This is somewhat of an homage to Ansel Adam's famous Clearing Winter Storm. I took the image last week after a few days of stormy weather in Yosemite, so in this case, Clearing Spring Storm. Granted this isn't a super original composition, as thousands photograph this scene from Tunnel View each year. But I'm somewhat miffed as to why this wasn't selected for publication at least. Other than the originallity factor, what's missing or off with this photo? How might you edit it for greater impact? Thanks in advance.

Camera: Nikon Z7

Focal Length: 60mm 

Expososure: f6.5, 1/640 sec, ISO 64

Edited in Adobe Lightroom

Hi Stephen thank you for given us a try and welcome.  - your image. Reading your word i do understand your feelings. That said I do feel landscapes do have a hard time on 1x.com I wish I knew why. - I have taken your fine image back into Photoshop and this is my take on your image. I used two tools Dodge and Burn with Opacity set at 30% and worked the land and sky to try and give your image more drama. - Last Nik tools Tonal Contrast to add texture and contrast. - Thank you for sharing..

Hello Stephan

Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing this spectacular landscape photo with us. Daniel has already offered you an excellent edit, so I am not going to repeat his suggestions. I'm proposing a version with a bluish tint that perhaps increases the drama. I have also decreased the light and added some definition. I don't see any reason for rejection other than originality.

All the best -

Elizabeth 

Thank you so much both. Love the edits Daniel. Published or not this one is going on my wall. I have some Epson Exibition Fiber paper on order, which I've heard good things about. Cheers.

Stephan,

You've had some good suggestions already, but I wanted to add my opinion anyway. 

It is a spectacular scene - very familar, yet different each time it's photographed.  Your photo has a very dramatic sky, and excellent sharpness. 

It's said that viewers are drawn to the brightest areas of an image and those with the strongest contrast and brightest colours.  Here there are a lot of bright areas - too many in my opinion.  The bright cliffs on the left and right compete for attention with the waterfall and valley.  Viewers may tend to be distracted and not know which part of the image to focus on.  

I looked on Google for the Adams original and noticed that in his composition the edges of the frame are darker.  The waterfall attracts attention as the brightest and most interesting part of the scene, and then we are pulled towards the distant valley. 

Ansel had an enlarger for his 8x10 negatives that had 36 bulbs that could be made brighter or dimmed independently to control the brightness of various parts of the image.  That allowed a lot more control than just Dodging and Burning during the exposure.  I'm not sure he used that enlarger to produce prints of this scene. 

I often imagine how Ansel Adams and other technical photographers of that era would have appreciated the controls we have with digital imaging. 

My suggestion is to darken the left and right cliffs so that more attention goes to the waterfall and the center of the frame.  I edited a screen capture by selecting all the highlights with one of Photoshop's keyboard shortcuts - Alt+Shift+Ctrl+2.   The same combination with 3 or 4 will also select highlights, but more of them.  I chose 2 to select only the brightest.  Once selected, I went to 'Filter>Camera Raw Filter>Basic' and reduced Exposure and increased Texture and Clarity a little.  Then I used the History Brush to brush back the parts I thought should be left very bright.  (middle, clouds, and waterfall) 

I promised one suggestion, but having spent some time with the image I'm wondering if you considered cropping the left cliff so that there's just the dark one on the left side.                          

Locally brightening and darkening parts of the composition is a basic tool that landscape photographers often use to direct viewers' attention to where they want it to go.   

You wrote that you're going to print it on Epson Exhibition Fibre.  As I recall that's a semi-gloss paper.  A good choice in my opinion.  I'm sure it will be a beautiful print. 

. . . . . Steven, senior critic