Field of Opportunity

The sunflower fields near Dove Creek, CO are rotated yearly, and this particular year I thought I had hit the jackpot. This field faced the Blue (Abajo) Mountains in Utah standing tall to the west and myself standing tall on a high point in the field to the east. All I needed was a nice sunset to complement this beautiful scene.
I returned every evening for two weeks only to get skunked again and again. This evening, the flowers grew heavy with seed and bowed their heads down for the year, leaving me with this test image to ensure that the three image focal blend I attempted would work (it did).
So, here's to missed opportunities and future goals!

IMO with the sunflowers being the main subject I think the sky takes a back seat. One thing you might consider is turning the grey clouds to more of a blueish color. Yellow and blue compliment each other well. Nonetheless I would love to have this shot. Nice work John! Around here this summer in southwest Montana all we get is smoke. You can hardly see the mountains. I'm glad you've got some decent skies.

I think it has been that kinda year.

I have to add... nice detail going fairly far back.

That's a great field of wildflowers John- better than what i have seen in Denver area. Nice capture!

You did hit the jackpot! Nice image, John.
Joe Rogers

Yeah, that comp is full of potential. All it needs is a great sky. That stinks that you didn't get a decent sunset for 14 straight days. The focal blend does look good.

That's disappointing in that there was no colorful sunset in a couple of weeks. You had a great location. Were you able to make any intimate/semi-macro shots?

What a bummer with the lack of a decent sunset. What are the odds over a two week period?! This is still a cool shot and I kinda like Dean's suggestion earlier with adding a touch of blue (probably easily done with the vibrance slider). Now ya know what you'll be doing around the same time next year!

I think it's lovely, and the sunflowers really pop with color against the sky.

Man, this is simply one of the prettiest sunflower photos I've seen! They just POP off the screen.

Pretty darn nice for a missed opportunity, John! I agree that the mountains and sky provide a nice subdued counterpoint to offset the main subject. Also agree about trying to make the sky just a little more blue.

The gray clouds are a nice counterpoint to the spectacular field of flowers. There are enough features and a touch of color above the horizon to provide interest in the upper third and to give a nice graphic backdrop to the sunflowers.

John, those sunflowers are outrageous! What about cropping about the top 1/3 of the sky, since the flowers are the main subject & the sky, while being a good contrast to the flowers, isn't a major player?

Thanks, folks! I really appreciate the color balance and cropping suggestions. Very helpful!

In many ways the grayish-blue background actually brings out the yellow in the flowers quite well. Thus, with that background the focus is really on the flowers. I wonder if that would be the same situation with a conflicting orange-yellow sunset.
Regardless, your blend is well done!

Your focus stack really gives this image a 3D effect. Beautiful image John...

You're kidding, right? What missed opportunity? I agree with increasing the blue in the sky but those flowers are spectacular. Your technique was perfect and I envy your ability to achieve this crisp DOF

Wow, great shot. Don't mind the sky as it is. Two much color in the sky would draw away from the flowers. What a healthy looking crop.

John, if you have any more "test" shots you don't want to claim, send 'em my way

If you don't like the sky, crop it and you have a really nice sunflower pano.