A favorite place is a favorite place and that means repeat visits…a constant theme here at SGNP. This past Monday, yesterday and Labor Day to boot, I drove through a light drizzle to Dalton to see if the rain had added any flow to the falls. It did and also caused the smooth rocks at the water’s edge to get very slick. As I fall more with age it makes me move a lot more deliberately than at one time but I escaped unbruised. I am sure that my lumbering and stumbling and crawling across the rocks makes for a humorous figure to anyone watching…but I am almost always the only one there.
So the vote comes in comparing the two images of the same scene. Originally I posted this one to Facebook yesterday.
Then Sandra said she would prefer a different composition for a certain feature, so I showed her this one below, which she liked better, and I am posting here to see how everyone feels about them.
There are a couple of obvious differences and a couple others a bit more subtle. I like both for different reasons and wonder if you can see them and which you prefer. They are indeed different and not crops. What say ye?
And for a quick look at other Wahconah images, here is a link to a post from a few years ago. The images are a good example of how different a place can look from one time to another. 🙂
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
I had to look and look. I need new glasses so the difference for me was almost not evident. Good exercise for my eyes? Anyhow I prefer the second photo because it is about 1/2 to 1/4 stop lighter maybe. Not sure if you did this with you camera or in Photoshop. The falls is a nice place to be but certainly not if you fall by the falls. And I ain’t joking, Steve. Do be careful. Would your cell phone work from there?
LikeLike
I won’t give it all away quite yet while waiting for others, Yvonne. No, my phone would not work by the falls. The parking area above has some reception but as you go down to the water the signal disappears. One of these days I’ll get Spot if I can swing the expense.
Thanks for your vote, Yvonne. 🙂
LikeLike
Do you remember a week or so back I ‘fessed up that my laptop screen was so filthy that I realised I was seeing things in your photographs that clearly shouldn’t have been there? Well, eventually I got round to cleaning it and now would you believe it, I seriously think that I need specs. I can’t see any difference between shot 1 and shot 2 except shot 2 is a little lighter? A bit greener? 😀
LikeLike
Yes, I do remember that, Lottie. The luminosity is different in the two frames. Partly as a result of Photoshop but also as a result of the framing which has the waterfall enlarged due to the use of the zoom at 50mm rather than 34mm. The framing in the upper image has more of the tree greenery… the greens that Andrew mentions, which gives it a different feel. Also the upper has the large rock on the right complete and not cut off. I like that rock a lot. The lower image contains a swirl…which is what Sandra wanted to see. 🙂
LikeLike
Image 1 has more luminosity in the greens. Image 2 has more shadow detail. There is more definition in the water in the foreground (I like that). Image 2 is clearly a tighter crop top & right. The watermark has moved 🙂
I vote for 2.
LikeLike
Correct on all points, Andrew. Thanks.
LikeLike
That’s a beautiful spot. I think I like the darker one slightly better.
LikeLike
Thanks, Lyle. That is my choice, but I like them both for the different reasons I mentioned to Lottie.
LikeLike
🙂 of course, I clearly vote for #2 because of the swirl that highly adds to the composition – I really liked our discussion about it. I know, no more space to the bottom possible due to the trunk.
LikeLike
Thanks, Sandra. Yes, and it was just luck that the swirl was there as I usually don’t include them. I will try again when I have my hip boots and get on the right side of the trunk next time. 🙂
LikeLike
I prefer the first image. It’s more vibrant although I like the framing in the second. 😀
LikeLike
Thank you, Mjollnir. Each has something to like, but I also prefer the first.
LikeLike
I like the second best, more details in the shadow..
LikeLike
Thanks, Bente.
LikeLike
Even though I liked the richer colors of #1, I choose #2 simply because of the small spiral in the water. For me, that’s an energy vortex, or center of movement………the universal spiral that designates energy and movement. Yeah!
LikeLike
Thanks, O’Diva. That spiral was the magic element that Sandra was looking for in the image. For me, the luminosity of the greens at the top of #1 reminds me of the light in some of the Hudson River School paintings and that was attractive to me.
LikeLike
Every time I write “O’Diva’, spell correct wants to make it “Godiva”. Did you do any special kind of horseback riding while on vacation that we should know about? 🙂
LikeLike
I’m going with number 2 Steve, looks a bit more natural. Plus the watermark absolutely killed the first image in my view.
LikeLike
Thanks, Phil. I am too hung up on having the watermark in the lower right. It is much less noticeable on the left side in #2.
LikeLike
I only have the iPhone to look at these for now. But, I guess I vote with the majority for number two. I like the cleaner detail that seems to come with the tighter zoom.
But I would be ecstatic if I had taken either photo.
LikeLike
Thanks, Rod. I am pretty happy with them both and am also happy that either is getting some pluses from folks. Makes all the slippin’ and slidin’ worth it.
LikeLike
I like the concentric elliptical rings in the water at the bottom of the second picture.
As for slick rocks and aging bodies, I sympathize wholeheartedly. Carrying a heavy camera bag makes things even worse, but what’s a nature photographer to do?
LikeLike
So true, Steve. The extra weight makes the least bit of imbalance take off like a mountain slide.
LikeLike
I am going for Image #2 also Steve. I like the swirling water. I think it provides more of an anchor point vs. the other image were the water tends to lead your eyes off the frame. The lighter tonality in the rocks near the main falls provides a bit more of a dynamic contrast in the second shot also.
I struggle with watermark placement myself. You make them too subtle, and they make it hard to read or people to find you. You make them too prominent and they can be distracting. Such a hard balance, but better to have them than not. I have thought about redoing mine, but having a hard time with that balance.
LikeLike
Ach, you are all ganging up on me. 🙂 Thanks for picking one, Mark.
I made mine as a custom brush so the opacity is controlled by a layer. I struggle with whether to have one at all, but wisdom says to include one for a variety of reasons.
LikeLike
I like the second one Steve, it feels more intimate and the rock on the right stands out more.
LikeLike
Thanks, Lucy.
LikeLike