Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: maddogmurph on August 04, 2017, 06:45:54 pm
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On the drive towards my goal, I was certainly second guessing my idea. The weather on the satellites was showing the storm hitting the Paria Plains at 45 degree angle and moving northeast in a triangular wedge mostly to the east of my location which meant (hopefully) I'd be out of the strike zone of the monsoon rains and lightning. The area to the west was mostly clear for the monsoon season, and I nothing particularly devastating to the south that would move onto my location during the night.
I packed my backpack, and set out on the trail less route to the wave, navigating into a gray foreboding land, watching my light fade as the last golden rays ducked behind storm clouds. I was moving as fast as I could, sweating, with not much hope, but still trying.
I was distracted by the beauty on the way, and my route was not true, which cost me time. Once I got there, the rain started to set in, and so did my fear, and realization of what I had done. I'd hiked into the backcountry desert during monsoon season. The rain started to hit harder, fast! I pulled out my umbrella (which I keep for sun in the desert), my rain coat (even though it was hot), a plastic bag, and the rain cover for my camera (I've blown a camera in Iceland from rain). I was realizing I might need to shelter, and soon, a heavy shower hit me, and then as soon as it had come, it dissipated and was mostly gone.
I quickly uncovered my gear, and set up a bracketed time lapse on location, just as the sun hit the gap I had been driving through on the way here. Whether it was unbelievable luck, or skill in reading weather, who knows. The fact is that rainbows started coming out, the clouds lit up for the next hour at least, and I was running around frantically trying to capture as much of the place as humanly possible in the best light I've ever seen in this place.
I didn't have much time - just that much - before darkness set in again, lightning started crashing down from the south in darkness (with the wind blowing everything from the south in my direction), and I was running my ass out of there as fast as humanly possible. Lucky for me the wind was slow and lazy and eventually I realize that the darkness had amplified an irrational fear, the storm was probably 40 miles to the south, but when darkness hits and you're in a valley, it's impossible to tell. It very well could have been right on top of me.
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Lovely
Jay
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Beautiful Image and great story to go along with it. Just a suggestion, you know what they say about opinions, but I feel like the image is a little dark (particularly in the foreground). Perhaps increasing the brightness would help to emphasize the detail in the rock.
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I quickly uncovered my gear, and set up a bracketed time lapse on location, just as the sun hit the gap I had been driving through on the way here. Whether it was unbelievable luck, or skill in reading weather, who knows. The fact is that rainbows started coming out, the clouds lit up for the next hour at least, and I was running around frantically trying to capture as much of the place as humanly possible in the best light I've ever seen in this place.
I can imagine, I know this "state", too, when one thinks "oh my god, I'd need to stop time fore some hours to see it all" ... well. I think you did well, are there more pictures to see anywhere?
This one is about perfect for me, perfect enough to be really envious.
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Beautiful Image and great story to go along with it. Just a suggestion, you know what they say about opinions, but I feel like the image is a little dark (particularly in the foreground). Perhaps increasing the brightness would help to emphasize the detail in the rock.
+1 altough I understand that the reality was that dark.
Thierry
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It's a beautiful image, and realistic looking from a light standpoint. I have to agree however, that it would be nice to see a little more detail in the foreground. :)
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Looks like you accidentally posted a raw file, before processing it? ;)
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Superb moment. Thanks for risking your gear and your ass for us.
I've never had the courage or confidence in my own skills to hike into the Pariah Canyon alone.
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Great story and a wonderful image. I like it as it is. The relative darkness is not a problem for me although it might not be easy to print.
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I like it as it is, natural and subdued.
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We've all seen many shots of the Wave in "good" light. If this were processed in a more conventional manner, it would lose the sense of twilight, which I like very much.
Fine shot just as it is!
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Unedited straight out of the camera - almost just posted this... I loved the dark feel of the photo. I almost felt like I ruined it during the editing process, but obviously I need to lighten this dramatically for print. Which I'll probably do ... but I've got so many. It's nearly impossible to pick which ones to print, they are all spectacular.
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"Brightness" is relative of course ... I happened to look at the 2nd picture in a dark room right now and can say it's pretty amazing as well. Sure a conventional print in a day-lit room it would be very dark, but think of a dark hallway and a bright spot on it or even a lightbox ... than the 2nd might be even better. All hypothetical, me, too often thinks: That would be a great picture printed big and than I wonder just where the heck I could hang it ... time to get a billionaire with lot's of real estate just to place pictures ...