Forces Through Stone

A very pretty scene. Nice water action, and beautiful sky. I might try raising the mid level brightness a bit.

Bill, thanks for that comment. Funny you said that, because after I posted I thought the image was missing something. I turned up the mid contrasts, please see the updated version!

Stunning comp. Great light, great detail in foreground rocks, killer sky. The brown water hurts.

I like the low camera position, this creates a very dynamic composition. And I like how rocks and water mimic each other regarding shape. I agree with Bill on the overall brightness - I should be a bit brighter imo. I think your repost made it actually darker...

Beautiful comp, I love the way the striations in the foreground rock pull the eye towards the vanishing point. I agree with Bill, and the adjustments in your repost definitely give the image more presence.

The flow in both the water and the rocks along side is great. Excellent alternative view of Gt. Falls. The repost is noticeably better.

Very nice light and textures. The wide-angle perspective makes me feel I'm right in the scene.

Great capture of the power of the water. Perfect exposure.

Dynamic, different view of this place. Well done (especially the repost).

hi everyone, thanks so much for the comments.

although i did consider the overall brightness of the image, i was more concerned that there was not enough contrasts in the mid tones to let the sky and water pop. this is something i regularly struggle with when it comes to showing the intricacies of flowing water. increasing the contrast drowns out the smaller streaks of water, so it's a delicate balance to try to get it right. i am ok with the overall brightness, because i think that the rock on the left is so prominent that it takes your attention regardless, and that its darker tone adds a bit to the mood of the image. i am curious for more comments on this point.

as far as the water color, great falls and the potomac are always brackish and brown (especially in times of flood - see an earlier post if you're interested). i try to stay relatively true to the scene in that manner, though i can understand the motivation to desaturate those colors. i think this is why many people decide to B&W images of this color of water. i haven't felt that urge to this point.

thanks again for your thoughts, much appreciated.

Navin,
I really like all your Great Falls shots
Your locations are very interesting....
I have to get off the beaten path more and find some of those...
I was there for 3 hours this morning, very foggy...
I'll post one...
they do not match up well with yours...
Oh, I'm used to the brown water too...

This is a great view Navin. I really like the way you shot this and I can just hear the roaring water. I also like the color.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI