I live in one of the neighborhoods around this park and have been trying to find a way to get a good shot since I moved here last July. Its a really nice open space park, but it is surrounded by houses. I'm not sure I've gotten there yet, but at least I'm starting to explore.
Technical details
Canon XT with 17-40f4L at 17mm
ISO 200, f11, 1/25
Cokin P121 filter.
Its a beautiful park but it is challenging to me to find the right way to communicate that.
I also thought that I'd mention that there is a nice selection of wildflowers in this park. Right now there are the lily type flower I showed, some Indian Paintbrush, Loco weed and several other flowers blooming in the park. It looks like there will be quite a bit of Iris and onion blooming in the park soon. I remember seeing Liatris blooming last autumn.
If you are in the springs this is a really nice park for mountain biking and hiking.
Mel, I like the upper half of the photo. I think the FG is too bright, and has too much empty space. I think it'd be better with less FG, or at a lower angle, such that more grass (and less dirt) is visible.
Mel, I like your work to incorporate the FG, mid-ground and BG elements. The lighting is a little flat, and I think some of it looks to be from post processing from the mid-ground valley. I would still suspect that you had some cloud cover over the FG grasses. The grasses are nice, but they lack strength in this image as an anchoring FG object. I think a crop up that cuts out the lower tuft of grass helps some.
The cloud situation was rather odd (as it has been lately). There was a series of low cloud bands to the east which killed the alpenglow. It was clear directly overhead and there were scattered clouds in the west. The eastern clouds were basically striping the ground in front of me. That is the reason for Pikes Peak being bright on the top, but dark below and why the right side (Rampart range) is so bright, but the mid ground dark. The foreground was is being brought up in brightness because of the GND.
The larger plants are yucca. I shot high so that you could down into the canyon.
Anyways, like I said, I've been trying to find a way to capture what is beautiful about this park, but it is difficult because of the surrounding houses and dense vegetation in the park. The most beautiful rock outcroppings are on the west side, but don't receive light in the evening because of the Rampart Range.
Very nice, Mel. I think you could go either way - with or without the lower yucca, but I like it with. The light is so-so, but still makes for a nice image. I think you've got a winning composition; definitely a setup to keep in mind for when the light is more complimentary.
Discussion
9 repliesTechnical details
Canon XT with 17-40f4L at 17mm
ISO 200, f11, 1/25
Cokin P121 filter.
A couple links to some other pics from the morning
In the canyon section
North entrance to the park
wildflower
red winged blackbird in the north marsh
Its a beautiful park but it is challenging to me to find the right way to communicate that.
I also thought that I'd mention that there is a nice selection of wildflowers in this park. Right now there are the lily type flower I showed, some Indian Paintbrush, Loco weed and several other flowers blooming in the park. It looks like there will be quite a bit of Iris and onion blooming in the park soon. I remember seeing Liatris blooming last autumn.
If you are in the springs this is a really nice park for mountain biking and hiking.
Pam
Mel, I like the upper half of the photo. I think the FG is too bright, and has too much empty space. I think it'd be better with less FG, or at a lower angle, such that more grass (and less dirt) is visible.
The larger plants are yucca. I shot high so that you could down into the canyon.
Anyways, like I said, I've been trying to find a way to capture what is beautiful about this park, but it is difficult because of the surrounding houses and dense vegetation in the park. The most beautiful rock outcroppings are on the west side, but don't receive light in the evening because of the Rampart Range.