Shelter at Sharptop

[Sam W]

After a strenuous hike up Sharptop these unexpected steps were inviting... Tried to capture that here. C&C appreciated. Thanks for viewing.

[Shadowman]

Very nice, lots of hidden images within. I see the profile of a turtle upper left.

[Mike Buckley]

Gorgeous conversion!

If the idea is to emphasize the steps, consider cropping just barely above the top rock formation in the middle of the image. If that's not the purpose, I can't tell from the current version what the subject is -- the steps, the brilliant sky or the building?

[Sam W]

Thanks Mike - I tried your suggestion but preferred the original crop. I agree with your thought process. The combination of the sky, building and steps along with the diagonal roof line and step shadows combine to produce what I was after.

Here is the color version:

[Geoff F]

Colour for me with this image. There are too many areas with similar brightness levels when in monochrome so some of the impact is lost.

[pnodrog]

Colour for me with this image. There are too many areas with similar brightness levels when in monochrome so some of the impact is lost.

I was just coming down to make a comment when I noticed Geoff's post who had come to a similar conclusion. My suggestion was going to be (and still is) to lighten the sky to differentiate it more from the rest of the photo. Generally I am a bit of a fan for dark skies and intensely dislike blank light skies. However in this case I think a lighter sky would help the B&W version.

The only other observation which would have you getting off track and move to the left and get a viewpoint that showed more of the windows so it makes it a bit more obvious it is a shelter not just a rock wall.

It certainly has plenty of interest.

[Sam W]

I was just coming down to make a comment when I noticed Geoff's post who had come to a similar conclusion. My suggestion was going to be (and still is) to lighten the sky to differentiate it more from the rest of the photo. Generally I am a bit of a fan for dark skies and intensely dislike blank light skies. However in this case I think a lighter sky would help the B&W version.

The only other observation which would have you getting off track and move to the left and get a viewpoint that showed more of the windows so it makes it a bit more obvious it is a shelter not just a rock wall.

It certainly has plenty of interest.

Thanks Paul - I agree with your suggestion. Interesting, when working skies, I tend not to fall back and look at the whole picture for proper contrast but instead focusing on get the sky to the best hue. So going forward I will be keeping that in mind. Thanks for your help.

[Sam W]

Very nice, lots of hidden images within. I see the profile of a turtle upper left.

I kept looking for it and finally found it. Nice find!

[pnodrog]

Thanks Paul - I agree with your suggestion. Interesting, when working skies, I tend not to fall back and look at the whole picture for proper contrast but instead focusing on get the sky to the best hue. So going forward I will be keeping that in mind. Thanks for your help.

Sam I think it is even more important in the B&W version because there is no colour to help with the differentiation.

[IzzieK]

I like both the B/W and the latest edit...a bit more toning down of the darker blues at the top will help a lot to make it more real looking unless that was how you saw it. I wasn't there so I wouldn't know...I like the B/W version for the emphasis on the texture of the rocks and the clouds. Although it is very hard to really find the turtle at first, it sure is there. What I noticed is a man with his mouth open (as in shouting to the sky) with a dog with long ears -- right at the top. I thought that was cute...

[Wavelength]

I like the enigma of the B/W than the smoothness of the blue; In the color when light fell upon the stones, their harshness was lost; further i see a mismatch among the smooth blue and the rough stones; in B/W the the sky and stones have a synergistic effect

[Sam W]

Sam I think it is even more important in the B&W version because there is no colour to help with the differentiation.

That's a good point Paul...applied to the version below:

[Sam W]

I like both the B/W and the latest edit...a bit more toning down of the darker blues at the top will help a lot to make it more real looking unless that was how you saw it. I wasn't there so I wouldn't know...I like the B/W version for the emphasis on the texture of the rocks and the clouds. Although it is very hard to really find the turtle at first, it sure is there. What I noticed is a man with his mouth open (as in shouting to the sky) with a dog with long ears -- right at the top. I thought that was cute...

Thanks Izzie - I think will keep the blues were I have them in the last edit but I see what you are saying. I could not find the man but I am sure he's there :-)

[Sam W]

I like the enigma of the B/W than the smoothness of the blue; In the color when light fell upon the stones, their harshness was lost; further i see a mismatch among the smooth blue and the rough stones; in B/W the the sky and stones have a synergistic effect

Thank for the eloquent critique Nandakumar. I agree with your observations.