Henriette Brasseur
May 2023 - San Juan Mountains Surrounded By Fall Colors
Original
About the Image(s)
I like to explore the backroads of southwestern Colorado (San Juan Mountains) in the fall though this particular year the fall color wasn’t great. A lot of trees had lost their leaves early this particular fall due to weather conditions. The lighting conditions were not good. Sure, I wished there was an early morning sun on the landscape to add definition with shadow and light but that was not to be….the light was simply flat. Scenes like this are challenging at times though an image of a scene that reflects mood and drama does have its appeal. I have been to Colorado in the fall when the sunlight and shadows accentuate the landscape and the scene is just spectular…just breathtaking.
Specs: EOS 7D Mark II, 1/1000, F8, iso 200, 70-200 lens shot at 88mm
7 comments posted
Henriette, I must admit, if I could spend a few weeks exploring a piece of the USA, top of my list would be your Rocky Mountains. I love the depth in this image and the grandeur of the mountain with its snow in the background. The colours of the trees and the impending weather hinted at by the clouds speak volumes. Compositionally, this one is excellent, just the right amount of everything. Nothing much more I can add to this one. I great image and one you should be proud to put your name to. Posted: 05/07/2023 06:38:50
Thank you Ian for your comments. Fall color in Colorado (late Sept./early Oct.) is indeed beautiful. Another place is Utah for its sandstone mesas, arches, canyons and Oregon for its beautiful waterfalls and beaches. I've seen some beautiful pictures of Australia and would love to visit the beaches, wildlife (encountering poisonous snakes not on my wish list), national parks, cities and towns. Posted: 05/08/2023 15:56:44
That's a fine majestic mountain rising above the trees and the dusting of early snow really sets it off. The clouds have plenty of detail and add to the drama, so I would not complain too much about the light if that was my image. If I can make a suggestion (which I always do - sorry!) I think you were a bit enthusiastic in brightening the image. Try overlaying your final edit on top of the original and adjust its opacity - simple to do, and you can then decide how much extra brightness is really needed. Posted: 05/08/2023 11:39:27
Hi Gordon,
I tried what you suggested by overlaying the original scene with the brightened scene and then reducing the opacity to 90% and 85% respectively to see which opacity setting was better. What a difference reducing the opacity made. I am really pleased on how the image looks now. Thank you Gordon for the tip. Posted: 05/08/2023 15:20:10
I tried what you suggested by overlaying the original scene with the brightened scene and then reducing the opacity to 90% and 85% respectively to see which opacity setting was better. What a difference reducing the opacity made. I am really pleased on how the image looks now. Thank you Gordon for the tip. Posted: 05/08/2023 15:20:10
Beautiful shot Henriette. The snow-covered mountain with the contrast of the trees is very impactful. The sky adds a lot of drama to the image. Posted: 05/20/2023 15:57:30
What I liked right away, but this is only my interpretation, is the V that the darker trees below the mountain make, which is like a cut, highlighting the mountain and the depth of field.
The small drawback would be the softer green that for me is not too aesthetic and draws the eye on the part of the image that inspires me the least.
When we drive on the roads we are rarely in the right place at the right time. You knew how to exploit this landscape to give us your interpretation. Well done.
Posted: 05/21/2023 04:58:20
The small drawback would be the softer green that for me is not too aesthetic and draws the eye on the part of the image that inspires me the least.
When we drive on the roads we are rarely in the right place at the right time. You knew how to exploit this landscape to give us your interpretation. Well done.
Posted: 05/21/2023 04:58:20
I do agree with Gordon. This image enjoys a contrast in DOF with light-dark-light-dark. The mountain is the subject of the image and I think you over lightened it and should darken down the grey part at center and the fir trees at left to give more contrast of light and dark. This is a well composed image with the left V of the mountainscape reflected in the V of the fir trees at bottom left. I may have started out with using some dodging of the highlights and then worked on the HDR of the image to give the depth. That would give me a sense of what opacity would be best for the midground. The clouds are wonderful and if you wishes you could add a little more drama by darkening and "blueing" them up. After some playing around you will have a magnificent image! Posted: 05/27/2023 10:46:00