Monster Cloud

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 22, 2009174 views8 comments

As the sun set over the Grand Tetons, this cloud moved in and just kept growing to this enormous proportion. If you look in the bottom 10 percent of the background, you can see the mountains. Ideally I would have used a smaller aperture for better DOF, but the light was fading and I only had a few minutes to set up and capture. Hope you like it.
Nikon D200
12-24mm f4 Nikkor @ 12mm
f5.6
1/125 sec
400 ISO
Tripod

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on December 22, 2009 at 7:26 PM

I'm a cloud junkie Roger. I certainly like it.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Kenn Leonhardt on December 22, 2009 at 8:40 PM

That's a fierce looking cloud, for sure. It's great how it dwarfs the Tetons.

Have you done any post processing with this? It looks to me like you haven't done much, but with some quick and easy adjustments it'd take this photo up a few notches. For example, increasing the shadow detail along the bottom, removing the big dust spot in the sky, and giving some added contrast to the clouds would really give this more punch.

Registered on March 29, 2008, 27 Posts, 1710 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Pullen on December 22, 2009 at 8:52 PM

Its size, compared to the Tetons is amazing. Very nice. Ron

Registered on December 18, 2005, 74 Posts, 1413 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 22, 2009 at 9:04 PM

Yikes! Huge!
I agree with the post-processing tips from Ken.. could really improve this nice shot a lot.

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on December 22, 2009 at 10:26 PM

Definitely a monster cloud. I agree that it might benefit from some processing, but the simple graphic shape of the cloud is what makes this.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on December 22, 2009 at 11:09 PM

Yikes! Huge!
I agree with the post-processing tips from Ken.. could really improve this nice shot a lot.

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on December 23, 2009 at 1:28 AM

Roger, Wow, what a series of great cloud shots here at NPN. This is enormous, it's dwarfing the Tetons below it. I agree too on the processing if it can be done with out noise entering the scene. If you have the info in the RAW at plus 1 or 2 EV steps then go for it.

SS

Registered on January 2, 2008, 360 Posts, 5321 Comments

Comment posted by Roger Hayden on December 23, 2009 at 5:06 PM

Thanks for the comments. Yes, more shadow detail would improve this. I did try that using shadow/highlight adjustments, pushing as far as I could before too much noise appeared. I also used Nik software, adjusting with luminance/warmth for the cloud. So in terms of post processing, I think I've pushed it to the max. Additional suggestions still welcome.

Registered on November 21, 2009, 41 Posts, 201 Comments