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The image below is one from my recent Byron outing that I'm just not sure about so it's here for the collective wisdom of the forum to help me decide if it stays or if I hit the delete button. Does it just look like I joined two shots together (I didn't) or is it an interesting image?

To take the shot I was basically in front of the weir and lined up with the water surface. Tell me what you think - I have thick skin so if it's shit say so

It works for me, Peter. It looks like an artifical type of waterfall. The only thing I find a bit annoying is the shadow area just the whole bottom part of the image really, is a bit too dark, i.e. I find it hard to follow what's happening in the lower part of the image. May be a bit of shadow/highlight would open that part of the image up? Apart from that it's an excellent photo.

Alex

Peter
Nearly brilliant. I think you need to go back when the light is in a position to open those shadows in the foreground. 10 out of 10 for seeing the image and almost creating a masterpiece.

At first I didn't like it (and yes, first impression is of 2 shots joined). But it's an image that keeps drawing my eyes back, and the more I look, the better I like it - I thinks it's because of the interesting contrast between the colourful and detailed top half and the monochrome, plainer bottom half.
Keep it!

Frank

Thanks guys. I was bracketing when I took the shot (thought I'd try a HDR since I knew there was a big dynamic range in the scene). I just went back and manually merged the top of the shot above with the bottom of the slightly longer exposed image from the bracket to create the image below. I think this works now.



Edit: Fixed foreground colour cast

Peter
Pull the blue/cyan out of the foreground and you have a winner...big time!

The background in the second shot looks very natural as opposed to the foreground. IMO the foreground needs to be taken back at least a stop so that is does not appera to be two different shots stuck together.

Matt - thanks - I've update the second image to fix the colour cast.

Chris - these two shots were 1 EV apart in the bracket. When I merged them I reduced the lower half (the brighter of the 2) a little more. I think part of the problem is what worried me in the first place and that's the strong line across the image where the water goes over the weir.

stubbsy wrote:Matt - thanks - I've update the second image to fix the colour cast.

Chris - these two shots were 1 EV apart in the bracket. When I merged them I reduced the lower half (the brighter of the 2) a little more. I think part of the problem is what worried me in the first place and that's the strong line across the image where the water goes over the weir.

Looks great now Peter.

Alex

Peter - I would try and merge the 2nd photo top with the first photo bottom

sirhc55 wrote:Peter - I would try and merge the 2nd photo top with the first photo bottom

agree with that. the bottom in the first is much nicer than the second...as is the top in vice verca if that makes sense.

sirhc55 wrote:Peter - I would try and merge the 2nd photo top with the first photo bottom

Umm the second photo top IS the first photo top it was the bottom I changed. I just improved my processing a little since when I looked at it again #1 seemed a little dull and dark. So I think what you really want is me to just process #1 the way I ended up processing the combined #2

Peter very impressive, second is my preference with just a little bit darker. Well spotted