Ian Cambourne
September 2023 - Empress Falls Lookout
About the Image(s)
This image was taken in August when a friend and I wanted to go to Empress Falls in our Blue Mountains. Just as you begin the decent down the staircase that takes you to the base of the cliff and falls, you come to this lookout. The journey down (and back up) is quite a challenge and I'm told the equivalent of about 35 stories. Details: Nikon D810; 16 - 80 lens @ 16mm; ISO 100; F2.8 & 1/350. Processed in LR, PS and a touch of Nik.
Sadly, this is the classic image that shows and convinces me that I must increase my post processing skills. If I could make the time to learn how to stitch images together, I could present more of the landscape to the side.
6 comments posted
That looks like a great location with the framing of the cliffs and the valley disappearing off into the distance with some nice recession on the distant hills. I agree that a bit more cliff on the left would balance the one on the right. Stitching images in Lightroom is very easy, just take a series of images with a good overlap, select them in Lightroom, right click and select Photo Merge--> Panorama. It usually does a very good job, and there are options to stretch, fill or crop to produce a rectangular image. Just try it and practice! Posted: 09/15/2023 06:24:04
Thanks for your comments Gordon, I'm definitely going to make time to learn more PP skills. Posted: 09/24/2023 07:16:41
Beautiful image. More on the left would be an improvement, I agree. I like the multiple layers of distance. What was it like at the bottom? Posted: 09/21/2023 16:32:43
Thanks for your thoughts Sanford. The bottom was a long way down and the climb back up the path and stairs really was exhausting. Down the bottom was much like Henriette's image this month, except for the waterfall, which was the whole purpose of that venture. I'll probably put up one of those next month. Posted: 09/24/2023 07:19:27
Beautiful image Ian. I like the contrast between the sky, fog, and trees in the mountains. The diagonal and leading lines of the cliff also add to the photograph. Are those buildings in the distance on the top of the mountain on the left side of the picture? Posted: 09/24/2023 06:55:30
Thanks Jay, I did try to bring some depth into this image by using the cliff lines and the distant ridges. The structure you refer to is not a building, it's a remote communications tower. Posted: 09/24/2023 07:25:27