Bryce Amphitheater & Edit

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 25, 20184,327 views17 comments

Capturing the awe looking into Bryce was much more challenging than I anticipated, especially creating a suitable FG that would work with the rest of the image. Would have loved some snow, but just didn't work out this time around. I liked the semi-circular erosion gullies and thought they directed the eye to the more interesting hoodoos and sky. Obviously, great sky color significantly helped the rest of the image with the reflected light. Tried to capture the pre-dawn glow many of us are familiar with when view sandstone as everything lights up before direct lighting - which can also be pretty amazing. Because I was there in the fall, I was able to get the more direct - shooting into the sun and some side lit hoodoos. I realize there is some hoodoo distortion on the edges, but not enough to try and correct without deterioration of the file quality.

Single exposure, D810, ISO64, 17mm, 0.5 sec., f11

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Ronald Murphy on January 25, 2018 at 12:09 PM

I'm surprised there aren't more comments. The leading lines bring right into the heart of this, like a vortex. At first I thought it might be a little too dark down in the valley, but I would be hesitant to brighten it. Beautiful photo.

Registered on March 13, 2012, 279 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on January 25, 2018 at 12:44 PM

The semicircular ridges do a nice job of funneling the eyes. I think you might try a slight brightening of the image overall. Nice sunrise with its glow cat upon the amphitheater also.

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on January 25, 2018 at 12:56 PM

Harry, I think the gullies leading into the image really make this one. They grab your eye and pull you right in. The color looks great, but I do think the brightness could be brought up just a wee bit. Very nicely done!
--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on January 25, 2018 at 1:16 PM

I think the vortex comparison posted by Ronald is very apt. That's primarily due to converging leading lines that start from the bottom. What I really like the most about this image is that's a new and different presentation of this area. The almost iconic comps here are almost always colored layers of these columns. While those are beautiful we see them so often that you get a little numb to their beauty. This much wider view gives a sense of what this place really looks like.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on January 25, 2018 at 2:00 PM

Click Image for Larger View

Thanks guys - I've brightened everything up a little - just don't want to loose the early morning feel.
Igor - I actually thought this might be a more common view but maybe not. Unless atmospherics are nice, the grand view can be much of a letdown, especially mid day.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on January 25, 2018 at 2:11 PM

This is quite a nice view of Bryce and fine job on the repost. Ronald's vortex analogy is a good one, too. Excellent takeaway from the park.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on January 25, 2018 at 4:15 PM

Beautiful Bryce image, Harry. Excellent leading foreground and light to go with the fine detail in the canyon. Top notch Bryce image.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on January 25, 2018 at 6:47 PM

Harry, you certainly did catch the sweet early light on the hoodoos. I've taken several images of the details LHS, and the WA really gives it context. You're right about the foreground, which makes for a good lead-in to the scene. I had similar thoughts about bringing up the brightness a bit, and the repost works well.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Kearl on January 25, 2018 at 7:07 PM

Repost is very nice Harry, though I like the OP and looking at both, I think the OP has more mood and drama.
Very nice comp, not knowing the area, was it possible to move to the right?

Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on January 25, 2018 at 9:23 PM

Dan - Along the rim, you can almost always move right or left but the issue is that the rim undulates in and out so there are portions of the rim that may bump out into your frame with a wide angle lens and interrupt the flow of the image. So this was probably a limiting factor from my memory. Also, if I moved right, I would have had to shoot more to the left to get this view which would have meant more of the left corner in the image. IMO, there is almost too much of that in the image already, so I wanted to limit that section of the image. I think I have some images where I zoomed in so the edge of the canyon was not an issue and indeed shot them to the right of this vantage point.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on January 25, 2018 at 10:50 PM

I have to say that this image teaches me more about the general nature of Bryce than any other I have seen. That may be because of the difficulty in capturing such an inclusive image that is also beautiful. If others have tried this, they either did not get much exposure, or failed to catch my eye. Thanks for showing us what's really there, and for doing it so well that it draws my attention. As for the brightness, the original looks great on my monitor. I like your decision to keep that early dawn feeling.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 26, 2018 at 1:20 PM

Kudos Harry for capturing a view from here that I have not seen before, which Igor already touched on. What is unique is how you managed and presented the foreground as it leads the viewer in to the frame - yeah, vortex a good description.

I like the repost, although the original was just beautiful and I wouldn't have commented or had a second thought about the exposure level - but subtle changes can also be quite powerful.

Only small, teeny suggestion, would be to clone out the small, bright sliver in the center bg of the UR quadrant. Especially if you're going to print this - and this is most certainly print worthy!

Gorgeous!

Lon

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

Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on January 26, 2018 at 1:39 PM

This is a beauty. Very well composed with great leading lines. On my calibrated monitor, I prefer the first version. I think the second version is a bit too bright and loses the mood in the first.

Registered on December 10, 2015, 104 Posts, 1112 Comments

Comment posted by Marylynne Diggs on January 26, 2018 at 1:52 PM

Lovely image, Harry. While there are many images capturing the entire amphitheater or capturing, say, the left 2/3rds of what you have here, capturing precisely this with those leading lines is a completely fresh perspective for me. I like both the op amd repost, and would probably go for something in between the two.
Kudos,
ML

Registered on December 14, 2010, 122 Posts, 1034 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on January 27, 2018 at 5:10 PM

The slight increase in brightness works very nicely, Harry. The original is certainly excellent, too. This would make a nice print.

Thanks for doing the adjustments.
--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 28, 2018 at 5:49 PM

Harry, This is really a beautiful image! I love this view and how I'm drawn into the canyon is quite special. Wonderful colors. I like the original just fine but I think the repost might be even better. Glad you didn't brighten any more that what you did. Just right! cool

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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

Comment posted by Bo Chen on February 8, 2018 at 10:56 AM

Like this a lot. It must be amazing standing on the edge watching the fantastic sun rise.

Registered on February 14, 2017, 42 Posts, 74 Comments