Mountains Beyond Mountainsby
StangComment by spiritualspatula: Hello and greetings from the Critique Club-
This is a great place for a shot, but I think what held back your score came from a few different things.
Firstly, the lighting on the scene is relatively flat, particularly in contrast to the plethora of images most viewers have seen of this area. Really, you're up against some pretty amazing photos of the area, and mentally, people compare your image to all the others they have seen of this area. Some dodge/burn can help this (though given editing rules that wasn't an option this time), adding some additional drama to the scene, but the actual light for the area is the biggest part of it. Early morning or evening would likely improve things, just because you'd get more interesting shadowplay.
Regarding composition, I like the interesting take on the valley, it's a nice change of pace, but it also means that the normal visual anchor that the viewer has is changed, and in this case, is largely absent. There is no clear direction in the scene for where the viewer ought to look. Should we prefer the mountains, or the valley? What is your intended focus?
Ultimately, however, simply spending more time in a location in the mountains will bring you improved material. My photos of the mountains have vastly improved simply by virtue of having spent more time there, knowing how and when the light falls how I want it to. Another tool that might be of aid to you is
The Photographer's Ephemeris. Ultimately, getting to the location is often the hardest part, and then it becomes dedication and waiting. You've captured a great scene, now you need to determine how you want us to see it.
