Gnome Canyon

The Child of the Moon image posted earlier was the last taken during that trip before heading back to Flagstaff. Here are a few more from that day. Lots of interesting features in that canyon, but sometimes tough to get early/late light on a target without encroaching shadows. I have posted one in ESS from that morning.

This is from the evening. I liked the shapes in the bouldery outcropping below the pointed peak. The CPL put a disturbing band in the center sky. Guess I should have rotated it to offset the dark area to the right, or try without the filter all together.

All Align the Watchtower.
Right before the sun went behind a ridge, I was atop the last boulder in this line of red boulders that seemed to direct towards this tower of sandstone.

The morning started with the early morning clouds being a bright pink before sunrise. The cloud color was gone before the sunlight hit this row of rock gumdrops. I tried to enhance the brightness and contrast of rock. Keep it, or trash it and move on? Hopefully it's not as unappealing as the first mother/child image.

A good series from a place that isn't particularly easy to photograph.
My favorites are #2 and #3. The third is definitely a keeper with the 'big picture' view and that sweet sunrise. This may have been an ideal candidate to use two different exposures and then blending them in postprocess. You might even consider darkening the foreground just a bit as it seems to be 'pushed' somewhat.

I really appreciate your thoughts and good idea on my last post, Doug...thanks!

Are you crazy? #3 is definitely a keeper with a sky like that! Direct light on the formations is not a necessity in this case and if anything I would even darken it up just a little to make the colors pop even more (but that's just me). I also like #2 as well. The formations there make some nice leading lines up to the "Watchtower." Nicely done.

I agree w/JM on #3. that's a great pano, and if you darkened the bottom terrain to de-emphasize it, it would improve an already neat image.

I love the second two shots, especially 3! You could probably correct some of the cp banding in PS if you chose.

Like #3 best. Give consideration to the thoughts posted for editing. You prompted a good discussion.

Bill Brennan

You had a very productive trip there! I'm with Stan on the second one being my pick, but the third one is definitely a keeper. The pano format, really nice light and color all work for me.

I like all of these, especially #2. Great comp on that one. John makes some good points about multiple exposures on #3.

Thank you for the feedback. I did bracket #3. +1, 0, -1 EV. The one posted is of 0 EV. This may be a good candidate then to try my first blend with PSE7.

Awesome! +1 on # 3 being a keeper.