Here’s a capture from an afternoon we spent at Great Sand Dunes NP earlier this fall on the way to the San Juans. The initial edit I made was the first above, but on second look, I thought this might do well as a high key edit. I worked it in B&W first but thought the soft pastel colors in high key were interesting too. Above, you’ll find all three versions: Provia, Astia, Monochrome + Green filter
Specific Feedback Requested:
I’m most interested in your thoughts between the three. Certainly, any comments on processing are welcome, but I’m more interested in the feel. Which works best? What do you feel when seeing each of the three? How do you see the comp telling that story? Etc.
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
Fuji X-T2 at 400 mm; handheld, ISO 200, f6.4, 1/500
Edits made in Capture 1–adjustments made were the film sim/profile and exposure/contrast only
Is this a composite?
No
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My preferences are in the order shown, with the top my favorite. All convey a dreamy feel, with the second doing that the most, yet I feel it is a bit vague for me in its look. All three convey very different moods and feel, so a very successful process and presentation. Real interesting.
Adam: One of my favorite places on the planet which has given me numerous wonderful experiences and image. I’ve also been engaged in a massive editing of file cabinets full of slides so your reference to Provia and Astia brought back fond memories. I appreciate the straight shot and pretty much identified the locale even from the thumbnail. I do like both of the artistic renditions with a slight nod to the pastel version. for them all. >=))>
Hi @Adam_Bolyard, I do agree with @Harley_Goldman that the images do contain a bit of a dreamy feel to them, especially the two higher key images. Saying that I’m not sure I would have picked on ‘dreamy’ if he hadn’t been mentioned first.
In the black and white image I think it appears quite washed out. The pastel colours and tones that are in the lighter colour image fade to white and you lose the impact that these tones/colour have.
When I looked at them the first time I thought I preferred the middle shot. But I think the top image hasmore impact and the differentials between dark and light and dark help you navigate the image better.
So in terms of mood in relation to the colours those are my thoughts. The other feeling I get from them is from composition. It makes me feel a bit unbalanced. My eye immediately shoots to the dark ridge of sand on the right, I follow it and it leads me out the right of the image. That curve would have worked better if it were the other way round and led you to the big dune at the back. To be honest, i think the right half of the image could be an image of it’s own. Alternatively, positioning it as a centralish feature really helps balance the image a draws you through.
I also thought that cleaning up some of the distractions would help hold the eye on the main elements better. There are a few really dark rocks and a line of footprints leading up the dune.
I have done a bit of a crop with some of the things I mentioned. From my point of view it holds the eye better, draws you through and creates a bit more depth. The latter by eliminating some of the vast light area on the right. This crop would also work with the high key colour image but obviously you dont get the same depth due to the absence of light grading. With the crop even by trending right leads you to the upper right 3rd of the image and behind that the dark dune starts trending left and leads you through that way.
