Robert Atkins
January 2022 - Dream Lake Rainbow
About the Image(s)
This month's image is an old one from Rocky Mtn National Park. Mid-summer I hiked up to Dream Lake in the dark to catch sunrise, and was rewarded by some dramatic light, as well as sprinkles of rain which brought a very fortunate rainbow. I didn't even have to run anywhere to get the rainbow to line up with the brightly lit peak. It just did that for me. I struggled to keep the front of the lens dry, and shot while the rainbow lasted, maybe some 10 minutes. This image was shot in digital on a Nikon 5100 with the Nikon 18-55 f3.5-5.6 kit lens. It was shot on a tripod at ISO 100, 1/30s, f8, and at 38mm (57mm equivalent).
As amazing as it was to be there with the light and all, I've never been that happy with the image or any of its companions. I went back today and tried processing this one again, focusing on better bringing out the drama that was real, and trying to give it more of a story - the peak reaching up with the rainbow to the heavens. I am still not sure it speaks to me as strongly as I think it should given the blessing I was presented with that morning. Thoughts? Am I just judging this one too hard or am I missing something obvious?
This round’s discussion is now closed!
13 comments posted
Hi Bob,
Powerful image for me. I am hoping that the story I get from the contrasting darkness and light comes true, and in the not-too-distant future. I am overwhelmed by this imagery. Beautiful work. Posted: 01/10/2022 13:20:37
Powerful image for me. I am hoping that the story I get from the contrasting darkness and light comes true, and in the not-too-distant future. I am overwhelmed by this imagery. Beautiful work. Posted: 01/10/2022 13:20:37
Hi Robert,
Thank you for sharing. It sounds like you were at the right timing for dramatic morning scene to capture. I envy you that you encountered such a moment!
Here is what I like;
1. The rainbow starting from the peak.
2. The sandwiching blue sky (cool colors) by morning lights (warm colors) - sun and lit peak
However, this image does not work well for me, I am afraid. It is very powerful image (as Bob mentioned) with strong contrast but my eye cannot stay long in the frame.
My eye starts from the lit mountain and the rainbow help my eye to bridge to the brightest sky in upper left corner. Since there is no subject to pull my eye back to the image, my eye end up being tired with the brightest light.
If you look the image upside down, you will notice how powerful and bright it is in the upper left corner.
And also there is a big gap (blue sky) between two bright part (the sun and lit peak) in the center of the frame so it makes the image breaks apart in my view. Maybe I would try to reduce the brightness of sun/clouds and increase the details/texture to balance against the lit peak.
Lastly, I prefer to see a bit more details in the mountain. Shadow is too dark for me. Posted: 01/11/2022 02:02:43
Thank you for sharing. It sounds like you were at the right timing for dramatic morning scene to capture. I envy you that you encountered such a moment!
Here is what I like;
1. The rainbow starting from the peak.
2. The sandwiching blue sky (cool colors) by morning lights (warm colors) - sun and lit peak
However, this image does not work well for me, I am afraid. It is very powerful image (as Bob mentioned) with strong contrast but my eye cannot stay long in the frame.
My eye starts from the lit mountain and the rainbow help my eye to bridge to the brightest sky in upper left corner. Since there is no subject to pull my eye back to the image, my eye end up being tired with the brightest light.
If you look the image upside down, you will notice how powerful and bright it is in the upper left corner.
And also there is a big gap (blue sky) between two bright part (the sun and lit peak) in the center of the frame so it makes the image breaks apart in my view. Maybe I would try to reduce the brightness of sun/clouds and increase the details/texture to balance against the lit peak.
Lastly, I prefer to see a bit more details in the mountain. Shadow is too dark for me. Posted: 01/11/2022 02:02:43
Thanks Haru. I deliberately have brightened the upper left corner (I will try to describe my reasons in one of the other responses below). But yes, thank you for pointing out that what I've now created is one of these situations that the eye wants to ping pong back and forth between the two bright regions with no where to rest. Ugh, ok, I see the problem, but am not sure I can fix it while keeping the feel I am after. The dramatic sky to me is as much of the subject as the mountain and rainbow - perhaps more. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:07:13
Hi Bob, I really love this image. It is majestic. I wish you could bring out a bit more the colors of the rainbow and give a bit more light to the mountains - so more contrast overall. But what luck to get this scene! It gives a real good sense of the power and beauty of nature. Maybe crop the left side so the eye focuses on the rainbow and the raising sun on the mountains at the right. Posted: 01/11/2022 16:57:34
Thanks Gloria. Yes, power and majesty is what this is about to me. Which is more than the single peak or the rainbow - it is those in the context of the dramatic sky. Which others are pointing out doesn't really work compositionally. I can perhaps bring out a bit more of the colors in the rainbow, but unfortunately I think there are other problems to solve before it is worth spending too much time on that. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:10:12
Hi Robert
When I saw this image I thought WOW, then I remembered a time when I saw a rainbow and took the image only to be disappointed in the result. I know where you are coming from, the image never does the experience justice. I do love this image Robert, it gives me a feeling of hope and an appreciation of the beauty in the world around us. I agree that the top left is too bright and draws away from the mountain. I too thought cropping the left might help. As for improving the colors of the rainbow, I have never found a way to make this happen in my own images or in this one either. I do think you are judging this one too hard, it seems to speak to all of us in some way. Posted: 01/15/2022 13:56:40
When I saw this image I thought WOW, then I remembered a time when I saw a rainbow and took the image only to be disappointed in the result. I know where you are coming from, the image never does the experience justice. I do love this image Robert, it gives me a feeling of hope and an appreciation of the beauty in the world around us. I agree that the top left is too bright and draws away from the mountain. I too thought cropping the left might help. As for improving the colors of the rainbow, I have never found a way to make this happen in my own images or in this one either. I do think you are judging this one too hard, it seems to speak to all of us in some way. Posted: 01/15/2022 13:56:40
Thanks Cheryl. I have tried cropping it as you did, and the problem for me is that I don't think the image is just about the peak and the rainbow but their place under the grandness of the sky. I feel like when it is tight to the peak and rainbow, it is beautiful, but I get tired of it quickly.
As much as it was a unique lucky moment, I don't think the problem is as much that I have too grand an expectation in the image as a result. I think as lucky as the rainbow was, the lighting overall doesn't really work compositionally. I want the majestically lit heavens, and have even deliberately pushed the upper left further in that direction (e.g., brighter), but compositionally it creates a ping pong back and forth between two bright but separated areas. I may tone the upper left down and try bringing up some other bright areas to create more of a diversity of draws for the eye - but I am not sure that isn't pretty close to the original, which just didn't seem to work compositionally. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:19:08
As much as it was a unique lucky moment, I don't think the problem is as much that I have too grand an expectation in the image as a result. I think as lucky as the rainbow was, the lighting overall doesn't really work compositionally. I want the majestically lit heavens, and have even deliberately pushed the upper left further in that direction (e.g., brighter), but compositionally it creates a ping pong back and forth between two bright but separated areas. I may tone the upper left down and try bringing up some other bright areas to create more of a diversity of draws for the eye - but I am not sure that isn't pretty close to the original, which just didn't seem to work compositionally. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:19:08
Hi Robert,
I have always thought that a good photograph starts with a good capture. I can't count how many times I've tried in vain to squeeze out a image in processing that was from the beginning not that remarkable. The experience of being there was no doubt wonderful, but I have learned that sometimes I just need to put my camera down and enjoy the show.
This is not to say that I feel your photo was not worth the effort. I am speaking to the second paragraph of your description.
Sometimes cropping and enhancing the elements of an image helps bring out the vision or story we are after. But I don't think that will fully work here.
I get the sense that this was an emotional experience for you. Unfortunately, it's extremely difficult to translate that emotion onto a photograph.
Posted: 01/19/2022 17:45:51
I have always thought that a good photograph starts with a good capture. I can't count how many times I've tried in vain to squeeze out a image in processing that was from the beginning not that remarkable. The experience of being there was no doubt wonderful, but I have learned that sometimes I just need to put my camera down and enjoy the show.
This is not to say that I feel your photo was not worth the effort. I am speaking to the second paragraph of your description.
Sometimes cropping and enhancing the elements of an image helps bring out the vision or story we are after. But I don't think that will fully work here.
I get the sense that this was an emotional experience for you. Unfortunately, it's extremely difficult to translate that emotion onto a photograph.
Posted: 01/19/2022 17:45:51
Thanks Dan. The emotional experience may be part of the problem, but I think there is more to it - more in composition. When I crop tight, as Cheryl did above, I feel it is too simple - I get bored of it quickly. And when I crop wider, I get more "majesty" which keeps me interested, but in terms of balance, the weight and position of the light, it feels off. As Haru points out, there is a lot of dark space between the bright clouds and bright peak. As I think about this though, I do have a bunch of frames, and the clouds were moving quickly. It is possible I can layer in from another frame and create a better compositional balance. This is probably the best balanced individual frame, but I have not considered combining them.
Then again, at the end of the day, maybe you are right, I should put the photoshop brush down, and just remember it as an awesome morning. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:29:41
Then again, at the end of the day, maybe you are right, I should put the photoshop brush down, and just remember it as an awesome morning. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:29:41
Hi Robert,
I thought I'd give your image another look and try to answer your questions. I don't think you are missing anything obvious. It remains powerful to me but if this is a rainbow image, I would agree with Cheryl that the left side of the image distracts from the rainbow, both in luminance value and color. The brightest part of the sky draws my eye too much and won't let me explore. There is too much green in the mountain reflection, for my taste. I wanted to add a bit of light to the lower right, but I was unable. It will be up to the artist always to decide if they judge their work too hard. I hope this is more helpful. Posted: 01/22/2022 12:11:41
I thought I'd give your image another look and try to answer your questions. I don't think you are missing anything obvious. It remains powerful to me but if this is a rainbow image, I would agree with Cheryl that the left side of the image distracts from the rainbow, both in luminance value and color. The brightest part of the sky draws my eye too much and won't let me explore. There is too much green in the mountain reflection, for my taste. I wanted to add a bit of light to the lower right, but I was unable. It will be up to the artist always to decide if they judge their work too hard. I hope this is more helpful. Posted: 01/22/2022 12:11:41
Thanks Bob. I think for me it is not so much a rainbow image, as an image about the majesty of the moment - the dramatic light with the sky and earth touching, connected by the rainbow. So as I mention in a response above, the tight crops, while they work fine from a composition perspective, don't give the sense of majesty that I am looking for (although your crop is a bit of an interesting compromise). Alas, the wide crops don't work for the reason you and others have pointed out. Ugh. I at least understand the dilemma better. It could be understanding it, I can go back and find a different frame that would work better.
This is a digital shot and therefore one I have never put as much energy into. If I had this in 4x5 it would be killing me not being able to get this to truly work. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:40:42
This is a digital shot and therefore one I have never put as much energy into. If I had this in 4x5 it would be killing me not being able to get this to truly work. Posted: 01/22/2022 16:40:42
The original is still powerful to me, and I only provided a crop based on the image title. Still proves it is the vision, not the gear..... Posted: 01/23/2022 12:03:29
This is a beautiful photo. The colors/tones of the red, blue, and orange are almost jewel-like. I like how Cheryl's crop really keeps the focus on the mountain and rainbow. Great photo and edit, Robert! Posted: 01/23/2022 12:29:21