The Colourfall

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 24, 2011237 views14 comments

Hello again,

I took this photo during my trip to the Southwest back in mid-April. It's from Lower Antelope Canyon. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember seeing any purples or magentas, or shades thereof with my naked eye there. I guess this is one instance where the sensor is maybe "fooled" into producing these colours in the somewhat shaded areas. The oranges are more real to my mind.

I usually like an accurate reproduction of the colours I see in a scene (at least the way I remember them), but in this case, it is a welcome side-effect of digital photography perhaps. What attracted me to this composition was the cascade-like patterns in the rocks that seemed to give the colours a waterfall feel, hence the title.

Little processing was done to this photo. The grainy-like stripes in the purple part of the photo are not noise, but actually features in the rock formation. I'm not sure whether I should have added more saturation, or reduced it.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Bruce Omori on June 24, 2011 at 5:26 PM

Wow! Great shot, Joe!! Perfect title too. The color graduations and corresponding surface textures are awesome... almost looks like moving from solid in the background to fluid in the foreground. Great vision and excellent execution!!

Registered on December 6, 2010, 6 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on June 24, 2011 at 5:26 PM

Nice range of colors here! The amount of saturation here is just right, IMO. You might consider burning down the brightest areas near the top right.
It always amazes me that a sensor (& film) can pick up on these colors, but indeed they do.

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

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on June 24, 2011 at 6:41 PM

A lovely shape and array of colors. Other than the aforementioned bright area, the solid chunk of dark in the upper left is bothersome. The rest of it—WOW!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on June 24, 2011 at 10:45 PM

Wonderful comp and light and I too enjoy this softer presentation than we normally see from slots.

I guess this is one instance where the sensor is maybe "fooled" into producing these colours in the somewhat shaded areas.

Actually, I think its our minds that fool us. Sensors are just physics. They can only record, they can't interpret. Our minds, however, know the rock should be warm-toned and regardless of what color the cones in our eyes record, the mind will interpret it as expected in shades of orange and red and yellow. The world would probably appear quite odd if we only had sensors for eyes and no mind to interpret what we see, but sometimes I like the truth revealed in this manner. The color contrasts in your image are very nice.

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

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on June 25, 2011 at 5:58 AM

This is beautiful. i love the colors and the tones. Maybe you could burn down the brightest areas on the top

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Angela Classen on June 25, 2011 at 5:14 PM

I would agree with the suggestion to burn down the brighter URC. I love your composition though! It really does look like a rock waterfall. Photos of these slot canyons always intrigue (and tempt) me. Hope I can visit one sometime to see the gorgeous colors like this in person.

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Abounader on June 25, 2011 at 6:44 PM

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions; much appreciated. Here's an edited version where I toned down the bright upper-righthand corner.

Registered on June 15, 2011, 14 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on June 25, 2011 at 8:16 PM

Phil beat me to it! WOW. As a photographer. and a geologist, it still amazes me how gorgeous "rocks" can be! Pure Serenity....And perfect title. I saw this as a soothing waterfall before I even looked at your caption.

Sculpted by God....captured by you!

Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on June 26, 2011 at 12:52 PM

Joe,

A beautiful rendition from the slots. The repost handles the highlight areas much better - thanks for working that up and posting. I really like the more subtle treatment of the colors. The large dark area in the UL does take up quite a bit of real estate, but I do like the flow/angle that the edge provides which I think is a benefit to the image. Nice job.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on June 26, 2011 at 7:22 PM

Wonderful composition. The repost is just gorgeous.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Abounader on June 26, 2011 at 8:53 PM

Lucy, Lon, and Kah Kit, thank you very much for your comments.

Registered on June 15, 2011, 14 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Shephard on June 28, 2011 at 5:10 PM

I think this is an awesome shot Joe. I love the colour pallet and how the rock looks like its actually flowing. The dark ULC would be my only minor nit but not enough to discourage my feeling on this image. I've had a chance to use Lightroom 3 for a little bit now and i think a program like that might be able to balance that light a little more from dark to light...but regardless I really like the image as it is.

I think I need another trip to the southwest :)

Registered on February 23, 2010, 62 Posts, 132 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Abounader on June 28, 2011 at 8:21 PM

Thanks Mark

Registered on June 15, 2011, 14 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Jung on August 24, 2011 at 2:24 AM

The gradient orange/purple is simply awesome, and the curves of the Antelope Canyon are just a treat for the eyes. Excellent.

Registered on March 2, 2011, 8 Posts, 72 Comments