Sunset Fantastico!

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted September 23, 2012560 views17 comments

I shot a pano here a couple of years back in some subdued weather. Since then, I always wondered what it might be like if a big colorful cloud lined itself up iver this spot just a couple of miles from my house. While I was driving home from work, I was watching this sky materialize and thought something special might happen. I got complacent after getting home, and wasn't going to go out. Then I noticed all the clouds lighting up and decided I better hurry. So off I went watching the color come on as I was trying to get to this spot(the only decent spot I could think of) in a hurry. Hoping all the while I would not miss the climax of color. I got there in time and was able to make this, the first ever image with my new D800!

D800,
24-70 2.8
soft grad
10sec, F/11 ISO 100

Thanks,
Chris

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Rob Blakers on September 24, 2012 at 12:35 AM

Great story, great light and a nice comp. It might be worth considering cropping the bottom 15% or so, after titling anticlockwise a degree or 2.The hills and trees, with the clouds above, give a somewhat Dali-esque feeling, very lovely, and to focus on these will make quite a classic image.

Registered on February 26, 2011, 8 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by Andrew Morrill on September 24, 2012 at 12:54 AM

Wow. Chris - I'm not joking when I say this is one of the best landscape images I've ever seen - wonderful color, composition and scene. Awesome job!

Registered on June 10, 2010, 51 Posts, 216 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on September 24, 2012 at 4:25 AM

Magnificent shot Chris. Love the format and your comp. I like the placement of the fg bushes in the bottom left. Beautiful sky and color. Was this a full-frame crop or did you use the 5:4 format in-camera? Excellent shot for being in a hurry, and a nice start with the D800

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on September 24, 2012 at 5:14 AM

Beautiful image. The clouds look like paint strokes. The green tufts in the foreground I find a bit distracting so I like a crop from the bottom. I can see a few fences on the hills so will have to move it to M&N. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about this.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on September 24, 2012 at 9:13 AM

Chris, What a great way to start out with your new D800. Really just a wonderful scene. Very nice composition and what an amazing cloud. I also enjoy the soft glow across the land. Very nice!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Rick Turner on September 24, 2012 at 8:16 PM

Simple and beautiful

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on September 24, 2012 at 8:34 PM

Thanks guys, I appreciate it!

David,
Yes it is a full frame crop. I figure I'll start with all the pixels possible, and then crop if need be.

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

Comment posted by Basil Greber on September 25, 2012 at 1:47 AM

A great start into life for your D800, for sure. Stunning clouds. I'd be tempted to lighten the foreground (or rather - the ground

) a bit. Also, cropping some off the bottom is probably worth a thought, either above the grass in the foreground, or somewhere below the first trees.

Registered on November 8, 2005, 219 Posts, 1340 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on September 25, 2012 at 1:16 PM

The clouds are gorgeous. Great image. Well composed, beautiful colors and also well processed.

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

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on September 25, 2012 at 8:53 PM

A fantastic sky Chris and wonderful detail thought out.

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

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on September 26, 2012 at 2:49 PM

Really nice sky ..

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

Comment posted by Anil Rao on September 28, 2012 at 9:28 PM

What a beautiful capture of this gorgeous landscape. Reall well done, Chris.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on October 1, 2012 at 10:25 PM

Super Fantastico!

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

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on October 3, 2012 at 4:02 PM

Absolutely Fantastico!

Congrats

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on October 3, 2012 at 11:30 PM

Killer sunset from a killer camera!
Love this - congrats on the WP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on October 4, 2012 at 7:18 PM

Thank you very much!!!!!!!!!

Chris

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

Comment posted by Ken Henke on October 14, 2012 at 5:00 PM

Oh my what a gorgeous image. Wow. I might have tried cropping off the bottom to eliminate some of the larger shrubs. However, that may also mean cropping of the sky which I wouldn't want done.

Registered on February 20, 2012, 117 Posts, 285 Comments