Sedona Red Rocks

[bindows]

Here are a couple of shots in Sedona. The weather was horrible, but I was lucky enough to catch a few breaks in the rain/snow. I'm curious what you all have to say about the vignetting, and if it works or doesn't work, how cropping would help.

[retroactiv]

I think the vignetting works for the bottom photo which I feel like is the better of the two. It doesn't work for me on the top photograph, I also feel like this top photo needs the top cropped.

[JoshD]

Cool pics. I miss Sedona. Actually, I miss mountainbiking period. I've become lazy

[bindows]

How's this?

[GB1]

Bindows - Ha, I just got back to S. Cali from Sedona myself! I wonder if we bumped into each other out there .. I did a few shots at Red Rock State Park, though the purpose of my trip was really to visit some friends instead of photography.

I like your shots and that the cropped one works best. The bottom one is interesting with the rocks blurry like they are .. but it's more of a mood shot than something that informs people of things. The actual sign is hard to read because it's so dark.

[retroactiv]

the crop works great.

[yairh20]

I just wish you positioned yourself so the hikers were walking out of the frame (at the bottom corner)

[Ron Kruger]

I think the first shot could have been improved by having the people closer, which would have added more sense of depth and wouldn't need cropping from the top, or very little.
I think the second shot is a little too tight on the sign. If you would have backed off, and maybe shot the sign much wider than you intended, you would have gained enough DOF to have a clearer rock outcropping behind and then you could have cropped the pix to get your intended image with more light and DOF.
Of course, you realize it is a lot easier to come up with these ideas after the fact than when you're setting up the shot. I most often come up with better ideas for my own shots after I've taken them as well.

[bindows]

Thanks for the input. The beauty of digital is you can shoot dozens of frames and not worry too much about running out of film (memory). I wish the one with the sign wasn't so centered.

[Ron Kruger]

That's what I'm talking about. Look at your first post of the people and the rock, and the last one you posted. Having the people closer, gives the whole thing more depth and makes the rock outcropping look much grander, even though it is no larger than in the first post. I love this shot.
You're second post of the sign wasn't exactly what I meant. I was thinking of just backing off the sign a little to improve DOF and then cropping it to near the comp of your original post. But you might try croping to just below the sign, keeping as much of the sides as possible and see what we get.