Sonoran glow

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 7, 2011822 views37 comments

With some heavy clouds rolling through I made a last minute decision to go grab a few shots hoping for a nice sunset. Boy am I glad I did! Arriving at the location about an hour and a half before the sun would set behind the horizon I kept wandering around trying to find a decent comp. When some light finally broke through the clouds I saw these barrel cactus glow and the distant peak light up I set up the tripod and fired a shot. This was just the beginning of an amazing light display that had me scrambling all over the place. Anyways, would like to get some thoughts on this. Anything I can do to improve would be greatly appreciated. Added the large view as well

Canon 7d
Canon 17-40mmL @17mm
f/16
ISO 100
1/2 sec
3-stop grad ND filter
tripod mounted

Comments

37 comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on November 7, 2011 at 11:30 PM

Wow, this is quite remarkable, Peter. That lighting is amazing. I like your composition and processing as well. I like how the foreground cactus are lit - they remind me almost of candles.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 7, 2011 at 11:37 PM

Thanks Brian. It's incredible how well cacti can hold light. They make for some of the best foregrounds in images (IMO). Barrel cactus and cholla's are a photographers best friend in the desert. Though they have mixed feelings if you catch my drift.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Simpson on November 8, 2011 at 12:22 AM

Wow, what a killer shot! That is some special light you captured! The only thing I would suggest ... and it's very minor... is to fix up that little hot spot at the top right of the sky... maybe just clone in a little texture there or something and I call this a wall hanger! Great work!

Registered on December 11, 2006, 303 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on November 8, 2011 at 1:06 AM

Holy light batman. Sick. The only thing that bugs me is the large empty space left side. With the fg cactus being middle and the taller one on the right it just makes the compositional balance a bit out of wack. Look forward to more from this sunset!

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Chikku Baiju on November 8, 2011 at 1:43 AM

This looks great Peter! Love the light and the cloud action. Is it from today? also where was this? South mountain?

Registered on January 9, 2010, 31 Posts, 246 Comments

Comment posted by Shantikara Valuska on November 8, 2011 at 2:53 AM

Very dramatic image! Amazing light and colors. But I'm not sure about the composition, I feel it's not in balance. The 4 cactus in the middle, and the big one on the right, I miss something from the left. Maybe a crop would help?

Registered on July 25, 2011, 38 Posts, 451 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 8, 2011 at 6:27 AM

Thanks guys. As for the composition I too don't like that empty left, however this particular glow only lasted less than a few seconds on the cacti. Had I moved over to the right to have the barrel cactus closer to the left, the taller cactus would be too close to the mountain peak for my taste. I might see about a crop. As for the hotspot I can see a small fix there as well.

@Chikku This was from this evening (11/7) taken along the lost dog wash trail in the mcdowell mountains. I have seen some of the most insane light there. Could even see the supes light up on fire from a distance.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on November 8, 2011 at 7:28 AM

Fantastic lght and the sky really adds drama to the scene. The composition is great. Just a great overall image.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on November 8, 2011 at 8:00 AM

This is absolutely spectacular. As they say, chance favors the prepared mind.

Guy

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 8, 2011 at 9:01 AM

Beautiful conditions! The light and color are fantastic! You sure made the right choice to head out there, Peter.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on November 8, 2011 at 10:02 AM

Beautiful image !!

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Greenwood on November 8, 2011 at 11:16 AM

Very powerful and dramatic. The comments others have made about the empty space and the balance are not what I first noticed about the composition, and actually don't concern me so much. The one minor thing that I noticed, is that I think there should be a little more room at the bottom, so that the closest cactus in the foreground wasn't right at the edge of the frame. But otherwise, I think you did very well to compost this under rapidly changing conditions.

Registered on November 9, 2003, 229 Posts, 1523 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on November 8, 2011 at 12:03 PM

Very dramatic lighting. This is quite nice. No nits from me!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Sean Bagshaw on November 8, 2011 at 12:11 PM

Such excellent luminance and drama in that light. Developing on the barrels and sky is wonderful. For me there are some visually empty areas of the composition with the FG cacti very centered. Getting everything alligned and separated in a desert scene like this can be really challenging. I think my choice for a comp in this case may have been to go vertical and crop in camera to each side of the outer barrel cactus.

Registered on February 14, 2007, 99 Posts, 479 Comments

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on November 8, 2011 at 12:55 PM

Peter, I love the moody feel you created in this image! The clouds are awesome along w/ the areas in the scene that are lit up.

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 8, 2011 at 1:20 PM

Definitely a spectacular image--fabulous light! The only thing that bugs me a tiny bit is the bg lit portion below the mountains--it seems a bit muddy compared to the rest of the shot, dont know if this is the saturation or the clarity (or both) Take a look at the RAW and see what kind of detail you have there at 100%--if it's there, then try to preserve it!

Very nice!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on November 8, 2011 at 2:02 PM

WOW! What amazing light you got that night. A great scene with great light. I am a little bummed about the empty space, but nothing that wouldn't make me want to print this one big.

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 8, 2011 at 2:12 PM

Thank you all. I'm really surprised this image has taken off on a few sites. Guy, I really appreciate your comment, I've followed your work for a long time and it's been very inspirational (as has all of you since I joined). Sean I see what your saying, others have noted the empty corners and I'm working on a vertical crop (wish I thought of that on location) that I'll try to get up for comparison. Stan I will have to take a look at the RAW. It might be a combination of the light and grad ND as I hand held it. That area I had to be careful with in post because it was such a difference in color and luminance. Again thank you all for you suggestions and taking the time to look. Hope some of the other shot's from this evening can impress as well.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 8, 2011 at 2:42 PM

Here is a "vertical" version. Just a crop from the horizontal and tried to fix some things a bit.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Hazelton on November 8, 2011 at 4:21 PM

Wow! That is some serious storm light.

Registered on August 6, 2008, 194 Posts, 1315 Comments

Comment posted by Tim Donnelly on November 8, 2011 at 5:21 PM

That light is just one spectacle to behold! What an incredible capture! Nicely done indeed Peter!

Registered on March 2, 2011, 13 Posts, 54 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 8, 2011 at 5:35 PM

Thanks Joel and Tim. Greatly appreciated! Joel I see your also from AZ, wondering if you had a chance to get some of this storm light yourself? You have some great stuff on your site by the way.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on November 8, 2011 at 6:07 PM

Amazing scene......we just don't get light like that here in the NW, at least not that I've seen. the cropped version is absolutely killer, except you lost that small, glowing area at the UR horizon....but I still prefer it. Both images are spectacular.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Shantikara Valuska on November 8, 2011 at 6:22 PM

I think the crop helped, the repost looks stronger to me. Nice!

Registered on July 25, 2011, 38 Posts, 451 Comments

Comment posted by Todd Liotine on November 8, 2011 at 7:46 PM

Amazing light

Registered on July 1, 2008, 131 Posts, 671 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on November 8, 2011 at 9:28 PM

Very dramatic, Peter. Love the glow in the cacti. Might consider closing that light clouds gap in the sky.

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

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on November 8, 2011 at 9:50 PM

That is some awesome light! Great shot!

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Vijay Raj on November 8, 2011 at 10:03 PM

The cactii and the dramatic light really ignites the scene, the larger version rocks.

Registered on November 22, 2010, 29 Posts, 100 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 8, 2011 at 11:15 PM

Thank you thank you. Tony I would close it up but I like how it almost looks like a lightning bolt :) I'll see what I can do, probably gonna get this printed soon.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on November 9, 2011 at 1:00 AM

I've look at this image quite a few times and I have to say that you did a stellar job Peter. This is terrific! Both versions work great.
I am glad I was able to see this scene.

Congrats,

Michael

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

Comment posted by Reed Bowman on November 9, 2011 at 12:00 PM

wonderful light

Registered on March 2, 2009, 166 Posts, 1058 Comments

Comment posted by Art Escobado on November 9, 2011 at 10:42 PM

Great light and lightning!!

Registered on January 7, 2007, 0 Posts, 775 Comments

Comment posted by Jesse Estes on November 9, 2011 at 10:57 PM

Very dramatic sky here Peter. The comp is nice, but I also think it would be more balanced as a 4x5 without the dead space on the left side. Killer image either way!

Registered on April 13, 2011, 20 Posts, 174 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 9, 2011 at 11:16 PM

Thanks Jesse! I did make a version cutting off some of the left for more of a 4x5 feel for the outdoor photographer contest. Definitely helped make it stronger.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Jesse Estes on November 9, 2011 at 11:22 PM

Ahh, sorry, I missed the repost down below. That one feels stronger for sure!

Registered on April 13, 2011, 20 Posts, 174 Comments

Comment posted by Phillip Noll on November 14, 2011 at 9:31 PM

Stunning! Beautiful light! I also really like the vertical crop. My only nit would be the strange shadows on the cactus on the right. I think the vertical crop is much stronger compositionally. Other wise this is really sweet!!

Registered on November 17, 2003, 207 Posts, 1083 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on November 14, 2011 at 10:47 PM

Thank you Phillip! That shadow on the tall cactus is from a nearby ocotillo. I would have shot this vertically but the barrel cacti were just too far apart to get the composition I wanted and to be as close. Of course I'll probably go back to the location and see if I can work some magic when the light comes back.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments