donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

I was driving from Reno to San Diego a few years ago and as fate would have it, I was in the Mono Lake area as the sun was setting. Unfortunately, the sun was behind the mountains before I could stop. So I took just a few photos and continued on my way.

I came upon the original photos the other day and decided to turn back time just a bit to capture that sunset and create a better (IMHO) reflection upon the water.

I know the horizon is not flat, but to rotate and crop it I lost a bit more of the image than I wanted to. Besides, this was more of an exercise in technique than anything else.

Does it work ... ?

(Download)

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

No matter what the reason, the water horizon is disturbing to the point of rendering the effort to create the effect negligible. However, as you say, a technical exercise. It works in that regard.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

You saved it. Well done.

donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

Thanks, even I like it now. ;-)

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I like the treatment which really suits the unique and surreal landscape of Mono Lake but the sloping horizon makes me dizzy and would be more bothersome if printed/framed. Have you tried leveling it and adding real estate in the blank areas with Content Aware Fill then cleaning up the problems? That has saved some shots for me that would have been discards. I'm always trying to salvage something, even if just for the fun of it.

donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

Actually, I haven't given it that much thought. I can and probably will. I just was never that enamored with the original, so I didn't put much extra time into it. i do like the way it looks now, so I'll clean it up. Thanks