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Triple Twilight +Update
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Triple Twilight +Update

by Alex Noriega

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 15, 2013809 views20 comments
Morning twilight over Glacier National Park's Triple Falls. You can view a larger and updated version on a dark background at the Purchase Print link.

Sorry for the reposts (if you even noticed), I was trying to figure out why shadows were crushed in the browser but not in PS, and it turns out the checkbox to embed color profiles had gotten turned off. Silly checkbox - I didn't tell it that it could be off!

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 12-24mm

While I've got you here, you know what you should do? You should check out my favorite images of 2012 on my blog!

Comments

20 comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on January 15, 2013 at 5:17 AM
Dang this is totally awesome. Love the crescent moon.
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by Peter Coskun on January 15, 2013 at 6:25 AM
Love this Alex. The moon really sets this off.
Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments
Comment posted by Marc Adamus on January 15, 2013 at 9:26 AM
The point of view here works quite well. The moon size, stars and glow around the horizon all have something of an artificial feel to me that suggests a lot of blending upon initial viewing, but one could probably just as well say 'magical' or 'surreal'. I think that 'surreal', at least, might have been the intention here? It's one of those locations where it's been shot so often by so many people in the same way it's good to see some artistic liberties taken, and I've certainly been known to do the similar from time to time.
Registered on September 17, 2005, 780 Posts, 8091 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Cothran on January 15, 2013 at 9:33 AM
Beautiful crafting. However, I do have to question the crescent moon. First, it seems awfully large for a super wide lens, and secondly, the fact that there is at least one star visible inside the moon's diameter makes me scratch my head. Maybe I've just got water on the brain here, and am seeing too much. Nonetheless, a very compelling image, and one that only a skillful photographer could create.
Registered on December 5, 2012, 31 Posts, 730 Comments
Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on January 15, 2013 at 9:47 AM
Dang, diggin the surreal nature of this image. A fine collection of work on your blog, you must sleep by day and shoot by night - hmmm Vampire photographer?
Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments
Comment posted by Alex Noriega on January 15, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Thanks for the input, everyone!

Marc, surreal was indeed the intent. I've got a more natural dawn/sunrise take on Triple Falls as well, but I wanted the twilight one to be different than anything I'd seen from here. Part of the overall artificial feel of the image, I feel, is the milky water atop the rocks - I wish I'd had a polarizer at the scene.

The exposures are as follows (focal lengths given in 35mm equivalents):

Landscape: 18mm, f/11, ISO 100, 1 sec
Sky: 18mm, f/11, ISO 100, 1/5 sec
Moon: 105mm, f/9, ISO 100, 0.5 sec, downsized to about as small as a 50mm equivalent shot
Stars (about 1/2 hour before the rest): 18mm, ISO 1600, f/4, 30 sec

I waited until closer to dawn for the landscape exposure in order to retain some texture in the waterfalls, but I probably should have done a longer exposure earlier to use to smooth out the ripples in the water below.

The moon was in fact right there in the sky, I just forgot to account for the dark side of it when replacing it with the larger one, since the dark side wasn't even visible in that exposure. Good catch, Michael - a fixed version is available below and at the Purchase Print link.

The later sunrise version of this scene that I posted last year has the same discussion on justification for the moon, but I'll echo it here: I saw it at least that big with my naked eye, and wanted to convey it as a compositional element rather than a speck comparable to a star, particularly in the web version.
Registered on May 19, 2012, 80 Posts, 195 Comments
Comment posted by Alex Noriega on January 15, 2013 at 10:47 AM
Made the moon smaller, and fixed the stars visible within its disc.
Registered on May 19, 2012, 80 Posts, 195 Comments
Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on January 15, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Very cool. The size of the moon was the first thing that caught my attention, but I don't think any non-photographers would ever notice it. I do prefer the version with the smaller moon though.
Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments
Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on January 15, 2013 at 11:28 AM
I love that the stars are nice and sharp, with very little noise in the sky Alex. The fixed version looks more natural. Awesome take on an icon! :toast:
Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments
Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on January 15, 2013 at 12:09 PM
I really like your creative approach to this familiar location. I think it succeeds very well...the smaller moon works better for me aesthetically. Processing appears to be spot-on aside from the issue with the stars inside the crescent, which frankly I didn't notice until it was pointed out.
Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on January 15, 2013 at 1:21 PM
wicked cool... :toast:
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments
Comment posted by Chet Dowell on January 15, 2013 at 1:39 PM
Totally terrific image, Alex. Its the total package with great elements, composition and exposure. :toast: Chet
Registered on December 3, 2012, 237 Posts, 1171 Comments
Comment posted by Gary McGhee on January 15, 2013 at 2:53 PM
Magical landscape Alex. Plenty to look at in this.

Gary.
Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments
Comment posted by John Mumaw on January 15, 2013 at 3:25 PM
Magically lovely! Well executed and crafted. May be the best I've seen from this place. I also enjoy the repost more, mostly because the moon is more 'balanced' with all of the other elements present. Excellent work, Alex!
Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 16, 2013 at 9:44 AM
Incredible capture Alex. Processed to perfection too. BTW, your Favorites of 2012 are so nice - my fave is Garfield Peak.
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by Alex Mody on January 18, 2013 at 3:45 AM
:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
Registered on December 25, 2007, 163 Posts, 1896 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 18, 2013 at 9:50 AM
While I prefer the larger moon, the whole scene is quite magical. Really nice light here 'cept for that inexplicable white spot near the right edge.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by Alex Noriega on January 18, 2013 at 6:13 PM
Thanks Tony, you mean that little spot right where the red rock comes to a corner? Nice catch, I'll have to clone that out. It's a tiny stream running through a crack, which must have got caught in some of my dodging.
Registered on May 19, 2012, 80 Posts, 195 Comments
Comment posted by Greg Lessard on January 18, 2013 at 11:16 PM
Alex, this image is awesome! It's very inspiring!
Registered on January 14, 2009, 38 Posts, 219 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on January 20, 2013 at 2:28 AM
I dont care how many images this is...came out great. Congrats on another ES...you're on fire there.

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