Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 20, 2012 at 1:37 PM
A winter storm finally came to northern Arizona. Flagtaff had around two feet and Sedona received several inches of snow. On Monday, I met Michael Greene and Chikku Baiju. We went to Slide Rock, a few other spots on Oak Creek, the Airport overlook, and Cathedral Rock. At Cathedral Rock, Rick Goldwasser, Shane McDermott and Joel Hazelton also showed up for sunset. Seemed quite the gathering.
Here is a B&W conversion of a shot at Slide Rock on Oak Creek.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 20, 2012 at 1:38 PM
#2 From a canyon section on Oak Creek
Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 20, 2012 at 1:41 PM
#3 The Nuns. from Sunday evening.
Posted by Todd Caudle on March 20, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Wow! Wish I lived close to something like THIS! Great job, Doug!
Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 20, 2012 at 1:44 PM
#4 From one of the reflection pools on a ridge by Cathedral Rock at sunset.
Posted by Pam Colander on March 20, 2012 at 3:56 PM
Is there anything more striking than snow and red rocks??? These are great and sounds like you had your own little impromptu meet and greet. You may already have one but that last one would be even more incredible with the cactus in bloom.
Posted by Peter Coskun on March 20, 2012 at 4:43 PM
Great series Doug, I would have loved to make it out there as I have always wanted to photograph Sedona and oak creek canyon under snow. Unfortunately I had to work. I'll be up north in a few weeks with family, hoping some of that snow is still around then.
Great collection Doug. I still haven't been able to find that spot for the reflecting pools near Cathedral so next time I'm there you might be getting a phone call! Thanks for sharing these images.
Awesome work Doug - they all came out excellent. I think #2 actually looks better in your image than it did in person. Sorry we had to cut and run after sunset - Chikku and I were both freezing cold and had a long drive home. I would have liked to have stayed a while longer and chit chat. I hope to do it again sometime soon.
Michael
Posted by Bob Falcone on March 20, 2012 at 8:48 PM
Very nice, Doug! I was up there earlier in the week, but no snow. I wasn't able to talk my wife into a drive into the snowy mountains with her new car after the storm hit...
Jeez Doug, I don't know which is more impressive...this set of images or the motley crew of photographers you were with!
And two feet in Flag? Bet the Grand Canyon was tempting.
The b&w image is nice, but it's really quite flat. Not surprising looking at those skies. A healthy dose of contrast helps quite a bit.
The color images are outstanding winter scenes! My only nit is with the first. If you can mask off the very brightest (overexposed)patches of snow and then raise the brightness (via levels) of the rest of the scene, the snows look cleaner and the reds look redder without bumping saturation. Check it out...
No nits at all with the last two. The reflection image is damned near perfect and ready to be printed.
Excellent work, Doug! Looks well worth getting out into the elements.
Great series Doug. I really like the snow and red rocks in 2 and 3. Great light in the last shot.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 20, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Thanks for the comments and suggestions. Made some further adjustments- more contrast in 1, and reduced the red in 2 & 4. Gonna wait next for that prickly pear to bloom
Posted by Doug Beezley on March 20, 2012 at 11:09 PM
Doug,
All are really great but #2 seems special because the red rocks seem like a portal to the world of white behind - very inviting and creates a curiousity about what is back there.
Doug Beezley
Snellville, GA
Posted by Jack Garrett on March 21, 2012 at 1:26 AM
Posted by Chikku Baiju on March 21, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Awesome shots Doug! Love #2 and #4. Love that "zoomed in" perspective than the traditional wide view for #2. Good thing you waited till the snow stopped to get that shot. Looks very clean. It was nice meeting you there and it was a wonderful day for shooting. Hope to do this again sometime.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 21, 2012 at 3:40 PM
Doug, Jack and David- thanks.
Chikku- hopefully you and Michael thawed out. Did you come away with anything good? I think that box on the creek will be nice in summer or fall when the cottonwoods change.
Posted by Joshua Hardin on March 21, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Looks like it was a heck of a storm out there. I love the comp on #4, you kept the top of the cacti from touching Cathedral Rock in the reflection. Perfect! I agree with John about the contrast on #1. The red rock and white snow on the other two make some striking color contrasts that are very pleasing.
Great stuff, Doug! 3 and 4 are just awesome! And 2 is neat as well, doesn't feel quite like any shot I've ever seen, with the snow, red rock and reflections all together.
Posted by Dan Walters on March 25, 2012 at 8:58 PM
Great series. Like the reflection and the cactus in the foreground in the last image.
Posted by Guy Schmickle on April 2, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Very nice collection, Doug. I really like #2. I bet it was a bit hazardous descending down to that spot! My only critique is that I don't know if I like Cathedral Rock's reflection being cut off in the last one.
Discussion
22 repliesHere is a B&W conversion of a shot at Slide Rock on Oak Creek.
Joe Rogers
Michael
And two feet in Flag? Bet the Grand Canyon was tempting.
The b&w image is nice, but it's really quite flat. Not surprising looking at those skies. A healthy dose of contrast helps quite a bit.
The color images are outstanding winter scenes! My only nit is with the first. If you can mask off the very brightest (overexposed)patches of snow and then raise the brightness (via levels) of the rest of the scene, the snows look cleaner and the reds look redder without bumping saturation. Check it out...
No nits at all with the last two. The reflection image is damned near perfect and ready to be printed.
Excellent work, Doug! Looks well worth getting out into the elements.
All are really great but #2 seems special because the red rocks seem like a portal to the world of white behind - very inviting and creates a curiousity about what is back there.
Doug Beezley
Snellville, GA
Chikku- hopefully you and Michael thawed out. Did you come away with anything good? I think that box on the creek will be nice in summer or fall when the cottonwoods change.