The Long Wait + repost

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 21, 2011156 views12 comments

Here is the first of many 4x5 scans that I am working on. This one was made back in the first week of July along one of the tributaries to the Yuba River in the Sierra Nevada, Fiddle Creek Falls its called. It is about a 20 to 25 foot drop although it does not appear so in this photo.

I discovered this waterfall about three years ago and finally got a chance to photograph it this past summer. The side canyon that harbors this creek becomes fully lit by early mid morning so I had to be there soon after sunrise to make this. Because of that, the light is very blue and at the time I had to filter the light. The slide still had a lot of blue in it, which I did correct in PS, but the color was not this photo's strong point so I converted it to B&W and then it just sang for me. Personally I love the light on the wet rocks.

Would love to hear your honest critiques.

4x5, 300mm, f32.3, 2 sec, 81B on Fuji Provia 100F

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 21, 2011 at 3:34 AM

Youssef,

25ft???? Really? I was immediate drawing comparisons to my recent post which at the most is 3ft in height. I never ever would have guessed the scale. Regardless, this is just a wonderful and yes, intimate capture of these falls. I was going to call them cascades, but I guess technically they're waterfalls? ;-)

The highlights and quality of light throughout are simply superb. And even though some texture is lost in the main falls, it's all trumped by the wonderful tones and highlights everywhere else. I love this!

My only small nit is deciding if I like the dark triangle at the bottom of the frame. It's not an image killer by any stretch, but it's something that makes me wonder how this would be with that dark triangle cropped or cloned. Not a big deal though.

Love this one Youssef. Yubba river eh? hmmmmmm....

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on December 21, 2011 at 7:48 AM

The lush tones in this scene are simply superb, Youssef! The rocks seem to radiate a glow all their own. I also like the lack of scale here; I never would have quessed these falls were 25' in height.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 21, 2011 at 10:59 AM

Real sweet, Youssef. The glowing wet rocks make this sing. My thoughts echo Lon's about the dark triangle.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on December 21, 2011 at 11:27 AM

This is one of the best BW I've seen in some time. Ed used the word lush and it isn't one I would normally apply to a BW image but it really does describe it well. The thumbnail does remind of Lon's recent image. As far as the detail (or lack of) in areas of the flow, with this much volume pouring over the rocks it's almost impossible to retain all detail, at least from my experience. The dark triangle at the bottom doesn't bother me but it's absence might be a slight improvement to an already excellent capture. Superb....an image to aspire to.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 21, 2011 at 11:49 AM

Nice one, Youssef, great textures. I really like the hint of distance in the way back. I could take or leave the black triangle. Looks great.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on December 21, 2011 at 1:47 PM

Thanks for the comments so far. I considered the bottom rock as well but thought it would not detract so much. I cloned it out and its posted here. Better? Does the clone job look natural?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 21, 2011 at 2:07 PM

Works very well for me Youssef. Thanks for taking the time to re-work and post. The cloning looks great, but it's really not fair to say with these little web images, and your copyright kind of partially obscures it. I'm imagining though that your clone work is just fine in your master file. Love this one.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on December 21, 2011 at 2:19 PM

Beautiful, I love the richness of this, awesome blacks!!!!!

Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on December 21, 2011 at 3:09 PM

Wow, this is a real beauty. Beautiful composition and processing. This suits B&W so well. Like you, I love the light on the wet rocks!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on December 21, 2011 at 7:06 PM

Wonderful, Yousseff! The richness of the tones is really lovely. The repost is much cleaner to my eye.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 21, 2011 at 9:14 PM

Definitely like the scene and the way you composed it. The large, light, and mostly texture-less mass of water on the left side is maybe a bit too much. I find myself lingering here instead of exploring elsewhere in the frame.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on December 27, 2011 at 11:05 PM

Youssef: I'm treating myself to a tour of your gallery and really like this one. Marvelous scene and comp and to me the conversion is terrific. Congrats on a really fine image. >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments