Hi everyone, as always I’d really appreciate your feedback on this. Composition and post processing.
This was shot at the edge of Wastwater lake at the foot of a snow dusted Great Gable. We’eve been having some awful weather recently, so when I headed out this day I wasn’t hopeful.
I fell lucky. The dynamic dappled light was hitting the foot of the mountain nicely while gently adding highlights to the snow. Passing hail storms avoided hitting me and I managed to grab a few shots as it passed in front of the mountain before obscuring it in a white out.
PP wise I’ve gone for my usual dark and moody style.
This is a very pleasing composition, and I love the subdued light. The two symmetrical hills and the lovely curving stream lead us right to the mountain and that patch of light. It’s really well balanced, making for a feeling of stability. My first reaction to the patch of light was that it was too bright, but that’s personal taste. And there are three brighter clumps of grass at the lower edge that sort of catch my eye - maybe those could be darkened a bit. But that’s a real nit. This is quite lovely.
There are so many things to like about this image, Chris. First of all, the S-curve is very pleasing. The sky and the water are also in harmony to create an ominous look to the entire image. You have picked the right shutter speed for the water, not too smooth, not too choppy. I like it a lot. I also like the light at the base of the mountain. It adds a lot of interest in the BG so the S-curve actually leads you to something. My only nit is the square crop that somehow leads to 50-50 composition. It feels too static for such a dynamic scene.
Thanks @Nathan_Klein yes it moved from the foot of the mountain on the left to the mountain in the middle and then across its right side and carried on up the valley.
Any idea how I can ‘deepen’ the colours. I’m not sure how to describe it but it looks very washed out and lacking something. Ideally I think the shadows should be darker too. Is this a saturation and contrast/burning job?
@Chris_Mitchell, the lighter clumps I see are just to the right of the stream, close to the bottom edge. As I said, though, they are really a minor thing.
As far as “deepening” the colors, I think it looks good as is. It is hazy towards the background, but it feels natural. If you wanted to deepen the colors in the background, maybe burning just the dark tones would do it. I find that burning darker tones also increases their saturation to a degree. Don’t know as I would do anything to the foreground - it’s quite dark as it is.
And I’ll say I like the horizon as is, too. The composition is stable, even though there are lots of dynamic elements (the hills coming in from the sides, the squiggly stream). I find that contrast interesting.
Nice Chris, Composition is cool. A composition from Wastwater that I have not seen before. I quite like the processing of the grasses. It’s nice and subtle (maybe lacking a little contrast). It can be hard to control the yellows/oranges in UK landscape at this time of year imo.
Personally, I feel that the dappled light on Great Gable is a little on the bright side. Feel that it distracts from the moody processsing in the rest of the image. However, this is probably just my preference.
Very nice indeed, Chris ! The fall of light in the mid-distance especially makes this image for me, and I also like the comp with its centred main subject approached by the serpentine flow of the waters.
Chris, you were very fortunate to have this weather and light, perfect for shooting in the mountains. I like the composition, it does not feel 50/50 to me because I perceive this as having 2 horizons, one at the shoreline of the lake, and another at the sky/mountain. To me this prevents having a 50/50 horizon.
“Any idea how I can ‘deepen’ the colours. I’m not sure how to describe it but it looks very washed out and lacking something. Ideally I think the shadows should be darker too. Is this a saturation and contrast/burning job?”
Color and saturation are so subjective and a matter of personal taste. I think this works as presented. If you wanted to process for a little more pop and impact, I would darken the shadows in the upper half of the image, and subtlety increase saturation in the warmer tones. I made a TK LM Darks 2 selection and used it it burn the darker tones in the top half of the image. I then made a TK L4 Vibrance mask selection, which targets only the less saturated colors and added saturation via a hue saturation adjustment layer. I then added saturation only for the reds and yellows.
Here is that rework, it has more pop, but may not be to everyone’s taste. hopefully this is subtle enough for you.
That looks much better @Ed_McGuirk I just feel like my original edit is a bit washed out and I was aiming for deeper shadows at the very least. I really like your edit.
Very nice image and atmosphere … I see this is a square crop … if it was from a landscape shot I might have widened the image slightly to add more room to the S bend of the river, but as always with these things there is probably some good reason you didn’t. Also possibly lighten the river so the leading line is emphasised more, and a bit more saturation or colour to the dead grass/reeds in the foreground might make a less desolate image. I suspect it was as cold as it looks … and it certainly comes across as typically grim winter Lake District weather.
