The Limestone Mound

[FrankMi]

Every now and then, I take an old image and try to reprocess it with what I have learned about post processing.

In this case, the original JPEG of limestone mounds at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park was taken in September of 2005. I had posted it here once before when I was just starting to learn post processing.

Sony Cybershot DSC-42, ISO 100, 1/500 sec, F 7.1

Here is the original SOOC, resized for the forum to the same size as the final image.



The image had typical noise, more severe in the sky. I did a mild noise reduction and a mild pre-sharpening everywhere but the sky. In the sky I did a more agressive noise reduction and no pre-sharpening.

Added a small amount of contrast and saturation, then warmed the image just a bit. Image is full size, no cropping. Reduced the size down to 1500 pixels wide and did post sharpening.



Your thoughts? Where can I make improvements?

[ggt]

Oh gee, I don't know about improvements. I don't mind the dead trees on either side, or the greenery. Perhaps clone out some of the clouds on the left --they seem to add to the weight on the left side of the composition. With the limsetone already leaning left and the dead trees leaning to left, it makes the composition seem off balance to me. I love the colors in the limestone and your PP made them more vibrant. I really like this photo. Thanks for posting.

[Geoff F]

Just a thought, Frank, but I would consider applying the sharpening selectively, so the mound is sharper than the trees on the side.

I suspect this may give more of a perspective effect, similar to using a wider aperture. At the moment, those sharp trees seem to reduce the depth. For me, the original image is better in this respect.

[ggt]

Geoff, will that make the dark shadow at the bottom Right more vibrant --that would help balance the photo a bit.

[Polar01]

Frank: I shot that in May of 2010, it was got me started back into photography, it has change a lot int the 5 years between your image and mine. Even those the shadow is darker in the second one I perfect it over number one. What I found hard was the thin film of water that flows down the sides of the mound, it sometimes give a over sharpe appearence to the image.
I am going to attach the image I took in 2010 so you can see the outgrowth on the face of Orange Mound.

Cheers:

Alllan

[FrankMi]

Thank you Gretchen. I'm not to good at cloning clouds behind tree branches to look natural. I was hoping that the dark shadows on the lower right would help balance the weight of the left side.

Just a thought, Frank, but I would consider applying the sharpening selectively, so the mound is sharper than the trees on the side.

Adding a Lens Blur with a radius of 5 pixels to just the trees is far easier than adding sharpness to any image. Here it is, does it help?

[FrankMi]

Frank: I shot that in May of 2010, it was got me started back into photography, it has change a lot int the 5 years between your image and mine. Even those the shadow is darker in the second one I perfect it over number one. What I found hard was the thin film of water that flows down the sides of the mound, it sometimes give a over sharpe appearence to the image.
I am going to attach the image I took in 2010 so you can see the outgrowth on the face of Orange Mound.

Cheers:

Alllan

Hi Allan, it is just fascinating how something like this changes with time. At one time, the mound in the back was active then the hot limestone laden water bubbling up from below ground changed course. The old mound went inactive, and a new cone started and eventually grew to become a mound that was larger than the first mound. The colors are formed by different bacteria that live in different temperatures of the hot water which cools as it flows. When the water stops flowing, the bacteria die, leaving just the white limestone.

From the looks of your image, the second mound is likely giving way to a third mound.

Thank you for posting your image!

[Geoff F]

You have reduced the 'harshness' of the trees a little with your re edit, Frank. They don't seem to be competing for attention with the mound now.

[ggt]

hmm, better. What if you added clouds to the right slide?

I just have a thing for balance --don't mind me. . . .

[FrankMi]

hmm, better. What if you added clouds to the right slide?

I just have a thing for balance --don't mind me. . . .

LOL! It's an idea, for sure and thank you for suggesting it! I'd have to replace the entire sky I suspect. I'll probably leave it as it is rather than take a chance on messing it up. Oh well, think of it this way, some things in nature are balanced but many are not.

[ggt]

LOL! It's an idea, for sure and thank you for suggesting it! I'd have to replace the entire sky I suspect. I'll probably leave it as it is rather than take a chance on messing it up. Oh well, think of it this way, some things in nature are balanced but many are not.

Yes, I can nitpick to the point that the photo has nothing left that is original. LOL.

You are right. It is beautiful as it is.

[Soozie B]

From someone who has been photographing for less than a year .. all I can say is WOW to what you guys can do to a picture. Excellent work, and I absolutely love the story the pictures tell when put together as a set.

[FrankMi]

Thank you for the kind comments Soozie. We have all been where you stand. There is a big wonderful world of photography out there to explore and enjoy.

One of my goals is to tell a story in pictures or to let the pictures complete the story in the narrative.