Heaven and Earth

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 24, 20101,161 views44 comments

Captured this image about two weeks ago out a Grand Falls. I would love some feedback. Currently this is one of my favorite images I have captured in quite awhile. Does it work for you all? suggestions or comments would be great as well. I think I have it close to what I want.

Some of you may have heard about the D3s and it's high ISO capacity, but until you see it for yourself it is hard to imagine how well it handles noise. I have printed this at 16x24, and was shocked at how little noise there is and the noise that is present is soooo smooth, not distracting at all! Love this camera!

Nikon D3s
ISO 3200
30 secs
F2.8
3 stop hard ND over the sky

Comments

44 comments

Comment posted by Ian Plant on April 24, 2010 at 1:36 PM

really sweet

Registered on July 7, 2008, 271 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Kim on April 24, 2010 at 2:03 PM

I think this is beautiful, Shane. Just a pleasure to look at, lovely colors, the stars are wonderful...

Registered on July 1, 2006, 60 Posts, 1233 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on April 24, 2010 at 2:05 PM

Unique and excellent!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on April 24, 2010 at 2:11 PM

Shane,
Spectacular. I usually don't like a 50-50 comp but I love everything about this. I even like the little hut in the upper right corner. I wouldn't change a thing. What noise. I don't see any noise. Superb shot I understand why you love your camera. Wish I had one.
Dave

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 24, 2010 at 2:37 PM

David

I don't often like a centered horizon either, but I felt it worked well with this comp. because a lot of the lines and light pull the eye upstream and around the cliff edge. Doesn't feel static being in the center. Thanks for your feedback on that though, I was wondering what others would think of that.

Thanks, Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by JACK NEAL on April 24, 2010 at 3:35 PM

I can see why it is a favorite. Great shot!

Registered on September 26, 2009, 131 Posts, 554 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 24, 2010 at 5:29 PM

Very nice Shane. Easy to see why it is a favorite. Really cool looking water and the stars look great with this image. Nice work.

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on April 24, 2010 at 5:37 PM

Wonderful image, Shane. Amazing what that camera is capable of with the low noise.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Goldwasser on April 24, 2010 at 5:43 PM

Yup, this rocks, I wouldn't change a thing. You really need to view the larger version to appreciate this!

Registered on May 10, 2009, 127 Posts, 970 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 24, 2010 at 6:56 PM

Thanks everyone for the positive comments at my shot in the dark. Literally I couldn't see the scene at all once I drop the grad filer over the sky. Technology sure can be amazing when it works!

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Art Escobado on April 24, 2010 at 7:47 PM

this is really nice-maybe a tad brighter? the comp is strong!

Registered on January 7, 2007, 0 Posts, 775 Comments

Comment posted by Alessandro Carboni on April 24, 2010 at 7:51 PM

one to be proud of
no advices
only congrats and tfs
aLe

Registered on January 21, 2010, 20 Posts, 98 Comments

Comment posted by Yan Zhang on April 24, 2010 at 8:23 PM

This is stunning shot! I feel it really works well. I like how the water fall captured, but the sky stars just add an extra feature on this photo.

Registered on April 10, 2010, 28 Posts, 292 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on April 24, 2010 at 8:59 PM

The large version is very nice.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on April 24, 2010 at 10:41 PM

This would be favorite too were it in my portfolio. What a unique and excellent view of the place.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Nicolaus Wegner on April 25, 2010 at 12:01 AM

Wonderful image Shane.

Registered on February 21, 2010, 133 Posts, 1509 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on April 25, 2010 at 12:27 AM

Heavenly! This is really special in every respect.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on April 25, 2010 at 1:09 AM

Awesome photo Shane. I'm really enjoying the sky/stars in this one.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Hazelton on April 25, 2010 at 2:30 AM

Oooh, very cool. I love it.

Registered on August 6, 2008, 194 Posts, 1315 Comments

Comment posted by Balakumar Kaushik on April 25, 2010 at 5:25 AM

Excellent image - very unique !

Registered on January 4, 2008, 98 Posts, 1403 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on April 25, 2010 at 9:29 AM

This is superb, Shane! Great composition and color make this almost look like something out of a fantasy.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on April 25, 2010 at 9:48 AM

This is totally awesome!

Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 25, 2010 at 10:38 AM

So glad this one seems to be working for everyone viewing it. It felt like a unique image when I finished working with it, now I feel confident to leave it as it. However I am still open to any and all constructive critiques of how I might improve it.

Thanks for all the wonderful comments.

Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on April 25, 2010 at 10:53 AM

Stunning photo Shane, very other worldly. Love everything about this.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on April 25, 2010 at 11:07 AM

Fantastic!

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Dark on April 25, 2010 at 11:44 AM

Love it, Shane. Nikon has certainly outdone themselves with the 3s. I would imagine that you will be exploring lots of nighttime opportunities that have been, up till now, technically impossible. I look forward to seeing more!

Registered on May 27, 2005, 148 Posts, 1121 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 25, 2010 at 11:49 AM

Bill

Thanks for your comments. Absolutely, I have many planned locations this year for star light images. It is one of the primary reasons I purchased the D3s. I also had a look though your site, beautiful work mate.

Thanks for having a look,

Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on April 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM

This rocks!

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Rajeev Thomas on April 25, 2010 at 1:51 PM

One hell of an image Shane!! Beautiful.... love the different perspective... and starry skies....

Registered on February 20, 2008, 0 Posts, 291 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Roane on April 25, 2010 at 5:31 PM

very sweet image. I would like to see the bottom 1/2 about 1/3-1/2 stop brighter, but that's a matter of preference and taste. The sky is just amazing!

Registered on December 12, 2008, 213 Posts, 2226 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 25, 2010 at 6:05 PM

Hi Doug

Thanks for your critique and suggestion. I tried to brighten the falls and canyon, but it seemed to create an iincongruency with the night time sky, they no longer seemed to be of the same image if you know what I mean?

Thanks, Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on April 25, 2010 at 9:40 PM

Outstanding!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on April 25, 2010 at 9:57 PM

Holy hell. That's sick. What is the purple light from? Be proud of this.

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 25, 2010 at 11:52 PM

Aaron

The purple light, which was barely visible occurred at least an hour after sunset. Just a weird ambient glow started happening which cast gentle illumination on the falls as well. Thanks for your comment.

Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on April 27, 2010 at 3:07 AM

Incredible, Shane! The color palette is what really has me fascinated - it's so unusual to see that mix of browns and blues, which only adds to the surreal and moving nature of the rest of image.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on April 27, 2010 at 6:32 AM

Totally awesome, Shane! The colors in the sky and just beautiful as is the illumination. I can see why you love the D3s, it must open up a lot of creative possibilities. Such a beautiful shot. Congrats on a fine result.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 27, 2010 at 8:05 AM

I've been meaning to comment of this for days, but keep getting interrupted. Simply beautiful Shane. I do have a couple of minor nits (very minor). The bright area on the far left is a tad distracting, I might darken or burn that a bit, and the man-made looking structure on the far right - I might clone that out. Other than that, I really love this.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on April 27, 2010 at 1:10 PM

A well-deserved EP! This is quite a shot.

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 27, 2010 at 2:55 PM

Shane, beautiful image1 Congrats on the EP!
Sandy r

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

Comment posted by Alessandro Carboni on April 27, 2010 at 3:18 PM

absolutely stunning image
congrats

Registered on January 21, 2010, 20 Posts, 98 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on April 27, 2010 at 9:23 PM

David

Thanks for the compliments on my image. Yes the D3s has opened up so many possibilities. With such clean image quality up to 4000 iso, i will hopefully be able to create some incredibly unique gallery prints this coming year.

Thanks, Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Gloth on April 27, 2010 at 9:45 PM

Beautiful capture. Love the stars through the clouds. Great sense of motion and stillness simultaneously.

Registered on August 29, 2007, 96 Posts, 1003 Comments

Comment posted by Erik Iverson on April 28, 2010 at 12:07 AM

Spectacular shot. The combination of waves and clouds gives it incredible dynamism, while the 50-50 horizon placement really boosts the stability and balance, reinforcing your Heaven and Earth theme. Really impressed with the camera. I'd love to see what it does on classic wide-field astrophotography, if this is what happens with a 3 stop filter!

Registered on March 8, 2010, 1 Posts, 26 Comments

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on May 3, 2010 at 11:08 AM

Excellent and then some. Very cool!

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments