"The most vivid red light I've ever seen has occurred in a Gap Light situation. If the sun finds a gap between dense clouds and the horizon and the clouds block the bright, white light from the sky around the sun, the result is some of the most spectacular light you will ever see.”
This is an image of US Grant Peak with the Ice Lakes Basin peaks in the distance. I shot it from the summit area of V2 last week. I had 4 minutes of the Gap Light, then poof!!! it was over for the day. The sky was 95% cloud covered, 360 degrees, for as far as I could see from 13,000-ft. However, a tight, clear pocket of clear sky resided along the sunrise track on the horizon in the Uncompahgre area; incredible luck.
Controlling the color saturation in this image is why I'm interested in your feedback. The light was very soft and my camera had little difficulty capturing the dynamic range, but I'm afraid this image may seem too saturated. Personally, I like it, but I love huge color. I've also added some contrast to the sky.
Too much contrast or too much color saturation?
Lastly, it’s a 14mm shot, let me know if the distortion seems funky, I have a pano shot of this scene that may be a lot better.
Kane
Posted by Phillip Noll on August 12, 2011 at 11:22 PM
Wow! Very cool. I think the contrast and saturation is fine with the exception of red. The red seems just a bit over the top. Otherwise I think this is stunning!
Posted by John Mumaw on August 12, 2011 at 11:33 PM
The colors look completely natural to me in those circumstances. A beautiful vista, Kane!
I especially like the contrast between the verdant basin on the left of the mountains and the rugged slopes on the right.
A beautiful and unique shot my friend. The colors and processing looks very good here. The only recommendation I can make is to look at desaturating the reds in that small line from bottom right to mid a little. I know it was probably naturally there, but I think it distracts the eye a little. Great work man.
Posted by Lance Burch on August 13, 2011 at 12:18 AM
I like the colors as is. Before I read your post I wondered about the distortion. The left side of the image looks fine to me, but something on the right caught my eye. I don't necessarily see it as problematic, just something my eye looked at twice. I think it's one of the rock formations seems off. But it's a little nit. The more I look at it the more I like it. Really cool image. Would like to see the pano.
Posted by Guy Schmickle on August 13, 2011 at 12:30 AM
You mentioned this is sunset...is that right? It looks like a sunrise shot to me. Not that it matters. This is a wonderful and very original take on the area. I personally love the colors as they are. I'd really like to see the pano cuz the distortion does bug me a bit (Island Lake looks like its sloping downhill) and I wouldn't mind seeing less of the talus field in the fg.
Posted by Todd Caudle on August 13, 2011 at 1:11 AM
I'm with Guy, this looks like sunRISE. Everything about it is perfect, Kane. Another killer image.
Holy smokes Kane, you just wanna make me go out and climb a mountain. What a gorgeous shot in a beautiful setting!
Posted by Scott Bacon on August 13, 2011 at 7:12 AM
Love it! I agree with previous comments on the red. The same ideas of dialing it back just a bit ran through my head before reading the comments of others. I'd love to see the pano. Sounds weird saying that about a 14mm shot, but this feels slightly cramped. Just nits, though. This is a really gorgeous image.
Posted by Chris Martin on August 13, 2011 at 7:33 AM
Wow, this is fantastic! Colors look great to me.
Posted by Roger Rouch on August 13, 2011 at 8:30 AM
I'd say this is a perfect 10, Kane. I like the composition with the serrated ridgeline in the foreground leading my eye throughout the scene to Island Lake and the other peaks of the basin. I like this vantage point as the Ice Lake Basin peaks seem to have more impact and appear larger than from the standard viewpoint at Ice Lake.
Fantastic alpenglow with believably natural contrast and saturation (I'm viewing on a calibrated monitor) topped off with fantastic clouds. If there is any wide-angle distortion in this image it is not noticeable to my eye.
I think this might just be the best photo that I have seen from Ice Lake Basin.
Posted by Joshua Hardin on August 13, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Definitely works for me in every way. No saturation issues IMHO, reds included. What an interesting point of view with the surrounding peaks and the inclusion of Island Lake is spectacular!
Posted by Don Grall on August 13, 2011 at 11:44 AM
Awesome comp, but because of the distortion Island Lake would not normally exist with that amount of slope to it, it would be Island Creek instead. The saturation also appears to be greater than what occurs in nature, but many photographers today trend in that direction, which isn't a lot different than the hyper colors of Velvia slide film.
Love the shot Kane! Colors are pretty intense, but that's all right with me, looks like real dramatic light. I might be curious to see a version which aims more for the "soft light" you mentioned, but this version works fine for me on its own terms. One heck of a sweet perspective!
Posted by Art Escobado on August 13, 2011 at 1:52 PM
Here's the pano version that has corrected the distorted/tilted Island Lake problem. I also think this version does a better job keeping the towers right of the big mountain straight up & down instead of the slight lean shown in the first post.
Thoughts?
Posted by Jody Grigg on August 13, 2011 at 7:55 PM
Stick with the first one Kane its ROCKIN!
Posted by Art Escobado on August 13, 2011 at 8:43 PM
i'm with jody on this -the foreground strength in the first posting really makes the image pop
Posted by Paul Martin on August 13, 2011 at 9:50 PM
Kane these are both super, I think the full frame shot has a real wow impact but there are also merits in the pano. This was the type of shot that had me thinking of heading all the way up there as well. Nice work!
Posted by Stan Rose on August 13, 2011 at 10:22 PM
Sweet!! The first one rocks. The distortion is only a bother if you are looking to be bothered
Speaking of Glen's gap light, i was meaning on getting up to Columbine Falls for that shot at sunrise, but i never saw a good window of opportunity. Guess i should just start climbing and hope for the best...
Posted by David Kingham on August 13, 2011 at 10:46 PM
I prefer the first one as well, the distortion is that noticeable until you told us about it
crazy shot Kane. I like the comp better in the second post, but the light and processing are better in the first. Overall, I'd stick with the first. Amazing work!!
Pano, but after shooting a lot of them myself this summer, I'm more attuned to looking for the distortions in wide shots. Other people (as noted above) don't seem to notice the distortion or not be bothered by it. I can't help but think that a few months down the road, it's going to bug you...
Nice work, again. Time to start planning and training for next summer (for myself, that is)...
Posted by Roger Rouch on August 14, 2011 at 12:53 PM
I guess it's hard to please all of the people all of the time. The pano crop seems to loose some of the nice balance of foreground, middle ground, and background for me and like the original post (a lot). I did noticed a little distortion or appearent tilt in the original, but had assumed it was just a crazy rock angle or two. I didn't think it distracted from the shot.
Posted by John Mumaw on August 14, 2011 at 6:34 PM
I prefer #1 solely due to the better light and the fine foreground. I can appreciate the distortion corrections, though.
Both are excellent, but #1 has a broader appeal outside of distortion nitpicks. Excellent work as usual, Kane!
Posted by Jack Brauer on August 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Awesome! I love that original post. Not too fond of the repost version. Bummer I was gone during your SJ excursions... looks like you had an action packed time!
Posted by Lynn Scott on August 19, 2011 at 5:21 PM
This is a great shot! The Pano works for me alot better--the tilted lake issue bothered me in the first one but only slightly. Great light!!
Discussion
31 replies"The most vivid red light I've ever seen has occurred in a Gap Light situation. If the sun finds a gap between dense clouds and the horizon and the clouds block the bright, white light from the sky around the sun, the result is some of the most spectacular light you will ever see.”
This is an image of US Grant Peak with the Ice Lakes Basin peaks in the distance. I shot it from the summit area of V2 last week. I had 4 minutes of the Gap Light, then poof!!! it was over for the day. The sky was 95% cloud covered, 360 degrees, for as far as I could see from 13,000-ft. However, a tight, clear pocket of clear sky resided along the sunrise track on the horizon in the Uncompahgre area; incredible luck.
Controlling the color saturation in this image is why I'm interested in your feedback. The light was very soft and my camera had little difficulty capturing the dynamic range, but I'm afraid this image may seem too saturated. Personally, I like it, but I love huge color. I've also added some contrast to the sky.
Too much contrast or too much color saturation?
Lastly, it’s a 14mm shot, let me know if the distortion seems funky, I have a pano shot of this scene that may be a lot better.
Kane
I especially like the contrast between the verdant basin on the left of the mountains and the rugged slopes on the right.
Fantastic alpenglow with believably natural contrast and saturation (I'm viewing on a calibrated monitor) topped off with fantastic clouds. If there is any wide-angle distortion in this image it is not noticeable to my eye.
I think this might just be the best photo that I have seen from Ice Lake Basin.
Thoughts?
Speaking of Glen's gap light, i was meaning on getting up to Columbine Falls for that shot at sunrise, but i never saw a good window of opportunity. Guess i should just start climbing and hope for the best...
Nice work, again. Time to start planning and training for next summer (for myself, that is)...
Both are excellent, but #1 has a broader appeal outside of distortion nitpicks. Excellent work as usual, Kane!