Socorro Storm Clouds

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 12, 2014140 views12 comments

Driving to Alamogordo, New Mexico to stay to shoot in White Sands National Park the next day, a storm cloud formation began developing that kept my attention for half an hour or so. The better it got the more anxious I got to find a suitable background to include with the dramatic sky. Traveling the back roads at sunset can offer up some dramatic moments. Then Chupadera Mountain came into view and the perfect background coupled with the storm clouds made my day.
Sony a700
Zeiss 16-80 Zoom @ 18mm
ISO 400
1/250 second @ f 16
LR 5.2 raw
Silver efex 2 b&w conversion
PS 5 adjustments

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on January 12, 2014 at 6:19 PM

Very dramatic scene. Just the type of scene for B&W. Very well photographed.

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

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on January 12, 2014 at 7:58 PM

Lots of drama in this capture, Rick. The b&w treatment serves this scene perfectly too. Excellent idea with keeping to the back roads, it seems to produce opportunities for awesome shots at times.

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

Comment posted by Chet Dowell on January 12, 2014 at 9:32 PM

A very nice black and white treatment of your dramatic image. I like the way you handled the light playing over the scene. Well done. Chet By the way the rock image was taken from an area between Kenab and Coral Sands along the road.

Registered on December 3, 2012, 237 Posts, 1171 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on January 12, 2014 at 9:42 PM

Rick, this a great catch. The light streaming thru the storm is sensational. You can probably tell by now that I love b/w and if it were mine I would probably lose some of the sky for two reasons: First I think there is too much of it because the light show seems to be the star. Secondly, because of the over abundance of noise. I might even go for a square comp off the bottom. It's super as is but that's what I see.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on January 12, 2014 at 10:20 PM

Thanks for the comments. Gary good point and I did another process with some selected NR in Define 2 of the sky only.

Personally the strong vertical please me more but your suggestions is appreciated.

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

Comment posted by gary phillips on January 13, 2014 at 12:42 AM

Rick, I think the repost looks much better sans noise.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Carey Closs on January 13, 2014 at 1:04 AM

A very powerful and dramatic B&W scene. Well done.

Registered on April 15, 2012, 107 Posts, 326 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on January 13, 2014 at 2:12 PM

What a dramatic sky. This works well in b&w. I love it

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

Comment posted by Bill Reid on January 14, 2014 at 1:37 PM

Lots of drama and very nice light in this Rick. The repost looks better and the scene looks great in B&W. Very nice.

Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments

Comment posted by Jon Daining on January 14, 2014 at 9:12 PM

Rick, the sunbeams and stormy sky are wonderful! I personally would lighted the entire photo just a touch and the foreground a bit more. I agree with decreasing the noise such as you have done in the second image.

Registered on February 25, 2012, 25 Posts, 191 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on January 16, 2014 at 6:24 AM

I don't mind the graininess of the original although it seems to be a common by product of the Nik Silver efex is over structurialized. Love the drama and sky.

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

Comment posted by Stan Rose on January 17, 2014 at 2:34 PM

Im a sucker for clouds, but i love this, Rick!

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