Monsoon Dunes +repost

Tripod? You got great detail in the sand right to the bottom. Image is a nice warm glow for an overcast stormy day. Good to see a post from you.

Charlie

awesome sky, Stan, and I really like your processing here. The comp could use a stronger foreground, as the lines in the sand are not prominent enough to serve as leading lines, in my view. Did you try a comp from down low to emphasize them more? Cropping off the bottom would make the strong horizontal even more domineering.

I like this one alot, Stan. This composition really works well with me, and I like all the detail and texture in the sand. The colors and sky are fantastic!, and I love those clouds. I bet this would make a wonderful print. I love trees, but someday I will go someplace where I can't see one...like here.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Stan, your composition with the nearly centered horizon works very well for me, dividing the two areas of interest - earth and sky - which balance each other perfectly. I admire the subtle texture of the dunes, and the colors reflect the atmosphere wonderfully to me.

Peter

I could see this making a nice pano, Stan. The entire foreground seems a little much to my eye. Nice processing here though.

This is really spectacular Stan. The nearly 50/50 comp works like a charm for this shot. Glad to see you posting again.

Michael

PS - I like the minimalist appearance of the foreground - it gives a good sense of scale.

I like the layers of dunes disapearing off into the stormy sky Stan. The orange glow in the storm clouds looks great. I'm a little distracted by the highlights in the sky on the right though.

Gary.

Love the light and moodiness of the stormy sky Stan. I think cropping some of foreground would put more focus on the stunning fury in the sky. How are ya liking that wonderful 24mm TS-E?

Hi Stan. This is a superb landscape shot with rich color and beautiful light. I would keep the foreground just the way it is as the textures are a key part of the image. I agree that the highlights in the upper right are distracting, so I would tone them down. Overall this is quite magnificent, and you must have been in awe of the scene.

One more point. There is still a great deal of contrast in the image. An HDR combining presumably several images could have reduced it. It depends on what kind of look you want in your final image. I think this is an aesthetic choice.

Regards,
Jay Levin

Everything is beautiful about this, Stan. In fact, I think that the FG is competing with that gorgeous glow and dramatic clouds. I like your dune shots, but in this case, I think the sand should give up a little space in the frame and yield to the upper half. Cropping out about 1/3 of the sand would help me appreciate the more exciting parts of this.

Thanks folks.
Jay--i tried a blend at first but it looked better with more range to my eye. I thought i had reduced the highlites on the right but evidently it didnt translate in the reduction here so ill go back and use my other exposures to take care of that--will repost later!
Eva--didnt really get to try much with the 24mm but im sure ill like it!

Real nice. I'd clone or crop the highlight in the sky on the right.

I really like the eerie remote feel to this. Lovely glow on the foreground although I can also see what Marc is getting at with the large area dedicated in the frame to this. I'm not sure cropping improves it.

Great light and I like the subtle texture in the sand. I'm looking forward to a trip to Colorado next week and hope for some skies like this.

Magnicent, Maud' dib. I love the color and texture of the foreground. And the clouds are perfect.

Amazing Stan. Really Amazing.

As mush as i love getting away w/o a blend--this was one where a blend was necessary--just for the highlites--thanks for convincing me, folks! I took care of the bright highlite on rhs, and got a little more definition for the sun (it was blown to the eye anyways!) The fg stays intact, for the reasons expressed by the few folks who liked it

Fabulous light, Stan. I like the patterns of the fg sand and the sharp line of definition to the bg. I also like the fg vignetting. The rain clouds offer lots of mood to the image, and I like the green/blue light from within their structure. The little highlight fix in the repost is good.

here we go , stunning low key light

you should teach me of how you blend 2 exposures to get the right light in ur images

I would almost guess it's somewhere in Sahara. Colorado's dunes are just getting better and better! You had great weather conditions and got everything out of it. Your repost is even stronger. Beautiful shot, Stan!

Hey Stan, the repost is great. Yet another beautiful take on GSD from you

I do have to say that the FG isn't doing it for me. Best option would be to pull out stronger lines. If not that, a pano crop.

Very spectacular. Well done. I love your comp.

Terrific work Stan! The warm light on the FG sand is exquisite and provides enough foreground interest to me to leave as is (no crop). The light and sky are just killer and love the processing on the repost. Great moody shot here.

Stan, wonderful image, really love the dark ambiance and the glowing light.

Great weather photo. Have you considered 2:1 ratio crop eliminating about half of the foreground? The dark band of mountains is just about dead center. Reducing the foreground would move them down to about the 1/3rd point and give greater emphasis to the sky with the rain streaks and the sunset.

Jim, Thanks--there is definitely merit to the crop idea, i kept it at 50/50 for the reasons explained in previous comments. I could always do two versions, though
Thanks for all the comments folks! Must be slow on Landscape right now, im still on the fist page and its almost the weekend...

Man, you rule with your dune work. When a dune is in front of you, all your creative juices and skill are at their maximum, Love the glow!

Wonderful details throughout this image draws you in. I love the simplicity of the composition and the light captured here as well. Have your tried a pano? It may work out well.

-Jay