Great Sand Dunes

Spenct 3 days at the Great Sand Dunes, and never saw the mountains, but saw some great drama.

I'm posting this one both ways to see what people think...black and white or color?

I just clicked the converter button in elements 7...

and a pano that doesn't quite match...any suggestions on a good program besides CS5 that might make this better?...this was done with elements 7.

Had to stop on the way home for some more fall color.

Some left over fall color..

Love the dramatic clouds Cynthia and I am all for the color version personally. I would actually like to see how the first one works in color as well

Wow Cynthia, what drama and great comps on all of these! I also prefer the color version here...however...I'll bet the B and W would make a terrific print. The pano is so small I can't tell for sure, but is there an irregularity about 1 inch from the left side? If so just crop that out and you still have a winner. There are stand alone programs such as Panorama Factory that do a wonderful job with panos. I also think all of these could benefit from an Unsharp Mask application of 20>50>0 for increased "pop", especially the cottonwoods and rabbitbrush shot which I absolutely LOVE! Really nice work!

Great collection of images Cynthia! #2/3 is my favorite and I can't decide which I like best, they are both excellent, if pressed I may lean towards the B&W.

Nice shots across the board, Cynthia! #2 is my favorite as well, and I definitely prefer the color. Something about all those layers of ridges rising into the illuminated clouds gets a little lost in the B&W for me.

Thats the kind of light that keeps me going back; i never get tired of it! Great set, i really like the last one especially. I prefer the color version.

I love the dramatic light!
Definitely color on #2. I love the blue sky contrast with the warm foreground.

Colored #2 is tops, imo
In the pano, looks like the moving light and shadows on the grass flat played havoc on the stitch.

I like #2 and #6. Really nice work!

I prefer the color version on #2 slightly as well, although both are nice. Awesome clouds and that one is definitely the pick of this set! I wonder, when taking the "leftover fall color" image you posted were you also able to take one zoomed in on that small patch of trees with the golden leaves and the dunes directly behind? I can't help thinking that might have been an awesome comp but it would have probably taken some serious telephoto power.

A very nice set with lots of drama from the clouds. Good work on the comps and exposures.

Very nice set! The first one is my favorite followed closely by the colored version of the second.

I like the pano

Very nice set of images ..

HI Josh...that was the extent of my telephoto power...zoomed at 300, or a little less from the road. Thanks for looking.

Really like the color version in the Sand Dunes image. Like the dark blue in the sky.

Love the Color one.

RichieV