Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
The Needles
‹ PreviousLandscape GalleryNext ›

The Needles

by Stan Rose

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 10, 2010451 views39 comments
This is from an afternoon hike to Chesler Park in the Needles district of Canyonlands NP the other day. I knew the afternoon sun wasnt gonna help the colors any, so i was looking for B&W subjects and this is one that appealed to me. The cirrus filled sky was a nice subject, so i used the deep shadows from the 'needles' to block the sun (you can see a bit of the direct sunlight on the rhs). A little conversion, and i think this captured the scene pretty well but would love to hear your thoughts!
5Dmkii; 17-40; 2 img blend at f/18
C&C Welcome!

Comments

39 comments
Comment posted by Abdullaziz Bin Ali on November 10, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Wow Stan
this is really amazing
Perfect
Registered on May 31, 2009, 112 Posts, 1590 Comments
Comment posted by Danny Laureys on November 10, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Great Shot!!! :toast: :toast:
Registered on January 5, 2008, 590 Posts, 1261 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Gomez on November 10, 2010 at 12:48 PM
Looks great to me, Stan! :toast: :jump:
Registered on March 3, 2007, 206 Posts, 1853 Comments
Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on November 10, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Looks pretty majestic Stan - like a castle! The sky works great here - I like the how it glows in the centre. It gives the scene a magic touch. An image with great impact!
Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments
Comment posted by Matt Anderson on November 10, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Very nice Stan. I like dramatic feel, the tones, and the details!

Well done my friend!

:toast:
Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments
Comment posted by Eva McDermott on November 10, 2010 at 1:08 PM
Fantastic mood Stan! I especially like how the sky is radiating around the needles. Excellent detail and tonal range.
Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments
Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on November 10, 2010 at 1:15 PM
Very dramatic and unusual Stan. You certainly have a knack for capturing of original images of often photographed places. If that's a trail coming in from the left - I'd consider cloning it out. I like this a lot. The web sharpness and tonalities are very strong.

Michael
Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments
Comment posted by John Williams on November 10, 2010 at 1:24 PM
Wow, the top 2/3 is about as good as it gets. In fact, I like a pano crop to right below that great dead tree on the left. Superb choice to backlight the needles for this conversion. That needle on the left leans a little hard, maybe a bit of perspective correction?
Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments
Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on November 10, 2010 at 1:38 PM
This works great for me . . . a bit spooky, very dramatic, very effective. I visited Chesler Park about 10 years ago and loved it. I'm surprised more photos from this location aren't posted on NPN.
Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments
Comment posted by Cory O'Neill on November 10, 2010 at 2:41 PM
Love this, Stan! Great work! :toast:
Registered on October 4, 2008, 28 Posts, 273 Comments
Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on November 10, 2010 at 2:47 PM
Fantastic Stan! The Needles are very imposing and the darkness adds to it. High thumbs up from me.
Registered on September 29, 2009, 137 Posts, 2659 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gallagher on November 10, 2010 at 2:53 PM
The sky and needles make a beautiful B&W composition. I would like the LRC a little bit lighter.
Registered on April 21, 2007, 7 Posts, 54 Comments
Comment posted by Mike Ryan on November 10, 2010 at 2:57 PM
Looks pretty good. Black and White works nicely here. I'd consider small crop off the bottom to eliminate the two bushes on the bottom left.
Registered on June 29, 2008, 85 Posts, 636 Comments
Comment posted by dean hebert on November 10, 2010 at 2:59 PM
Fantastic Stan! The back lighting is great! :toast:
Registered on August 4, 2010, 70 Posts, 1132 Comments
Comment posted by Monica Siri on November 10, 2010 at 3:02 PM
Superb work, Stan. :toast:
Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments
Comment posted by Arnab Banerjee on November 10, 2010 at 4:51 PM
pretty wild shot. Looks like need a little bit perspective correction if you care - but otherwise good as is
Registered on January 3, 2007, 313 Posts, 2270 Comments
Comment posted by Barry Vangrov on November 10, 2010 at 5:29 PM
Well done Stan. As I've commented here many times I'd love to see more B&Ws posted (I'm getting ready to posted another of my own) and this is a good one. Darkening the sky and your angle on the needle gives it a gloomy castle-like look.
Registered on September 1, 2009, 148 Posts, 749 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on November 10, 2010 at 5:36 PM
I really like this Stan and I like it even better with the bottom cropped off to just above the fg stone (which effectively removes the trail too). Super b/w subject!
Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments
Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 10, 2010 at 5:51 PM
Thanks folks, i was wondering if my intentional dark processing would work and it looks good so far...
I kind of like the lens distortion but ill try a correction and see how it looks. I didnt even notice the 'trail' until i read the comments--since there really isnt a trail here--its just a series of cairns marking the route. But i guess that part of the route got well-trodden...
Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments
Comment posted by Paul DeCesare on November 10, 2010 at 6:42 PM
:::KLUNK:::

"HEY, somebody want to hand me my jaw over there?!?"

Great shot buddy, you hit it. The tones are great, this needs to be printed huge with all grayscale ink in the tanks.

There are suggestions about cropping out the FG rock. I covered it up and to e a complete removal makes the scene feel unreachable. If you must crop (which I'm fine with it as is), I'd leave at least 30% of the FG rock visible. It would help anchor your position "in" the image as you view it, if that makes sense.

Any chance you'll be doing a downloadable PDF eBook on your B&W conversion process? Ian Plant does some things like that. Seriously, I'd spring for that one! Either that or I drive up your way and peek over your shoulder!
Registered on August 31, 2007, 29 Posts, 202 Comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on November 10, 2010 at 7:31 PM
An epic shot if I ever saw one! Very medieval and gothic looking. Outstanding work.
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by Justin Reznick on November 10, 2010 at 9:57 PM
The arrangement of the needles in the comp is fantastic, I love the strong triangle formed, with the pinnacle highlighted by the bright cloud. Wonderful image Stan! Only nit, the bright spot in the lower right is a tiny bit distracting.
Registered on November 24, 2009, 79 Posts, 515 Comments
Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on November 10, 2010 at 11:14 PM
This looks great, Stan. I think I prefer this to your last post. Loving the little bit of light from behind. :toast:
Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments
Comment posted by David Edwards on November 10, 2010 at 11:20 PM
Brilliant, Stan. The needles look like massive cathedrals, and that sky is just awesome! B/W conversion is excellent as is the overall mood and presence that is just majestic. Wonderful shot!
:toast:
Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments
Comment posted by Vance Gese on November 10, 2010 at 11:31 PM
Has the look of a medieval fortress at night, silhouetted by the rising moon. Absolutely awesome. Amazing how you transformed a midday image into something that really is epic.
Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on November 11, 2010 at 1:37 AM
Stan,

This is simply fantastic. Can't think of anything to nitpick (and I'm really good at that!) An impressive setting, glorious conditions and just a well crafted and captured image.

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Andreas Resch on November 11, 2010 at 2:45 AM
Great angle, great tonality, great drama - great shot, Stan.
Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments
Comment posted by Arild Heitmann on November 11, 2010 at 5:18 AM
The conversion is pretty much perfect imo....

Very dramatic and eyecatching!
Registered on October 13, 2010, 27 Posts, 378 Comments
Comment posted by Winnie Ho on November 11, 2010 at 6:24 AM
Excellent wow-inducing B&W. I like this perspective- the needles appear to be piercing the sky in the most dramatic and forboding manner here. Very cool and slightly scary too.
Registered on January 6, 2008, 93 Posts, 1788 Comments
Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on November 11, 2010 at 9:47 AM
It really has a cool fantastic feel to it! Your already great vision is growing with each new photo you show us, Stan! Superb!
Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments
Comment posted by Morris McClung on November 11, 2010 at 10:48 AM
Outsanding comp! It is a little too dark for my tastes, but I'm viewing it in a bright room right now. I'll look again after dark.
Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments
Comment posted by Laurent Baig on November 11, 2010 at 1:39 PM
Very dramatic!
Registered on January 12, 2005, 206 Posts, 6784 Comments
Comment posted by Yan Zhang on November 11, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Amazing picture!
Registered on April 10, 2010, 28 Posts, 292 Comments
Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on November 11, 2010 at 5:51 PM
wow :toast:

VERY NICE B&W :smile:
Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Cowan on November 11, 2010 at 8:03 PM
Stan,
I like the processing with the little bit of vignetting in the sky. The comp is also nice with the flanking needles and the primary group in the middle. Nice detail too in the needles.
Registered on September 22, 2010, 8 Posts, 165 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Lou on November 12, 2010 at 9:45 AM
A very powerful composition.
Registered on August 3, 2010, 86 Posts, 273 Comments
Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 12, 2010 at 11:58 AM
Thanks for all the comments, folks! :smile:
Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on November 12, 2010 at 10:14 PM
Excellent, Stan. Reminds of Adamus' work.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on January 7, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Great shot, beautifully seen!
Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments