Critique Trotternish Ridge: Sunrise letterbox crops

SFTPhotography

SFTPhotography

Ranger Smith
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Steve
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I went here last week for sunrise. I know if I walked further round I could have got better separation between the rock face in front of these images but I was

1. Keen to hide the road - I don't like it
2. Hide the grave yard and ugly tarmac car park you can see if you go further round.
3. Avoid completely mimicking Matty Whites and Andrew Yu's takes on this, both of which I rate highly

I went with a 16:7 aspect for the first two and a 2.5: 1 for the last.

It wasn't too busy either at the lone tree (which I like but the road irks me and I am happy with the version I have) but there were some tents up on the ridge I've cloned out - and this was a Tuesday. The colours are great now, lovely lush and green.

First Light

_DSC1267 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

More light

_DSC1276 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Last light before the sun rose into a bank of clouds not to be seen for the rest of the day
_DSC1286 (1) by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
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1st one looks more natural to me, better sky and the green is not so bright.
I like the 1st one also for the darkened rock/hill in the foreground, imo it add to the shot.
 
Quite nice but they seem a bit washed out to me, lacking some punch. Number 3 is the only one that captures the lushness you mention. Which do you think is best?
 
Scirocco_09 said:
Quite nice but they seem a bit washed out to me, lacking some punch. Number 3 is the only one that captures the lushness you mention. Which do you think is best?
Click to expand...

The first. To me they've got plenty of contrast but retain that light ethereal feel of the morning

I'm not one for adding lots of contrast and high black points. I prefer a lighter balance to my pictures and bar 3 they were low contrast scenes.

The lushness is the lovely green colours on the moorland now. Before it was that sludgy brown colour, even in may. Now everything is finally green.
 
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Normally I'd prefer the more red toned earlier ones, but I really like the bluer sky in the final shot. Contrast is fine, I'm a bit too heavy with it but even I accept that not every shot has to have an overpowering black and white point.
 
Craig_85 said:
Normally I'd prefer the more red toned earlier ones, but I really like the bluer sky in the final shot. Contrast is fine, I'm a bit too heavy with it but even I accept that not every shot has to have an overpowering black and white point.
Click to expand...

No, I tend not to like the heavy contrast higher blackpoint look that is de regeur at the moment. For me it's one, or actually a slightly different version with a tad less sky. I love the start of the new day and that light is just so special, especially after a red bull fueled 4hr high(ish) speed run to get there :D
 
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