Alabama Hills Boulders

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 4, 2016223 views8 comments

I have re-worked this image a few times and I feel I have finally made a version I am happy with. There were three aspects of the processing that always bothered me. The first was overall contrast. It was difficult to strike the right balance in tonal separation so as too keep the image from being too flat or too harsh. The second issue was achieving a nice balance in the saturation. The third issue was sharpening for the Web. Due to the graininess of the granite, I used TK's Web Sharpening action and varied the opacity of the two sharpening layers. I believe I have overcome these issues, but I would certainly like to hear your thoughts.

The original image was made on a very windy day in the Alabama Hills west of Lone Pine CA near the base of the Sierra East side.

Tachihara 4x5
Nikkor-M 300mm
Astia 100F
TK's Triple Play and Saturation Masks actions
Original: 10/14/2006

Please see the large version. Thanks!
--P

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on September 4, 2016 at 3:55 PM

INteresting textures and lines. Well photographed. For some reason it doesn't look really sharp. It my just be me or my computer.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on September 4, 2016 at 7:14 PM

Hi Preston,

It looks pretty good--I like the transition from boulders to broken boulders up at the top. The image looks sharp, but all of that texture can fool the eye. There's a few violet patches that provide some color to the scene. I think you nailed it devil

..............Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on September 4, 2016 at 11:22 PM

Well, I'm thinking you handled all of your troubled aspects very nicely, Preston. I spent a fair amount of time with this image and can't see anything that I would change. It's really a remarkable abstract. The detail throughout keeps me engaged and I love the tuft of grass and the little green plant breaking up all the hard surfaces. Beautifully done.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on September 5, 2016 at 8:44 AM

I like the abstract comp, Preston. The AH provide fabulous photo ops, but this intimate, abstract image is something different. The detail makes this a difficult web presentation, but you did well with it.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on September 5, 2016 at 9:53 AM

Very cool abstract, PB. Love the shapes and lines. No suggestions here, works for me as is.

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on September 5, 2016 at 10:42 AM

The textures here are awesome, Preston, I can feel the roughness of the stone. You've also got a finely balanced comp. that includes a subtle sense of depth in the larger view.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Ronald Murphy on September 5, 2016 at 4:48 PM

Shapes and textures. Well said.

Registered on March 13, 2012, 279 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on September 6, 2016 at 1:18 PM

An interesting and unusual composition. I have two comments: it does look a bit too grainy, at least on my monitor, and I wonder whether some of the weathering splotches and/or lichens are too much on the magenta side (again, on my monitor).

Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments