I've never before put so much into a photograph as this leading up to it, and I'm so blessed to have gotten to this awesome spot just in time for this scene. Would love thoughts. This is taken with a Canon RP and 16-35 f/4 @ f/10, 1/20th, ISO 100, cloudy white balance (I think)

and this is JPEG from the camera just resized.
Awesome shot, it really draws you in to explore.
Congrats, Jeremey! I like your picture directly out of your camera as it leaves the foreground in almost full darkness – like you have experienced this magic moment. But be prepared that Ian – if he goes to comment your capture in his next critique eposide – will recommend to lighten up the shadows...
I tried, but have rejected the result. It would make your capture one of these landscapes you can see everywhere and which doesn't take the viewer on a mental trip. The best you can do is to enlighten the depest shadows only a tiny little bit – a very tiny little bit! Good luck. Chris
Thanks Chris I agree it's a little dark but no fears I took a ton of shots. I was so excited I just posted the one that was completely below clipping any colors, but I noticed I have some slightly brighter ones that still are maybe just barely clipping the reds so it'll work fine. I did shoot Raw but like you I'm happy with the results as is.
Great photo. A little more post processing on the foreground and this belongs in ANYONE'S portfolio.
Thanks Ryan for the compliment and input!
Here is the very next shot I think, it was like a 3rd of a stop brighter, the reds are just starting to clip but I don't think its noticeable. I know it's probably still not bright enough for some but I agree with Chris, I like the darker front. I do wish I brought my Grad ND but I was so rushed to get shooting as the action was happening quick, I kind of just tossed my bag down and went to find a composition. I'm the weird guy here who doesn't like doing post processing other than like resizing and sharpening and removing little dust specks. Is this better than the first?
Shot specs: Canon RP, EF 16-35 f/4 @ 16mm f/10, 1/15th, ISO 100
Since this is the JPEG (I do have a RAW but this worked for me) I believe it was cloudy white balance, and I think I had it on Fine Detail picture style - Sharpening 7, 1, 1, saturation plus like 2 or so, and I believe everything else was as the pic style had it.
Hey Jeremey,
(" I'm the weird guy here who doesn't like doing post processing other than like resizing and sharpening and removing little dust specks.")
You're not alone my friend!
You and I think alike as I do very little to no post processing either!
I'd much rather spend my time in the field trying to get it right and creating memories!
Keep it up!
Craig.
@Craig Stevenett yeah I've really simplified this past year or so. Honestly it was really nice coming home from this past trip and not having to process 1500 photos haha or however many I took. And it seems I can get the look I like with the JPEGs, but to each their own, everyones got their own style. Glad I'm not alone! haha
Yessss, Jeremey! That's exactly what I meant with "a tiny little bit". Of course most of all these editing-gurus would recommend still more brightness in the shadows, but you want to show your mood in this very early morning-light and not some of those widespread colorful postcard-pictures you can see everywhere on the web. So leave your edit now how it is. And thanks for sharing it! (Btw: Those who can't see the details in the shadows in the second picture here might think of buying some calibration tool and adjusting their screen. I'm calibration mine regularly – and get, when publishing a print document or ordering photo-paper-prints from my digital lab – exactly what I see on my screen).
I checked out your website Jeremy and I love your work. I am in Maryland so we are probably not too far from each other.
Yeah I think there's a few east coast people on here, not sure. Pretty cool though! I really appreciate the compliments, Ryan! Thanks for checking my work out and all.
Nice job being there when the light was happening. I like the second, 1/3 stop brighter image better. Both are nice, but I can see just a little bit more in the brighter image and spend more time exploring. In a perfect world, you might consider some light dodging of the highlights on the mountain to really pull your eye there.