Glowing Cliffs

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 3, 2011345 views24 comments

This shot is nearly a year old, from an incredibly memorable camping trip with my dad at Buckfarm Point, a little-known viewpoint on the rim of Grand Canyon's Marble Canyon. The passing storm combined with golden hour light put on a show of the lifetime. One of the most spectacular moments was the one I captured here, when the sun pierced through the clouds over the Kaibab Plateau and lit up the canyon wall opposite our campsite. I have processed this image numerous times over the last 11 months, and I'm hoping this will be the final version. Technically this I double-edited the raw, as I blended the sky from a previous editing session from months ago with the ground that I processed today. Lots of time, effort, and learning have come from this photo, and I'd love to get some critique on it!

Canon T1i @ 25mm
ISO 100
f/22
1/10 sec.

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by Neale Dyster on April 3, 2011 at 7:37 PM

Well I'm no expert Jake, but to me this is a great image and well worth the time you've spent. Love the sharp (in more ways than one!) f/g, the depth you've achieved, and the light and colour. Nice drama in the clouds tops it off, well done.

Registered on February 19, 2008, 94 Posts, 738 Comments

Comment posted by Adrian Klein on April 3, 2011 at 9:14 PM

I am really enjoying this scene Jake. I can see why it's memorable. The colors and light look great. If I had any critique it would be to maybe have given a tad more room to the left of the sharp bush. But not knowing what your limitations where this may not have been an option. Regardless it makes me want to be there. Nice work.

Registered on June 10, 2007, 112 Posts, 1506 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on April 3, 2011 at 9:23 PM

Lovely lighting. I like the Yucca in the foreground and where you've put it, it adds a lot of interest. I'd say your processing was well worth the effort.

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

Comment posted by John Mumaw on April 3, 2011 at 10:00 PM

Nice light and skies, and the yucca as a foreground works great in conveying 'desert'.
'Development' looks good to me.

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

Comment posted by Abdullah Alhuzimi on April 3, 2011 at 10:12 PM

I love this photo. The depth of field, the sharpness are well done. My only comment is the foreground subject. I wished if it was smaller

Registered on November 13, 2010, 13 Posts, 60 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on April 3, 2011 at 11:26 PM

Nice location, composition, light and processing. Looks mighty fine to me.

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on April 3, 2011 at 11:57 PM

Gorgeous.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Kenn Leonhardt on April 4, 2011 at 12:05 AM

Love everything about this. Wouldn't change a thing.

Registered on March 29, 2008, 27 Posts, 1710 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Goldwasser on April 4, 2011 at 12:33 AM

Hey Jake, this is pretty sweet! Very nice light and processing and that yucca in the fg really puts it over the top - well done!

Registered on May 10, 2009, 127 Posts, 970 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on April 4, 2011 at 12:48 AM

Just beautiful. Memorable image for sure.

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

Comment posted by Rick Lundh on April 4, 2011 at 2:26 AM

Great sky and great fg...

Registered on April 28, 2004, 774 Posts, 4351 Comments

Comment posted by dean hebert on April 4, 2011 at 3:16 AM

Looks like a spectacular moment! I think you've done a good job developing this. The larger photo looks great! I might try to reduce the saturation of the grasses to the right of the yucca as they seem to draw my eye out of the frame.

Registered on August 4, 2010, 70 Posts, 1132 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on April 4, 2011 at 4:55 AM

very nice scene. the layered comp works fine. the sky retains a couple of minor issues for me - particularly the darkness right at the top. but fine work all round.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on April 4, 2011 at 5:14 AM

Hi Jake

This certainly is VERY dramatic, and I love your choice of foreground anchor to lend depth to the scene. I think some slight improvements can be attained by toning down the brightest highlights on the canyon wall to fit the overall luminosity better.

Do you have any in landscape format and with a slightly wider field-of-view?

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 4, 2011 at 8:56 AM

Beautiful picture, Jake. I like this alot. Nice that you have such good memories from here, and now you have this wonderful picture to bring them back whenever you look at it. Nice work.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Guy Tal on April 4, 2011 at 8:57 AM

I love it, Jake! Beautiful array of colors and dramatic light. Sounds like a great trip.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on April 4, 2011 at 12:30 PM

Hi Jake,

Thanks so much for sharing this picture and the information about the location as well. I love the texture of the agave plant in the fg. Personally, I recommend a slight crop on the top and bottom of the image. In the fg, that little blade of grass sticking in is mildly distracting (IMO) and I think some of it could be removed. I don't believe the very top portion of the sky adds anything to the image and it actually looks a bit noisy so I could see skimming a bit off of there as well. Overall, this is a very nice shot and it sounds like you had a great time with your dad.

Michael

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on April 4, 2011 at 6:30 PM

It's beautiful, Jake. I think you got the light just right. I also like the wide spectrum of colors in this too. Lots to look at and enjoy.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on April 4, 2011 at 6:35 PM

Dramatic shot, one suggestion would be to crop a little off the top to off center the landscape and place it 2/3 of the way from the bottom. It also 'feels' like the horizon is slightly tilted but this may be due to wide angle distortion or the natural lay of the land. Overall a very nice shot, must have been amazing experiencing it in person.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on April 4, 2011 at 6:55 PM

I love that foreground vegetation, the light all over and the great clouds. Super shot.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on April 4, 2011 at 7:10 PM

Stunning light and color Jake!

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

Comment posted by Jake Case on April 5, 2011 at 3:18 PM

Thanks everyone for all the positive feedback! Regarding the crop suggestions, I will probably crop this to an 8x10 ratio. This is the only exposure I took of this scene, and I've only cropped the top and bottom a bit for a 5x7 ratio, so I don't have anything with a wider view, or in landscape orientation.

Registered on December 13, 2010, 38 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on April 5, 2011 at 6:42 PM

Wow! Fantastic color and the dramatic clouds put it in another class.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Jared Ropelato on April 8, 2011 at 1:14 PM

Amazingly crisp from front to back. What more could you ask for? Great complex and strong anchor up front, great light and lines in midground, and great drama up top. Very nice shot.

Registered on March 1, 2011, 25 Posts, 204 Comments