Iconic Captain

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 9, 2013423 views20 comments

This is my favorite image from last week's Yosemite visit. The conditions Monday morning were amazing - I feel fortunate to have been there. Although I'm very happy with the image, I have little experience with b+w conversions and would really appreciate your feedback on what would make it better. Most of the landscape was in shadow, and with the low clouds and light ray coming down into the valley it seemed like a good choice for black and white. I was bracketing exposures but ended up using just the middle exposure because with highlights turned way down the sky and clouds came out pretty well. Any refinements you'd recommend before I print large?

5Diii, 70-200mmii @70mm, f/8, 1/160sec

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on April 9, 2013 at 3:45 PM

I don't know Jared, it looks pretty darn close to perfect to me. The only thing that would make it better would be to print it real big and hang it here in my studio so that I could look at it all the time

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

Comment posted by Michael Cothran on April 9, 2013 at 4:05 PM

Jared - just a couple of suggestions -
First, if you have a darker version, I'd try to tone down the brightest cloud area near the bottom, and possibly up at the top.
Then, I think I might introduce a tad more contrast to El Capitan, then perhaps, brighten up the cloud cover at the bottom just a bit. If it looks funky, go back to the way it is now!

Registered on December 5, 2012, 31 Posts, 730 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on April 9, 2013 at 7:28 PM

What a great sense of depth with all the layers of elements in the composition. I also love the amount of detail visible in the larger version, this will make a great print!

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on April 9, 2013 at 7:46 PM

This is pretty darn nice as is, Jared.

I can see why this is your favorite. My only suggestions would be just a couple of tweeks; lighten the cloud at the bottom just a bit and add a little contrast to El Cap. Did you happen to get any comps without the tree in the LLC? I would be curious to see one if you did.

Ed

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

Comment posted by Richard Olsen on April 9, 2013 at 7:52 PM

Excellent capture of some great conditions Jared The B&W coversion looks sweet!

Registered on October 19, 2006, 306 Posts, 1571 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Moore on April 9, 2013 at 8:14 PM

I think it is superb to begin with, but I also would experiment with burning the cloud hot spots and dodging that botto layer of fog. Well done!

Registered on January 12, 2010, 84 Posts, 388 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on April 9, 2013 at 8:51 PM

Wow, these just keep getting better. The fog filling the valley is amazing and creates mood and sets this apart from many other images from this location. Great use of contrasts throughout the image. I like the way that you have conveyed the scale as well as it really showcases the majesty of the location and makes me want to linger in awe.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Palmieri on April 9, 2013 at 9:23 PM

I like it as presented. Really nice conversion. I love the fog, the light, and I especially love the the subtle mountains in the BG on the right. Sweet image!!!

Registered on September 1, 2011, 35 Posts, 748 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on April 9, 2013 at 9:31 PM

Looks great. I know it's iconic but there aren't many great scenes left that aren't. I would play around with the suggestions that have already been made. I would prefer the tree in the LLC to no be there if you have an image that excludes it.

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on April 9, 2013 at 11:04 PM

Very well done.

Right place at right time.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on April 9, 2013 at 11:37 PM

Doh!!

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on April 10, 2013 at 12:05 AM

Fantastic! I have nothing to suggest, other than I hope you captured some more verticals to stitch into a monster pano!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on April 10, 2013 at 12:40 AM

What a fantastic scene Jared. I like the depth created by the clouds throughout the entire frame. Definitely worth a big print! The only thing that catches my eye as a slightly distracting element to the overall composition, is the tree in the FG in the BLC. If, on the other hand, it were a bit more prominent and had more detail, it could actually work well as a FG element.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Richter on April 10, 2013 at 1:27 AM

Great work for me, Jared. While the foreground tree at the left anchores the composition nicely and draws my attention, following the zig zag pattern of the clouds into the distance is amazing to my eye. Your image does this majestic scene justice in every sense in my opinion.

Peter

Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on April 10, 2013 at 2:01 AM

Amazing conditions for sure. I am really enjoying the many different layers in this composition and the variety of tones.

Great job, Jared.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Vlad Sadovsky on April 10, 2013 at 2:53 AM

Well done..

Registered on November 12, 2010, 48 Posts, 358 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 10, 2013 at 5:23 PM

This is really nice, Jarred! It works great for me just as it is for me. Some wonderful conditions you caught here. I could see a comp without the tree in the lower left corner but still this is a wonderful image!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on April 11, 2013 at 12:05 AM

I can see why this is your favorite Jared! Ansel would approve!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on April 11, 2013 at 1:02 AM

Great atmosphere here Jared!

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 11, 2013 at 4:41 PM

Gorgeous Jared - doesn't get much better than this!

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