Royal Arches

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 30, 2012632 views8 comments

Royal Arches, Yosemite NP, California

For whatever reason, I found I was obsessed with scanning some old 35mm Kodachrome 64 transparencies from April 1992 taken in Yosemite NP with my Olympus OM4T. We were visiting my sister on the left coast at the time and as we usually did, we visited a NP park or region of interest out there. This was the year our oldest son Brian was interested in waterfalls so my sister said lets go to Yosemite, there are many waterfalls there. So off we went with our kids in tow 8 months and 4, and her son 6. Needless to say I was less then prepared for the sights we saw, but did manage to capture a few keepers (I think). I think I need to get back to the left coast with my Pentax 67II and Canon 5DM2......

Scanning 35mm Kodachrome is difficult task to say the least, especially with Epson film holders. Silverfast Ai 8 helped with the color correction specific for Kodachrome but the more difficult part was getting the focus correct with the Epson film holders. It took me a good part of yesterday and today to get close (it may still need more tweaking). Unlike my 120 medium format scans where I use my betterscanning.com adjustable film holder, I had to come up with my own means to adjust for film height to get the best focus (balsa wood shims for now but wood is not stable through the seasons (coefficient of thermal expansion, moisture sensitive expansion and all that).

Anyway, interested in your thoughts. Thanks for having a look.

.....and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on December 31, 2012 at 6:49 AM

A lot of work Eva, but you gotta love it, really like the natural colors, and you did a great job with processing. I like it, very nice indeed.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Palmieri on December 31, 2012 at 8:26 AM

The light, subtle colors, and textures make this one work. The light really gives this depth.

Registered on September 1, 2011, 35 Posts, 748 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 31, 2012 at 12:59 PM

I like it Eva! Nice colors and some great looking light! The textures and lines on the rock face are really nice. I also like the clarity and sharpness of this! I think you did a great job and all your work paid off....

Happy New Year!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on December 31, 2012 at 1:37 PM

I like it Eva,

Ah, kodachrome...those were the days. Color looks natural, but since there is not much there, maybe better as B&W. Happy New Year!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 31, 2012 at 2:34 PM

Eva,

If ya can't be there, why not relive when you were! This is great. Funny, all my years in Yosemite and I don't think I have an image of the Royal Arches - at least not like this one. The quality of the scan and your processing is excellent here. Although, I can't help but point out a few dust spots in the clouds you might have cloned out.

The color and contrast looks spot on perfect to me. I continue to find it difficult in rendering those granite walls naturally. And for those various colors that are in the granite, I think the color version works well.

Thanks for sharing your little piece of Yosemite. I'm guessing there's more on the way too!

Happy New Year's - Eve!

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

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on January 1, 2013 at 12:06 AM

Gosh, I'm not sure I'm even familiar with this location in YNP at all. However, I've not been a frequent visitor to the valley over the years.
All looks pretty darn good to me for a 35mm scan. They are not easy to bring into PS from a scanner with all around good quality. This looks very nice for that overall approach....

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on January 1, 2013 at 12:57 AM

Hi Paul - We stayed at the Wawona Hotel at the time for a few days. I remember watching the coyotes roam down the road in the evening (regular small coyotes not like the wolf, dog hybrids we have on the right coast). It was also away from all the traffic in the valley. Don't know how we got to where we were since it was a family trip and we all went with the flow.

.... and YES Lon, there is more on the way.

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

Comment posted by Morris McClung on January 1, 2013 at 2:07 PM

The light, textures, and lines in the rock face make this an excellent tele-comp image, Eva.

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