Greeting the Morning (Death Valley)

What technical feedback would you like if any?

Nothing in particular, but any critique welcome.

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

I like the idea of using artistic license to render a scene differently than Mother Nature presented it, but I hesitate to go too far. For this one, I warmed up the sunny streak and cooled down the shadows. Does it need more drama in the shadows or would that be overkill?

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Single shot; a7, 100-400mm @ 168mm, f/16, 1/60s, ISO 800.

You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.

I really like this image so much. Perhaps because it’s refreshingly different from all those shadow/sunlight abstracts we see of these dunes. I had a couple of ideas for this image which you may of may not like.

  1. Cool the shadows just a touch.
  2. Modify the comp to support the long horizontals.

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This turned out really well, Bonnie. Great use of light and the processing looks good to my eye. No suggestions here, good to go as is.

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Bonnie, a very different take on DeVa for sure. I like what Igor did, even though I would go one step further that is to bring up the saturation on the yellow by a touch.

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This is a very nicely done, and moody image. The detail and the long curves work very well, and I love the light. The original framing and processing works for me.
-P

Bonnie, I also like the unique take on a gnarly looking partially buried bush. For me it tells a nice story about the struggle to exist in a harsh and and yet beautiful unique environment. I like the scene as presented and I like Igor’s suggestion as well.

Bonnie,

Love the beautiful light here and how you’ve zoomed in to isolate not only the light, but the dune textures and detail as well.

I don’t think your processing has gone too far at all. I like what you’ve done and where you took the processing. I think there’s a nice balance between the warmer light and cooler shadows. Not sure I would say there’s “drama” in the shadows, but I think it looks great as presented.

Although I said I didn’t think you went too far, my only suggestion would be to address the brightly lit face on the left. It’s definitely on the warm side, and maybe I’m seeing things, but also maybe a little on the green side? Maybe it’s just me. It’s a little green, relative the leaning-red/yellow in the main light streak.

The great thing is that you have an awesome scene and image to work with. the last thing might be to darken the lighter edge up top where the lighter sand is kinda bleeding through. Either a crop, some painting or CA cloning. Several options there.

Only reason to be picky with this one is that this is worth the efforts!

Lon

Love everything about it ! You’ve taken that fall of light to just the right place and, to me, the shadows need not go any further or you might well get an over- dramatized effect.

Thank you @Igor_Doncov, @Harley_Goldman, @Adhika_Lie, @Preston_Birdwell, @Alan_Kreyger, @Lon_Overacker, and @Ian_Wolfenden. Your suggestions are appreciated. I like Igor’s take on the blue tone - that is more what I had in mind. And I do think the leftmost light area is a different tone than the other light areas (I did warm them up). Upon checking, I can see that he left area didn’t need as much of a change in tone as the other light areas. Also, I darkened the lighter sand at the top.

I’ll add the edited version to the OP. Thank you all again!

Edited version looks real good!

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