Morning Light in the Tetons

[LucyLou]

This photo was taken around 8:30 a.m., about an hour after sunrise. During post-processing, I've noticed that I tend to make my images a bit too dark—probably a side effect of all the night sky photography I enjoy doing. For this shot, I raised the exposure in Lightroom because I wanted to emphasize the shadows and texture in the foreground.

I like the overall result, but now I'm wondering if I may have gone a little too far and made it brighter than it should be. What are your thoughts? Are there any general "rules of thumb" when it comes to exposure and brightness in landscape photography, or does it mostly come down to personal preference and artistic style?

Thanks in advance for your input!

Settings: ISO 400 at 50mm  f/8 @1/1600

Morning light in the Tetons

[Tintype_18]

Possible to see the original photo to compare? Not to criticize but to see what you have done in editing. BTW, that is an outstanding photo you shared.

[shadowsports]

@LucyLou 

Beautiful photo from you as usual.

I've done the same thing. Sometimes I raise EV in the camera and sometimes I do it in post.  Making adjustments to the gamma curve can help you dial in your end result.  

[LucyLou]

Good point.  Here you go.  Thanks for taking the time to review. 

Original file

[LucyLou]

Yeah - I try to use the camera settings, though I don't use the histogram as much as I should.  This was a quick stop looking for an owl. Others went searching but I was more taken with the view :).

And thanks for your comment regarding photography, it makes my day.  God bless. Sara

[stevet1 · Accepted solution]

Sara,

I think you did just fine.

Steve Thomas

[LucyLou]

Thanks for the input. Have a blessed day. Sara

[LeeP]

I prefer the authenticity of the original.

[LucyLou]

Thanks, Lee.  Its always helpful to get another photographer's perspective. Take care.  Sara

[SignifDigits]

Sara.   Your art is beautiful and amazing, and I always enjoy looking at it. 

I am personally trying to limit myself to the parameters of the original darkroom and working in DPP4.  It's a very interesting journey and one I'm enjoying very much, as there was a LOT of latitude taken by Ansel Adams and others in the dark room!   But I do my art just for me, not for an income and that's what I find personally interesting and fulfilling.  I wouldn't want to venture an opinion on your work and will leave that to others better qualified than I am to do so.

I'm not likely to go back to film and chemical baths, though - NOT gonna happen!

For stuff that I donate to local folks for their web sites, etc., I use Lunar Neo and the sky's the limit for changes (mostly literally, as I will put any sky in there that others want).  I discontinued my use of Adobe products, but recognize they, and Topaz and others have amazing tools and abilities, and are the standard for schools and professionals worldwide, and will continue be standards and to improve their tools. 

It's just a personal choice I have made.  Sometimes I waiver in that resolution, but every time I come back to enjoying making myself spend more time and energy, and most importantly, careful thought, on the changes that I make.  My current position is that world will pass me by and I will happily let them.  I choose not to live in the world where six or twelve months of inactivity makes your skills obsolete.  I worked in IT where that was true and it is still true there and digital manipulation of photography and videography and AI.  To that I say yuk, or "bleh" as Charles Shultz use to use in Peanuts.  I'm going to be retired soon, and don't really find that sort of pressure something I enjoy.  Others do, I'm sure, just not me.

Thank you for participating in the site and sharing your work with us, and asking for an opinion.  That takes courage and emotional maturity.  I hope you find joy and peace and emotional and spiritual gratification in your work.  What more could you ask of your work in photography in this life?  Blessings.