layers for each adjustment you do. Standard ones I go through with pretty much every photo: levels, curves, brightness/contrast, hue/sat, trying out a partial desat with the channel mixer, selective colour (in this case I might have messed around with the blues and yellows), unsharp mask. The great appeal of adjustment layers is the little eye symbol at the left hand side of each one - when you press it, it shows you what the image would look like without that particular adjustment. So I go through all the adjustments, twiddle with the settings until they seem to make the photo better, but then go through them again using the eye symbol to check whether they genuinely benefit the image. If they don't, get rid of them. In this case, I don't think the image actually needed any further editing.

Anyway, hope this helps. PM me if you have any questions.

And well done on a fantastic image, and your new well deserved personal best.

Jelena
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/12/2007 12:01:45 PM
The backlighting is great. This is a very nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/11/2007 07:17:58 PM
Geez, what do these voters want? I gave this a 10. I think it's a great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/11/2007 09:44:39 AM
I love this shot and thought it would score higher!! You were robbed!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/11/2007 01:27:53 AM
I can't offer any processing ideas because quite frankly I REALLY like it just the way it is. And it's a great shot - great score, too. And you'd have kicked your hubby's butt in fitness with it. :-) (Don't tell him I said that!)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/11/2007 12:55:33 AM
Ooo - so close to 6 that you might as well call it that.

I would've voted this a 7. :) But then, I'm a former rockclimber.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/11/2007 12:50:27 AM
Cool!! very nice, maybe a little less rock and a little more sky?? not sure just a thought...Love silhouettes, but I notice on here (DPC) it doesn't seem as popular as I think it ought to be...great shot!!! way to go!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/06/2007 06:43:02 PM
yellowish borders of clouds do not look natural. Nice composition though
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/06/2007 03:18:32 PM
Being a climber I understand that this might not have been possible but...

A slight fill on the rock (increase exposure a little maybe), giving the rock some 'life' while keeping the climber in silhouette would really have helped this shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/06/2007 02:42:16 AM
Good clean pic. I'd probably like a little less rock and a little more sky but thats a small opinion. ;) The dangling carabiners and other little thingamajig are a nice touch as they break up the shadow line of his back and leg.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/05/2007 11:48:05 AM
oh cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/05/2007 03:41:10 AM
Nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/04/2007 08:03:33 PM
nice silhouette, very cool capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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