Critique Welcomed Ship Rock

[Brian Moore]

I posted a different picture of Ship Rock and it's lava dyke a few years ago. In that picture I placed the dyke in the foreground and used it like a leading line. It was an OK picture but it visually diminished the rock. Here the rock is the main event.

Ship Rock is an example of an "inselberg" or "manadnock" (a rock that rises abruptly from an otherwise level plain) located in the northwest corner of New Mexico, about 25 miles from the town of Farmington. (Though such is the rock's mass that it looks much closer.) It reaches nearly 1600 feet into the air.

It is a marvelous thing to behold.

Note: the color of the sky is not original; I changed it to that teal color you see after playing with several treatments.

I took this image with my (ex-MacKillop) Sigma DP1 Merrill.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I like it! It's almost hard to pick the scale, in a way, which in one way adds to the appeal, on the other hand to me it's maybe not immediately clear how massive the rock is. A fine shot whichever way you look at it though.
The sky colour is nice I think, although personally I'd reduce the saturation a smidge (while retaining the hue, which I like) as it feels a tiny bit 'fluorescent' but that's just my opinion, and my processing style can be all over the place - so don't pay too much attention.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Impressive.. The colour of the sky complements the rich sandy hue of the rock. The teal gives the image a subtle other-worldly feeling

 

[Brian Moore]

on the other hand to me it's maybe not immediately clear how massive the rock is

Good observation, Stevenson. The picture doesn't do it justice. As I mentioned I had taken the picture with the Sigma DP1 Merrill, which has a fixed 19mm lens (28mm full-frame equivalent) and my vantage point was from some Navajo land that I had detoured onto off the highway. I drove as far toward the rock as I dared, given that I think was trespassing. Even so the 19mm was just too wide. What you're looking at here is a crop of the original image. Thanks for your comments, Stevenson. Much appreciated.

Impressive.. The colour of the sky complements the rich sandy hue of the rock. The teal gives the image a subtle other-worldly feeling

Thanks a lot, Ralph.

 

[Beth Carter]

the colors do it for me too. great view of the place.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Interesting, Brian. I’m sure I’ve seen it in a film, but there are others like it, I imagine. I’ll be honest, I’m not wholly on board with the teal. Not sure why. Nor would I defend to the death your right to have it that way, as such things are not worth dying over! But if you are happy, then I am happy…

 

[Brian Moore]

the colors do it for me too. great view of the place.

Much appreciated, Beth. Thank you.

Nor would I defend to the death your right to have it that way

What,...you wouldn't lay your life down to defend my photography? Fairweather friend!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I'm sure the feeling is mutual! Death is just going a little too far. But up to that point, I'm your Defender!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I understand your teal temptation @Brian Moore, I don't approve of it, but sometimes you can't resist, I know that. Your photo looks like a still from Breaking Bad, and I mean this as a compliment.

 

[Brian Moore]

Your photo looks like a still from Breaking Bad, and I mean this as a compliment.

Thank you Gianluca. (Breaking Bad was great. Also set in New Mexico, coincidentally.)