Is this image a Cliche?

As mentioned in one of my previous post, Michael Freeman presents an interesting discussion on images that, for lack of a better term, could be considered cliche. Perhaps an even better term for some of these images could be overused, overdone, overworked or just worn out. Maybe even predictable, unimaginative, uninspired or down right boring. I think cliche images fall into two categories; those that represent the same vision of a subject that has been seen many times before and second, the overuse of a particular technique beyond its novelty.Mr. Freeman's definition of  cliche is as follows:

• An inherently attractive subject with a conventionally attractive viewpoint.
• An image with a strong stylistic technique that is past its prime, identifiable and over used.
• Any subject or style that becomes so popular and so reproducible that it is taken up my many other photographers.

So lets take the image I posted here, an image of Half Dome at Yosemite National Park taken this May along the Merced River at sunset. Personally I like the combination of the mood, the layering of the elements, the view and the colors; the gold glow of Half Dome on the Merced, the fresh green of the foreground trees, the darker firs Half Dome left justified and the blue sky.  I also think this image has nice compositional elements as demonstrated below,I arbitrarily drew in the golden mean to show the placement of the primary subject and how the other elements fit into its composition. I must admit, however, that this presentation is rather straight forward.Yet, Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest National Park and probably the one with the longest  line of well known photographers to have visited  it and captured its many beauties. From Ansel Adams to Galen Rowel and Michael Frye as well as thousands in between. With 3.7 million visitors a year, I find it hard to believe that virtually every inch of this park hasn't been photographed  more times than I can imagine. Certainly, if one just does a web search of Half Dome images, Google can find approximately 2.4 million images on the web of this subject, quite a significant head wind to create something unique.Photographing significant elements of nature becomes hard these days for one to find their own voice among the mass of images available.One of the niceties of nature is its many varying looks, moods, seasons and the subjects many observation points. So too, is the photographers willingness to put in the time to distinguish his or her image from the casual drive by shooter. Composition also plays a role in determining cliche from originality. The placement of elements, lines, balance, tension, color and mood can add or detract from the intent.In the end it is both the viewer that decides.