Shot from the same location as my shot for the "Bridges" challenge. Different camera, different season, different opportunity. I thought about using this for the June Free Study, but I think the depth of field for this shot is pretty deep. Hopefully others will too.
Adjustments: cropped out parked cars on the left, burned (or dodged...whichever one makes things lighter) the foliage to the right of the bridge, cloned out a small orange sign next to the bridge, increased saturation slightly in red channel, resized, unsharp mask.
Full exif details:
Nikon D70
2004/06/03 15:58:08.8
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: Large (3008 x 2000)
Lens: 18-70mm F/3.5-4.5 G
Focal Length: 18mm
Exposure Mode: Programmed Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/400 sec - F/10
Exposure Comp.: -0.7 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Optimize Image: Custom
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-S
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp: User-Defined Custom Curve (fotogenic's "White Wedding" curve)
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Enhanced
Sharpening: Medium high
Image Comment:
Noise Reduction: OFF
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From the Critique Club:
A shot that will benefit by the Zone System. Yet, I am at a disadvantage to truly judge it because I am certain the shadow area has more detail than allowed by the internet resolution. Ansel Adams would have cringed to see his photographs displayed so. In the old days of film this was a simple shot to process. Once you get the right enlarger exposure to satisfy the shadow area, we burn in the lighter side. In digital, this can done even easier. You simply take two pictures, each exposure to satisfy the light and dark and then combine them. However, challenges, unfortunately do not allow this. So this remains one of the most difficult shots to execute.
The dof is good and the composition pretty strong. the eye winds up gently up the river or rivulet. Also, the exposure is just right because it preserves the detail in the light side. Many of these shots wind up with hot spots eliminating all detail. Also your sky is nice and rich. If I had to go and take the same shot with the same rules, I would simply reduced the shadow side a bit more by moving closer to the first boulder. Of course, such a change would change the balance and possibly change the mood. That is, I like the placement of the overpass.
Leaving it as it is, the other way to improve the balance is by the use of curves, but the tweaking must be done just right, because the dark-light relationship can be impaired.
I can not truly find any other fault than the subdued shadow area. It seems that for such a beautiful day there should be more reflected light, but cameras are subject to this shortcoming. Keep your eyes open for these dark-light scenes and re-examine them at different times of the days, each one will be favored by a different Sun setting. I like the picture and the mood it conveys. dan
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