C&C: Snow photos

Ascentionist · Oct 10, 2009

Please let me know what you think:

Just 75 shopping days until Christmas!

No PP on this one, I just pointed and shot, editing out the sun with my hand. The snow was mostly blowing and the sky was clear. I was pleasantly surprised at how this turned out.

The world famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. Woke up to snow and went out walking around town. There was a little PP. I boosted the color a little and increased the contrast just a tad to get the white of the hotel to jump out against the somber background.

Seeing this just made me feel like I was in Europe. I was bummed that Longs Peak and Mount Meeker were obscured by clouds, but I think it enhanced this scene having the peak barely visible.

DennyCrane · Oct 10, 2009

I'm no good at critiquing people pictures, so I'll stick to 2-4. #2 is a really weird shot. I like it probably the most. Love to see a little higher resolution version. #3, I might have lowered the camera just a touch to bring the peak of the mountain closer to the top of the shot so I got a little more foreground in the shot. And Redrum. #4 was a perfect candidate for B&W. Good call there. Again, a lil' higher resolution picture would be great to see. Might be one for a contest entry there.

Nice job!

Edit: Ya know what? The more I look at #4, the more I love this picture. That's a terrific photo.

Edit Edit: I'm an idiot, I didn't realize I could click on the pictures and see them larger. Yeah... they're very good.

Ascentionist · Oct 10, 2009

Denny, thanks for the comments!

#2: The higher res (RAW and TIFF) images of this one just blow me away. I wish I had taken about four different images to take the one with the best mix of flake sizes. I know there is one flake that seems to be disproportionately large. The ironic thing is that this one is in color, and I thought it would make a good B&W but every time I change it to B&W I think it looks better in color.

I know what you're saying about #3. I actually cropped it to edit out the foreground below the hotel. There is just too much visual garbage. But after I got home today I saw a photo on the Stanley's website with a better angle. There must be a good view higher up on the hillside in the neighborhood behind where I took it. Wish I had known that this morning...

My main concern with #4 is that the snow on the roof is too bright. I brightened it a bit because the roof was slightly gray in the original. But if memory serves, the roof was shining white to my eyes. I should have posted a comparison shot.

Turnerea · Oct 10, 2009

I think you may have overdone the brightness of the snow on the roof a touch, but it helps to emphasize the building as a subject, and I don't find it distracting. Only thing I can think of right off is that, if possible, I would have tried to move the camera a few yards to the left in order to better separate the building and the beautiful mountain behind it.

Ascentionist · Oct 10, 2009

Here is an alternate angle. I liked this one better because the building was sort of framed between two ridges of the mountain, but then my wife pointed out that you can see part of the more modern structure behind it. I had tried to eclipse it with the chapel, but I missed a small part.

I agree that the first angle would have been better a few yards to the left.