Winter Oasis

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 20, 2011354 views13 comments

Another image from the Owens Valley area from 2 weeks ago. Would love to be out there right now! Other comps from this spot can be found HERE. I experimented with this image stacking 3 exposures with different focal points to maximize DOF. My 1st attemp with this. I shot at 67mm, so I knew DOF would be a challenge, but I wanted to keep the mnts more prominent in the image. Other versions were wider angle, but the mnts seemed lost.

I also took a single shot at f20 and 22 to compare the sharpness using the different techniques. While probably not obvious at web size, the 100% view really tells the tale. Much greater sharpness with the stacking. I would even consider a tighter crop, and still print large.

Polarizing filter to control foliage glare from the contrasty conditions.

2 stop ND grad hard edge for the singele images and the far exposure of the stacked group for the sky.

f11 for the stacked group, manually blending of the images using: Edit, Align All Layers, then simple erasing portions of each layer. I'm sure there are other ways, but this seemed to work perfectly.

Some fence posts are visible in the large version on the left horizon, which I have considered removing - not sure about this so if any preference, I would be interested. Since it doesn't really impact the feeling of the image for me, I have decided to leave it for now.

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 20, 2011 at 5:08 PM

Wonderful layers of color Harry. I particularly like the mix of the blue-green an red foliage in the mid ground as well as cloud reflection. I checked out your link. Spectacular images from this area.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Reitz on March 20, 2011 at 6:52 PM

Another great capture, Harry. The cloud reflections make a terrific foreground element. I'm encouraged by your narrative on stacking images with different focal points to increase DOF and need to get around to trying it also..

Registered on September 7, 2007, 32 Posts, 335 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on March 20, 2011 at 7:23 PM

Wow...the larger version is a must see!
The scene itself is a real natural beauty, and your 'development' is simply flawless!
Colors are extremely beautiful, too. Much better than the wider version at your site, IMO.
I can see the fence posts in the larger version, but they are hardly a distraction. My only advice would be to lose the small dash of darker blue sky intruding into the clouds near the upper left corner. A real minor nit, but worthy of pointing out in a scene this rich and perfect.
Outstanding work all the way around!

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 20, 2011 at 7:41 PM

This is really nice, Harry. Just been looking at the large version and it is fantastic. A real joy to look at! I love the colors, great clouds and nice reflection too. A beautiful image. Thanks for the info on your technique for this shot too.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Mohsen Al-Dajani on March 20, 2011 at 10:51 PM

I like this with its different elements & colors. I think your process is successful.

Registered on August 23, 2007, 160 Posts, 432 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Wiles on March 21, 2011 at 1:57 AM

Surreal and imaginative. An essence of 'painting with light'; which is the basic approach
driving landscape photography. Where is this magical place?! (Owens Valley).

~ Jeff Wiles
www.jeffwilesphotography.com

Registered on January 22, 2011, 43 Posts, 46 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on March 21, 2011 at 3:38 AM

Harry:
Wow!
So much to see and explore in this image. The colors are fabulous especially in the mid portion. The reflection is really cool.

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on March 21, 2011 at 9:06 AM

Beautiful landscape shot Harry with a wonderful array of colour. Plenty of interesting elements to see here.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on March 21, 2011 at 8:58 PM

Melancholy image Harry. This personally speaks to me. Wonderful conditions - it looks like a beautiful day to be out and about.

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on March 21, 2011 at 9:04 PM

The variety of both colors and depths really sets this apart. I could stare at the larger version for hours.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on March 21, 2011 at 10:07 PM

This is having me be a little jealous! It shows that this region has something to offer in every season. The color in the winter landscape is beautiful here. Probably my favorite place in the "my" world so far!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on March 22, 2011 at 3:31 PM

Harry,

I really like the diversity of elements and color in this image. This captures the Owen's valley so very nicely. Did you happen to step in front of the standing water? The sage, willows and earthen colors with the snow capped range in the gb would make a great pano or horizontal comp too. But I think you did just fine with this capture too!

Only suggestion would be perhaps cutting down on the sky just a bit and perhaps a smidge from the left just to keep a nice vertical proportion going.

I like this very much.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on March 22, 2011 at 8:44 PM

Lon - I walked around the puddle quite a bit, unfortunately the closer I moved toward the sage (in front of the water) the more the peaks were lost behind the scrub and cottonwoods. I found the most appealing comps (in my mind anyway) were farther from the water hole so as to create some separation in the elements and layers within the image. I think more intimate shots of just the backlit scrub would have been good to, but my mind was on the clouds and reflection. Looking back on this one, I don't really like how the cotton wood tree nudges the mountain profile - should have been below or above it! rats!

I have another shot (see link above in original narritive) where things may have lined up better.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments