A round-up set of selected photographs from the first part of the year. I'll call it the Red and Gray Set since they fall into that earthy color range.
The first shot is one several of my friends like. It is from Death Valley, and the abstract shape evokes several meanings. I'll just call it "Keyhole".
Special thanks to Doug K for noticing the flower. Not your typical Mesa Arch shot and I like it, though looking for ideas to improve it. Would I prune the flower?
Shot during the Supermoon last month, but the trip was not about capturing the moon. I was looking at capturing Badwater at its eerie moon brightest. Taken around 3:00 am. Lonely.
From the Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage RR set. Presidents Day weekend the D&SNGRR hosts a Photographer's charter. While this is a train shot, the setting is rare - out in the deep canyons on a very snowy day with 100+ of your best photographer friends. This is my version of the entire day event.
#1 is interesting and unique. That was a good find.
I like the light, haze and b&w conversion in #2. Even though you lose the mountain peaks, I would crop out the bright sky to eliminate the distracting brightness. Either that or tone down the bright areas in the upper left corner.
The yucca flowers in #3 help make this stand out from other Mesa Arch images, but that unattractive scraggly bush dead center sucks all of the oxygen out of the shot. I wonder if there was any other way to incorporate the flowers into the composition?
Neat idea with the full moon in #4. Nice composition, as well. The colors are pretty drab along the desert floor and the horizon. I wonder if b&w might be a better medium here?
#5 is my favorite. Composition is terrific, as is just about everything else here. Love the reflected light in the water!
It's pretty underexposed, though (grey snow). A quick Levels adjustment will really make this one pop.
#6 is pretty good, too. I like the optical illusion and the conservative processing.
Pretty good haul for the first half of the year, Karl.
I like #6, #5 & #2. I'm having fun looking at #6 trying to figure out if it is a hole, or a rock sticking out. Keeps me guessing for sure. I like the energy and dynamics of #5, with the train chugging around the bend. Very neat. I think my cousin may have gone on the winter photog excursion, she loved it. It was very nice to meet you this weekend.
Love #5 especially, but very nice set. I missed Antelope Slot Canyon last winter on a trip out that way, and definitely need to go back, your photo confirms that for me for sure.
Like them all. The D&S NG RR shot is magazine cover worthy.
Posted by Darren Huski on May 24, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Great series!!
Posted by Doug Koepsel on May 24, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Karl,
Nice variety with the train image having the best interest for me. Maybe some levels and contrast adjustments for it to overcome the flat tones.
The Keyhole is interesting with the open view above the narrows.
As has been mentioned, losing the sky over Washer Woman may be good as the sky's brightness is distracting to me.
Posted by Rod Chandler on May 24, 2012 at 10:47 PM
Karl, I enjoyed meeting you at the Spring Fling and having a chance to visit at the picnic. I love the train shot and agree with John Mumaw that brightening the snow will make it a real winner. I also like the two Mesa Arch shots. Good work.
Very nice set, Karl! I really like the layered, monochrome take on Washerwoman, though I too think losing the sky is probably a good option. The train image is excellent and striking. But the keyhole is by far my favorite, with the beautiful reflected light and intimacy of the canyon juxtaposed with hints of expanse and distance in the view. I've never seen a shot like it.
I adjusted the levels +45 White, and accentuated with some black. I worry that the locomotive's headlight is a bit to strong and I might back off a tiny bit. Any more and the shot really begins to fall apart. May +60 at best. Overall, great recommendation.
I'll tell everyone a story. The night before this shot, I was at the other D&SNGRR event - the Roundhouse Shoot. You follow the servicing of a locomotive. So first shot, we are out by the sanding area and I set down the tripod with my Canon 7D and brandy new 70-200 f/2.8 II lens on a large metal plate in the yard. I turn to my bag and step on the corner of the plate - and it pivots down sending my whole rig backwards into a pile of metal bars and an old box car shack. Pick everything up - all looks ok. Set up the shot - "Busy" "CF Err". It took me a bit, but I discovered the impact put a long hole on the bottom edge of the 7D. No Camera. No backup. One of the other photographers I had earlier befriended had a third T2I he let me borrow for the whole weekend. So all my shots from that trip were on a borrowed T2I. Lesson - its good to have friends; but also good to have a backup. Of course my 7D is now the backup with the 5Dm3 taking the lead honors. BTW, the next D&SNGRR Photographer charter should be around end of September for their Fall Colors run. Well worth it!
I am still messing with the Mesa Arch shots - may need to call in a tree surgeon to deal with the dark green scraggly :) Next time I visit Michaels first (joke) :)
Thank-you for all the comments. I really appreciate them and hope to meet all of you again at the next events. Thanks Friends!
Discussion
18 repliesThe first shot is one several of my friends like. It is from Death Valley, and the abstract shape evokes several meanings. I'll just call it "Keyhole".
Special thanks to Doug K for noticing the flower. Not your typical Mesa Arch shot and I like it, though looking for ideas to improve it. Would I prune the flower?
Shot during the Supermoon last month, but the trip was not about capturing the moon. I was looking at capturing Badwater at its eerie moon brightest. Taken around 3:00 am. Lonely.
From the Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage RR set. Presidents Day weekend the D&SNGRR hosts a Photographer's charter. While this is a train shot, the setting is rare - out in the deep canyons on a very snowy day with 100+ of your best photographer friends. This is my version of the entire day event.
A fairly simple shot from Lower Antelope Canyon. I like it because the center section could be a passage or a layered rock. You decide.
I am working on a website as I build out the portfolio.
Thank-you for looking. Ideas welcome. Shoot some arrows too :)
I like the light, haze and b&w conversion in #2. Even though you lose the mountain peaks, I would crop out the bright sky to eliminate the distracting brightness. Either that or tone down the bright areas in the upper left corner.
The yucca flowers in #3 help make this stand out from other Mesa Arch images, but that unattractive scraggly bush dead center sucks all of the oxygen out of the shot. I wonder if there was any other way to incorporate the flowers into the composition?
Neat idea with the full moon in #4. Nice composition, as well. The colors are pretty drab along the desert floor and the horizon. I wonder if b&w might be a better medium here?
#5 is my favorite. Composition is terrific, as is just about everything else here. Love the reflected light in the water!
It's pretty underexposed, though (grey snow). A quick Levels adjustment will really make this one pop.
#6 is pretty good, too. I like the optical illusion and the conservative processing.
Pretty good haul for the first half of the year, Karl.
Like them all. The D&S NG RR shot is magazine cover worthy.
Nice variety with the train image having the best interest for me. Maybe some levels and contrast adjustments for it to overcome the flat tones.
The Keyhole is interesting with the open view above the narrows.
As has been mentioned, losing the sky over Washer Woman may be good as the sky's brightness is distracting to me.
I'll tell everyone a story. The night before this shot, I was at the other D&SNGRR event - the Roundhouse Shoot. You follow the servicing of a locomotive. So first shot, we are out by the sanding area and I set down the tripod with my Canon 7D and brandy new 70-200 f/2.8 II lens on a large metal plate in the yard. I turn to my bag and step on the corner of the plate - and it pivots down sending my whole rig backwards into a pile of metal bars and an old box car shack. Pick everything up - all looks ok. Set up the shot - "Busy" "CF Err". It took me a bit, but I discovered the impact put a long hole on the bottom edge of the 7D. No Camera. No backup. One of the other photographers I had earlier befriended had a third T2I he let me borrow for the whole weekend. So all my shots from that trip were on a borrowed T2I. Lesson - its good to have friends; but also good to have a backup. Of course my 7D is now the backup with the 5Dm3 taking the lead honors. BTW, the next D&SNGRR Photographer charter should be around end of September for their Fall Colors run. Well worth it!
I am still messing with the Mesa Arch shots - may need to call in a tree surgeon to deal with the dark green scraggly :) Next time I visit Michaels first (joke) :)
Thank-you for all the comments. I really appreciate them and hope to meet all of you again at the next events. Thanks Friends!