Posted by Derek Sedillo on November 16, 2009 at 10:16 PM
This image was taken from a secret spot which none of you have ever been to before.
All kidding aside I was taking a few shots at sunset with nothing really going on - no clouds or wow light. Then just before packing it up the moon popped up above bridalveil. So I shot it in lower light after sunset. And El Cap lit up better than at sunset.
The biggest challenge here was extreme dynamic range. So I used a 3 stop GND. And then blended with a second exposure. Even with that the left is still a bit dark. But pushing it any further brings unwanted noise.
Derek, the larger version is very nice indeed. It would be nice to lift more detail out of the left side, however, it is not a shadow that is completely blocked up and on the larger version looks a bit better.
I just have to go to this secret spot! Where is is it?
I think you did well with some very challenging lighting conditions. I really like the color on The Captain and in the sky. It would be nice if the shadows were more open, but I think this works.
-P
Posted by Greg Cope on November 17, 2009 at 10:10 PM
A spot I never tire of. This is a beautiful shot Derek, excellent dynamic range and I like the moon rising
Posted by Paul Duval on November 18, 2009 at 8:23 AM
An impossible situation handled nicely, by the by the color on El Cap is the alpenglow, occurs at Sunset as well as dawn, just before and just after the sun crosses the horizon. The moon is a nice added touch. The left upper corner has more open detail than most of my photos taken at this time from the "secret spot" . So without more exporure bracketing and layering i don't know how you could have done any better.
PAul
Posted by Lon Overacker on November 18, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Derek,
A pretty unique take on this classic spot. I would be tempted to call this the Tale of two lights. Such a contrast in color between El Cap and the Bridal Veil side. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to process this - I mean I keep going back and forth between the beautiful, rich light on El Cap and the cold lifeless light on the right - it's a conflict. But toss in a full moonrise and you've got yourself something quite different. I still like it.
Lon
Posted by Derek Sedillo on November 18, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Thanks for the input guys!
Yeah, this was a tough scene to expose and convey what I saw in person. It was actually quite a nice sunset/moonrise to witness. I am sure some of you could have also created a nice rendition as well.
Lon, I know what you mean regarding the tension. And I struggled with the same thing in trying to convey the experience - full moon rising on one side while El Cap was glowing and reflecting in the Merced on the other side. I tried a few zoomed in to just the moon and Bridalveil. But it just didn't have the same kind of impact.
Anyway it was fun to shoot the full moon over Mono one month and then over the Merced the next - both unplanned. Who knows next month. I may have to do moonset instead of moonrise since I can't think of any place interesting where the moon rises over Big Sur or Monterey. Hmm... On second thought I have seen the moonrise over the Monterey harbor with boats in the foreground. That looks pretty cool certain times of the year.
Derek
Posted by Rudy Ruberti on November 18, 2009 at 9:04 PM
That's some great light on El Cap and the moon is a nice addition. Cool shot!
Posted by Debjit Ghosh on November 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
The famous place with a great shot. The moon adds so much to it. Every time I go there I somehow pull my car to the parking place even though I am not shooting.
Posted by Eric Good on November 21, 2009 at 12:52 AM
Nice comp and colors captured here. I do wonder if just a hand blend without a grad would have minimized the grad effect a little more and opened up the shadows? Still a nice shot as is, just something I wouldn't mind seeing as a comparison. Thanks for sharing, I never tire of this shot.
Discussion
10 repliesAll kidding aside I was taking a few shots at sunset with nothing really going on - no clouds or wow light. Then just before packing it up the moon popped up above bridalveil. So I shot it in lower light after sunset. And El Cap lit up better than at sunset.
The biggest challenge here was extreme dynamic range. So I used a 3 stop GND. And then blended with a second exposure. Even with that the left is still a bit dark. But pushing it any further brings unwanted noise.
More detail can be seen in the larger version here: http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/Locations/Yosemite-2009/7006312_tzV5E#701643213_cSxPC-A-LB
Derek
beautiful image from this classic location. You handled the exposure very nicely. Best Regards.
I just have to go to this secret spot! Where is is it?
I think you did well with some very challenging lighting conditions. I really like the color on The Captain and in the sky. It would be nice if the shadows were more open, but I think this works.
-P
PAul
A pretty unique take on this classic spot. I would be tempted to call this the Tale of two lights. Such a contrast in color between El Cap and the Bridal Veil side. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to process this - I mean I keep going back and forth between the beautiful, rich light on El Cap and the cold lifeless light on the right - it's a conflict. But toss in a full moonrise and you've got yourself something quite different. I still like it.
Lon
Yeah, this was a tough scene to expose and convey what I saw in person. It was actually quite a nice sunset/moonrise to witness. I am sure some of you could have also created a nice rendition as well.
Lon, I know what you mean regarding the tension. And I struggled with the same thing in trying to convey the experience - full moon rising on one side while El Cap was glowing and reflecting in the Merced on the other side. I tried a few zoomed in to just the moon and Bridalveil. But it just didn't have the same kind of impact.
Anyway it was fun to shoot the full moon over Mono one month and then over the Merced the next - both unplanned.
Derek