A photo taken within a hollowed out sandstone pocket in White Pocket. I have three requests: 1) I'm stumped for a title and would like some suggestions; 2) I've flipped this photo horizontally, but would like to know whether you feel the composition was better unflipped, and 3) is there more improvement I can make?

I edited first in ACR and finalized in Photoshop. 

Basic details: Nikon D810, Nikon 16-35 lens @ 16mm, ISO 100, 1/500 sec, f/13

Hi, Mark.

This is a fascinating image — the flowing lines and soft curves are beautifully rendered, and the natural palette works really well.

1) For a title, something evocative yet open-ended might suit it well. A few suggestions:
“Veins of Time”
“Sandstone Symphony”
“Desert Flow”
“Carved by Light”
Each reflects the organic movement and sculptural feel of the scene.

2) Regarding the horizontal flip, I think the current orientation works quite well. The direction of the curves feels intuitive and dynamic, especially from left to right. That said, viewing it side by side with the original might offer further insight — sometimes the natural “flow” of the rock or light can subtly shift the balance.

3) On potential improvements, I do wonder if slightly lowering the exposure and boosting contrast might help bring out more texture in the rock surfaces, especially in the brighter areas. Some subtle dodge and burn could also enhance depth and help guide the viewer’s eye through the composition. The framing and subject are strong — these refinements could make the image even more striking.

All in all, it’s a beautifully composed and immersive photograph. Well done!

All the best,

Gonçalo

Hi Mark,

I agree with Gonçalo that the flow in this orientation feels very natural. There's something instinctive about how the eye travels here, and the image rewards that movement. The composition is beautifully handled. Those carved lines feel like brushstrokes, leading into the pocket of green, it’s a strong focal pull that doesn't feel forced. Everything feels grounded in what was truly there, yet still striking. That’s not easy to do. If I were to push this any further, I’d be very cautious. Maybe just a touch more depth pulled from the highlights in the brighter stone, but only if it adds and doesn’t distract. This already holds a quiet power.

As for title maybe "Timeline" or "lines of Time" something that suggests what actually created this gorgeous scene.  

Truly beautiful image.

All the best,

Tammy

Hi Mark great looking image well coptured. What I see is the power of texture and colour so this is what I tried to bring out back in Photoshop. Nik Tools Tonal contrast - Some burn tool work to try and get that 3D look. Cloned out the sky as I found it disturbing see attached..  Title "" Lines of Time "

Hi Gonçalo,

Thank you very much for your title suggestions. Along with Tammy's and Daniel's I now have a great selection from which to choose.

I've viewed them side by side and it's tempting to "weld" them together where the sky appears. However, I agree that the direction of the curves feels better with the flow away rather than towards the viewer (left to right).

Before editing I reduced the sharpening to 0 and only added some back at the very end, so there's room for selective adding of texture and/or sharpening of the foreground.

Once again, that you for your kind comments and helpful suggestions.

Mark

Hi Tammy,

Thank you for your kind words and title suggestions. I'm going to work with your, Gonçalo's and Daniel's suggestions. I'll definitely be using a light touch as it's much too easy to go overboard and I'm mostly happy with what I achieved.

Thanks again,

Mark

Daniel Springgay CREW 

Hi Mark great looking image well coptured. What I see is the power of texture and colour so this is what I tried to bring out back in Photoshop. Nik Tools Tonal contrast - Some burn tool work to try and get that 3D look. Cloned out the sky as I found it disturbing see attached..  Title "" Lines of Time "

 

 

Hi Daniel,

Thank you for your title and editing suggestions. I'm not certain about removing the sky as it feels like the focus has shifted from the flow of stone and colors to the small pool of water. I'll try some other techniques that may reduce the shock of the sky while still allowing a natural termination of the flowing lines.

Thank you again for taking the time to work on this as it's always good to see someone else's take on my work.

Mark

Hello Mark

Thank you for sharing this landscape photo with its wonderful lines and textures. You have already had plenty of advice and an excellent edit from Daniel. My only feeling is that the greyness of the area on the right is much less appealing than the wonderful earthy tones of the central and left areas, so I have just added a little warmth to the tones.

Good light, Elizabeth

TITULO ; EL TRAZO DEL TIEMPO.

YO NO LA GIRARIA LA DEJARIA TAL CUAL POR LAS LINEAS.

Y SI SE PODIA Y DEVIA MEJORAR; NITIDEZ,EXPOSICION Y INTENSIDAD DEL COLOR

Hello Mark,

Thank you for submitting your photo to this forum.

Beautiful place, beautiful forms. In my opinion, you didn't emphasize the variability of the forms and their colors enough. I suggested a change to further highlight this incredible color palette. In PSCC, I created masks for the light and dark areas of the photo. This way, I could very gently and subtly highlight the colors in selected areas. I also added a bit of red using the selective color layer.

Best regards

Slawomir Kowalczyk - SC.