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Frozen Lightning w/repost
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Frozen Lightning w/repost

by Scott Fricke

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted February 2, 2014840 views12 comments
Ice fractures on the surface and frozen air bubbles below. Dream Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Please see larger version for better detail. Any critiques would be greatly appreciated.


Canon 5DII, 16-35L @ 22mm, f16, 1/8 sec, ISO 200

Comments

12 comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on February 2, 2014 at 9:40 PM
This does look like lighting, Scott, with that strong diagonal line and multiple branches. I also really like the sense of motion that the little bubbles provide in the larger view. For some reason that vertical crack and the strong light/dark contrast in the ulc really grabs my attention. Because of that, I think that cropping some from the left and from the bottom provides a cleaner look at the "lighting bolt".
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on February 3, 2014 at 10:59 AM
Real nice lines and color. Excellent ice fracture image.
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by Carolyn Derstine on February 3, 2014 at 12:07 PM
Great ice image, Scott! I also find ice quite interesting to photograph. . .but so far this year, the ice in our creek has not been very photogenic. In the larger version, I find it fascinating that the frozen bubbles appear to radiate out from the center of the main crack. I also like the blue coloring as I think it adds to the feeling of coldness. Great comp you found of the angled lightning-like lines. I, too, noticed that straight crack in the upper left corner so cropping in from the left may be helpful. It almost appears as if you added content on the left but forgot to blend in the line in the top portion. However, maybe if that line wasn't so straight, or even just darkened a bit, it wouldn't distract as much.
Registered on February 16, 2011, 610 Posts, 3684 Comments
Comment posted by Scott Fricke on February 3, 2014 at 2:24 PM
Thanks for the comments everyone. Carolyn, I didn't add any content to the image, that's just a natural ice fracture. But as Mark and you pointed out it is a distraction so here is a crop version with a little taken off the top and left. Is this better?
Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments
Comment posted by Carolyn Derstine on February 3, 2014 at 3:07 PM
Repost looks perfect, Scott! :toast: (I knew you didn't add any content but the crack was distracting IMO because it almost gives the appearance you did. :smile:)
Registered on February 16, 2011, 610 Posts, 3684 Comments
Comment posted by Karen Kane on February 3, 2014 at 7:33 PM
Nicely seen Scott - and appropriately titled, it really does look like ice-lightning. While the original is quite nice, I do like the cleaner look of the repost. :toast:
Registered on August 4, 2012, 66 Posts, 726 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on February 3, 2014 at 8:36 PM
The repost looks great...does a fine job of keeping the attention on the lightning bolt and I do like that you kept that diagonal line near the bottom.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by gary phillips on February 4, 2014 at 12:06 PM
I like the repost better also, Scott. Love the lightning and the blue color. :toast:
Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Lockhart on February 4, 2014 at 9:18 PM
A really nice representation and beautiful color Scott. Lightning it surely is and I like your comp going from upper right to bottom left. The bubble are interesting because they all seem to emanate from the "bolt".
Registered on February 19, 2013, 91 Posts, 500 Comments
Comment posted by Yun Gao on February 5, 2014 at 6:59 AM
Nice ice fractures and amazing air bubbles. This has almost a 3D effect. It looks like a tree, if rotated 180°. The crop in the repost works very well. Great work!
Registered on September 11, 2012, 267 Posts, 1621 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Jones on February 5, 2014 at 3:30 PM
The shapes and depth shown by the bubbles as well as the cracks, just draw me right into this scene. Original was fine, and the crop even better.
Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Reid on February 7, 2014 at 12:24 PM
Beautiful abstract Scott with great color and details. The repost looks great to me and like the title. Very nicely processed also. Really nice job on this.
Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments