# Personal Best



## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Ok. I've held out as long as I can. I felt that this was the best image from the September trip. This is a sunrise - maybe the sunrise...

Really need some feedback on this...

Double-click for the larger version


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

Well let me be the first to say this image is spectacular. I love everything about it. Wonderful details, clarity, sharpness and colors. I really like the reflections of the sky and its blue to orange range. The stream takes me upwards through the ripples to that neat little bridge and beyond. It's a very dramatic yet peaceful portrait of a beautiful spot. I also like the vertical aspect rather than the normal or usually expected horizontal view that one asscociates with landscapes. I have not seen all of your works but I do know that this particular one is the best of those that I have seen, and that is saying a lot. I think I see a nice, large, beautifully framed print coming your way soon. Oh if only I could just come close to something like this. I also would still like to get together sometime for a post processing instructional session just to see the steps involved in taking an original file all the way through to the beautiful conclusion such as this. Great work of beauty Rusty. I am in awe and humbled.
James


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

James,

We'll find a way to get together I'm sure. This one took the better part of two evenings of post. I don't think I'll ever shoot landscapes without bracketing again. Don't expect a better one as this was the best of the trip and I still haven't shot a frame since.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

well i have to agree. it IS the best that i've seen. i love it. i think God was sitting right with you when you were taking and processing this one. utterly beautiful.

see that thing about the line again? look how the water reflection carries your eye from foreground to background! easy, smooth flow. well worth the time spent on this one. i also like the quirky aspect of hot and cold colours, i especially think the pink rock to the right in the foreground is _very_ quirky. a warm colour dropped right in on the cold area. awesome.

that ought to be your Christmas present to yourself Rusty. man with this one you've set the bar high for 2008.

rosesm


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

That is most certainly a keeper and a wallhanger. If that were a speckeled trout, it'd be 31" and at least 13 pounds. Beautiful Image !!


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

that is a really great picture there. the color is great and the lighting is perfect. Very inviting.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Do you think this crop works better?


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

I like the first crop better the rock that is in the foreground on the first one is interesting to look at.


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## Big_poppabear (Mar 31, 2007)

Wow,

Spectacular


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

RustyBrown said:


> Do you think this crop works better?


i do not think it is better, i think it is another option. you now have two very beautiful photos. and you have more options where the end product could end up.

(i wonder if you can keep the 'cold' side as a whole image as you've made the 'warm' side.)

okay quit playing with it. it's beautiful.

rosesm


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

They both are beautiful but personally I like the first one better. The first, with the grasses in the foreground, makes you feel like you are standing right at the edge of the stream.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

I liked the second crop much better. I didn't like the rock looking like a bulls eye dead center. I found myself immediately searching from the rock to the sky trying to decide on what you where taking a picture of. Second crop I'm immediately drawn to the clouds and when I get over that I can relax a little and get into the details. Everyones opinion is going to be different. Beautiful picture though. I'd love to see you use that talent on a few panoramas.. 

Wish I could find an angle to frame the pierce elevated and some drainage ditch like that. No rocks but there are usually several old tires in the ditches that might work!


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Truly beautiful!!!!


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## boat_money (May 21, 2004)

i like somethings about #2 better, but miss the blue contrast to the pink/red in the sky of #1. may a third w/ less in the foreground like #2 but more of the sky like #1

man, that one rock in the foreground of #1 sure looks like a man's leg from the knee down...


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## Brent (May 26, 2004)

That is a gorgeous photograph!!!! I think the points of interest are balanced a little better in the second one, but my personal tastes prefer the first one. I like the way the grass in the foreground frames the scene and gives the whole image more depth.


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## Shed Hunter (Mar 14, 2006)

Fantastic capture! Very nice Rusty. I like the crop better. The big rock actually anchors the rest of the photo where the original puts it in the middle rather than the foreground. 
SH


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

They are both fantastic Rusty. I do believe you have outdone even you. All your shots are great but this on is for sure a winner in my book. I am leaning toward saying the second crop is more to my liking. But that is only one opinion. Both are wonderful photos.

Jack


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## ifish2 (Aug 13, 2005)

I would like to see the original photo before processing. My dad used to be a wildlife photographer when the only post processing was with a sharpie pen to cover a tiny knick in the photo and sign the picture. I appreciate everything that can be done and the photos are absolutely beautiful, but somehow it seems not real to me. I'm sure I will get over it eventually, but I've seen many pics from you guys on here and they are great the way they are.


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## yakfishin (Dec 8, 2005)

Ok, someone post them side by side and if possible the original before being doctored if it was doctored. Both pics are great by the way.


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## my3peas (Jan 9, 2007)

OH MY GOSH! I"am loving this!  I prefer #2 as well  

This better be going in photo of the year!!!


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

They both look great, Rusty but I like #2 the best. Now that and $1.50 might get you a cup of coffee just not at StarBuks! 
Mike


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## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

I'm favoring #1. The foreground adds framing that is very pleasing to my eye and not distracting from the overall image. I also like the combination of crop #1 with the aspect ratio of the image. Very nice indeed.


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## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

#1 makes me feel more like I am standing there. That's what I meant to say.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Thank all of you for your responses. Trust me when I tell you the scene itself was incredible. The final image is a blend. That is to say that in order to get a correct exposure throughout the scene multiple exposures (I believe I only used 2 here) were blended to yield a "correct" result. I understand the image may be striking, but as you can see from the RAW thumbnails the colors were quite saturated even before any camera software due to the underexposed image.

The idea here is the same as HDR -to increase the dynamic range of the image closer to what the eye sees, which is well beyond what the camera can normally capture. The advantages are reduced noise and (IMHO) a more realistic result than most HDRs. The disadvantage is you have to be selective in the post and that takes time.

I'm glad to see the "best" version here has mixed answers. This will be on the TPF site soon in version 2, but version 1 might go on the wall. I'd be curious as I've "dropped my pants" so to speak as to whether or not you think this process crosses the line between photo art and photography. My take is that as long as the goal is to recreate as seen, it's fine.


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## LUISJG (Mar 22, 2006)

very nice , but I have to say...its a computer image if you know what mean.
for some reason I kind of dislike the computer altered pictures.
dont get me wroung its a great image ,Just rather see something that I can have a chance to see it myself one day.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

LUISJG said:


> very nice , but I have to say...its a computer image if you know what mean.
> for some reason I kind of dislike the computer altered pictures.
> dont get me wroung its a great image ,Just rather see something that I can have a chance to see it myself one day.


Luis,

I appreciate your candor. For the record nothing was added to or taken away from the original image. My goal is to recreate what the camera's technology can't in a single image. As you can see above there is no exposure that correctly displays the sky and the foreground as it was seen.

Thanks for the feedback.


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## fishphoto (Mar 3, 2005)

I like both versions. It was obvious to me that this came from multiple exposures, but that doesn't bother me at all. In the end, it's all about the final image - not how it got there. Normally, I dislike the majority of the HDR images I see because they look too fake to me. This image produces what the camera couldn't produce in one shot, yet maintains a realistic feeling. Your stuff is always awesome Rusty.


Brett


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## LUISJG (Mar 22, 2006)

RustyBrown said:


> Luis,
> 
> I appreciate your candor. For the record nothing was added to or taken away from the original image. My goal is to recreate what the camera's technology can't in a single image. As you can see above there is no exposure that correctly displays the sky and the foreground as it was seen.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback.


ok I understand your point now.
mmm....
was this taken with a flash o r without.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

No flash was used on this image. I'm trying to never use one again outdoors. 

Brett thanks for the kudos...


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