Estes Park, Colorado - CC Please

[jmtonkin]

I just finished going through my pictures from spring break. I'm hoping for some CC on a few of my shots! Thanks!

I was hiking around and noticed the way the sun was hitting this tree. It looked beautiful to me. I like how the mountains can be seen in the background, but it looks over exposed in the sky.

ISO200
1/800s
f/5

As I was hiking back down, I saw this and loved the contrast. I like how on the right side of the picture, you can see some of the tree, but the bark is really in focus.

ISO200
1/400s
f/4.8

Finally when I was down and getting ready to leave, I saw this one. I really like the warm colors in this shot.

ISO200
1/400s
f/8

Thanks in advance for the CC!

 

[bazooka]

To me, #1 and #2 are very similar. Subject cropped on the left side of the frame, with the right half of the frame being out of focus background. I think it might work as a desktop background or an illustration to put text on, but as a stand alone photograph, I think these fall short. I think the subjects themselves warrant a different composition.

However, #3 has some very good characteristics that I like. The foreground bridge is very attractive as composed and leads the eye naturally toward the "back" of the space and up the side of the mountain to the top. I really like this photo, at least at this size. I think you could work on the color of the trees so they are more green than yellow, and maybe do some local adjustments, but it's a very solid shot. The only thing I'd knock it for is that it feels cramped toward the top. I'd like the peaks to have more "head room".

 

[480sparky44 44]

........ I think it might work as a desktop background or an illustration to put text on, but as a stand alone photograph, I think these fall short......... .

They'd make nice stock photos, though. Nice blurry background to put ad copy onto.

 

[Scuba]

I like the 3rd, i agree with the local adjustments to bring up the color in the trees a little to more of a green. #2 there is too much trunk there as it takes up 1/2 the image. You could try cropping a little. B&W may be good with that image as well to bring out the contrast as the color does not do much here. #1 I like the concept but I don't really know how to try and fix this one. I wish I could see more of the background here. The only way to get the sky from being overexposed here is fill flash.

 

[jmtonkin]

Do you think this one looks a little better? I bumped up the yellow channel a quite a bit (It was the only one that had any effect on the trees). I think I like this edit a lot more.


As for #2, it actually is currently set as my background. I think the thing I like the most about that shot is the contrast of the bark and the sky. Do you think if I cropped it so the tree only took up about a third of the photo it would be better?

1#, I like it, but I think I could have done better. I left my flash in the car because I didn't want to drag it around with me. I had my pop-up that I could have used, but I didn't think of it to be honest...