Your Best Photograph from the Previous Month - Critique and Discussion Encouraged

[Mango Triples]

The link does not work for me -- I get an error message saying "Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

Got it fixed, thanks!

[Steven Ruttenberg]

A few slight changes for your consideration.

Looks like you opened it up shadows a bit, but barely. I can go with that. I also see the crop from the left as well.

[Ken Lee]

I also lowered the color saturation a little, as a gradient layer, so that the top is the least saturated.

This helps make the sky and distance look more natural/convincing, but we retain deep saturation as we move towards the bottom of the image.

You can see it in the river: the closest part is deep blue but as it extends into the distance, the color becomes slightly more neutral. In nature we often see this kind of effect due to haze, unless we remove it with a minus-blue filter (b&w), polarizer (color) or some post-exposure treatment. Diminishing saturation over long distance (like diminishing contrast) can work as a depth cue to help the eye appreciate spectacular scenery like this.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I see it now. Skies are always my toughest portion of a scene to get right. I'll have to remember that step. Thanks for the pointers.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

This is a Portra160 4x5 sheet film shot with a Chamonix View Camera 45H-1 and Nikkor 75mm f/4.5@f/32. 3 min exposure and a 0.9 RND. Scanned on an Epson V850 at 6400dpi with a 2x2 bin dow to 3200dpi.

[Michael Roberts]

Wow, great job.

Personally, I would edit out the fence, though.

What is your thought on leaving in man-made objects like this in a nature landscape? Just curious.

[Tin Can]

The fence is a historical artifact

I think it should stay

In a 1000 years it may disappear

[Michael Roberts]

People be different.

[Tin Can]

Of course, but I always look ahead...

Far ahead

It is entirely possible something from this era survives, perhaps Steven's image

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I thought about removing it, but then decided to leave it. To me it adds to the barren feeling of the scene. Like an era where humans and most life have long left the earth. Almost apocalyptic. Like in a distant future after the nuclear winter begins to thaw. I also just think it adds to the scene.