Keyhole Arch Dream

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 11, 2011934 views49 comments

I've had this shot in my head since I was a teenager. I used to camp near here on the Oregon Coast. I was recently inspired to revisit this place after seeing shots from Mark Metternich, Chip Phillips, Rick Lundh and some others. This was taken last night in the freezing cold with a nice storm swell. Besides some minor hypothermia it was epic.

3 exposures hand blended in photoshop using my advanced blending techniques.
f/22, ISO 50
Longest exposure was 20 sec.

You can see a short video of the waves crashing earlier in the day here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv7x1sfbwbM

Comments

49 comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 11, 2011 at 12:38 PM

Zack: Striking shot of a wonderful scene. I especially like the long exposure effect. Is this at Cape Kiwanda? I drove by there a couple of months ago but didn't have time to stop and investigate. Plus there was no light and it was a bad time but this certainly makes me want to return. >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on January 11, 2011 at 12:40 PM

Great mix of warm and cool tones. The blends look great - what are your advanced techniques, we're dying to know!

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on January 11, 2011 at 12:43 PM

Thanks Bill. Yes this is Kiwanda. I wanted to do something different than others I mentioned, I always had an ethereal image in my minds eye when I visited this location.

Harry, I use a combination of freehand masking, advanced selections, luminosity masks, and a few other techniques to do a tough blend like this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Todd Liotine on January 11, 2011 at 1:05 PM

very ethereal, great job on the blending.

Registered on July 1, 2008, 131 Posts, 671 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 11, 2011 at 1:09 PM

Beautiful color Zack, and excellent blend. The 20 second exposure makes it look so calm, but I'm sure it probably wasn't.

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

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on January 11, 2011 at 1:23 PM

I quite like this Zach. The blend is excellent and the composition strong. However, somehow I feel that if the rock behind the arch were not visible, but only the sunset and horizon, this would be even more powerful. Of course I am not sure if it was possible at all to obtain such an angle.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on January 11, 2011 at 1:25 PM

looks great Zack!

I doubt it will be around for many more years, so we better get the most out of it huh?...

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Lundh on January 11, 2011 at 1:29 PM

Love this capture! I have only been successful at sunrise from here. My two attempts during sunset were shut out by the marine layer. I'm glad you came out with more success...this turned out beautiful!

The waves in your video dont do justice to the daunting feeling of the waves as they come at you in this local. Probably because the fact that in addition to the waves crashing towards you, the surf also rises quickly behind you as well...giving one the feeling of nowhere to run!

Registered on April 28, 2004, 774 Posts, 4351 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on January 11, 2011 at 1:31 PM

Vincent, that's actually not possible. There is only a small ledge that is relatively "safe" to shoot from in conditions like this and it does not afford an unobstructed view.

Mark, yes I agree. I don't think this will be around for too much longer. You can see in the video I posted in the original post that is just gets pounded relentlessly.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on January 11, 2011 at 1:37 PM

Rick, man are you right. I had a couple frightening moments when a huge swell would come rushing in and crash up and all around me. Me and my equipment got drenched quite a few times. if a large enough sneaker wave hit you up here, it would tear you right off the ledge and toss you onto the rocks. I have enormous respect for the ocean. I've had a couple very close calls over the years, I try never to underestimate it's power.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laureys on January 11, 2011 at 1:55 PM

Excellent!!!, Nice blending technique.

Registered on January 5, 2008, 590 Posts, 1261 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on January 11, 2011 at 2:09 PM

Very creative shot, I like the long exposure effect on the water and rocks, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on January 11, 2011 at 2:34 PM

Quite intriguing to view through the arch into the distance, guided by the foggy water and the rocks. The blending looks excellent. A very believeable and harmonic looking range of luminosity and tone.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 11, 2011 at 2:36 PM

Beautiful!

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

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on January 11, 2011 at 2:49 PM

Magical scene, blend looks very good, except for a little haloing around the keyhole and distant rock, at least on my monitor.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on January 11, 2011 at 2:52 PM

Zack, the slight haloing is caused by sharpening for the web, the original does not exhibit any signs of this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Luis Argerich on January 11, 2011 at 4:51 PM

Hi Zack
Gorgeous image, the foreground is fantastic and the background has beautiful colors. I love the result!

Registered on December 22, 2009, 91 Posts, 1349 Comments

Comment posted by James Fougère on January 11, 2011 at 4:55 PM

Stunning! Nice work Zack! I am looking forward to having those processing skills

Registered on October 25, 2010, 41 Posts, 831 Comments

Comment posted by Wieslaw Poltorak on January 11, 2011 at 4:59 PM

Wonderful capture Zack. Flawless precessing. Love the foreground.

Registered on September 25, 2007, 37 Posts, 187 Comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on January 11, 2011 at 6:46 PM

Amazing image!

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 11, 2011 at 6:56 PM

Zack,

I thought this looked familiar...

Nice to see a post from you. this is just fantastic. This one is a bit different than the other takes. I love the water treatment here and while subtle and small, the faint clouds and color at the top of the opening I think is icing on the cake. Processing looks great to me.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Gino Cortez on January 11, 2011 at 7:36 PM

Very lovely transition of tones, color, and blending. This is really great!

Registered on November 23, 2010, 57 Posts, 396 Comments

Comment posted by Barry Ashenhurst on January 11, 2011 at 7:43 PM

Nice Zach. What are those 'advanced blending techniques'?

Registered on August 4, 2009, 253 Posts, 455 Comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on January 11, 2011 at 7:51 PM

A dream shot for sure, beautiful work!

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on January 11, 2011 at 8:33 PM

Those ghostly streaks of light passing over the rocks is pretty cool.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Martin on January 11, 2011 at 8:35 PM

Love the effect the long exposure has on the water over the rocks. Nice!

Registered on September 1, 2008, 2 Posts, 24 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on January 11, 2011 at 9:51 PM

Pretty freakin epic. Definitely curious on your blending tech as these scenes are freaking challenging. Killer result!

aF

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

Comment posted by Vance Gese on January 11, 2011 at 10:08 PM

Spectacular,Zack. Incredible composition and color. I would say that you have more than accomplished your dream shot. This is fantastic.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on January 11, 2011 at 10:12 PM

Aaron, the blending techniques consist of freehand masking, advanced selections, luminosity masks, and a few other advanced techniques as well. Each job is different and requires different tools. This is by far the most popular topic I get asked about during photoshop workshops. It's not a silver bullet easy technique, but a system of tools and techniques to adapt to different blending situations.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 11, 2011 at 10:32 PM

Very nice light all around. The misty rocks in the foreground are fantastic.

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

Comment posted by Miles Morgan on January 11, 2011 at 11:19 PM

This is wicked cool Zack. I love the decision to keep the dark tones in the rock walls, which highlights the mystic water. These rocks always looked like alien pods to me. Just a very cool place to shoot, and probably the first place I ever got an image that I thought was halfway decent, so this spot will always hold great appeal to me. This is just a fabulous example of pre-visualization

Registered on November 23, 2009, 6 Posts, 185 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on January 11, 2011 at 11:21 PM

Hey Miles, I forgot to mention your name as well. Your shot was another that inspired me to go back to this place and bring my camera. I love your version as well.

Cheers

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on January 12, 2011 at 12:29 AM

Great processing Zack and an awesome, balanced composition. You must have been the only person in Oregon out shooting last night during the national championship game. It certainly paid, definitely better than the game here

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Vlad Sadovsky on January 12, 2011 at 12:34 AM

Very impressive, this composition with smoothed water transitioning into the reddish skies made this one my favorite image of this place.. Great job

Registered on November 12, 2010, 48 Posts, 358 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on January 12, 2011 at 11:05 AM

Beautiful image Zack, love the colors and the misty water motion from the long exposure. I think the blend looks great.
I have to get to the Pacific NW someday, looks like such an amazing place to explore.

Registered on June 30, 2008, 203 Posts, 2641 Comments

Comment posted by dean hebert on January 12, 2011 at 1:08 PM

I'm usually not a big fan of "foggy" water but in this case it adds a dream-like ethereal quality to the image. Great job on the processing.

Registered on August 4, 2010, 70 Posts, 1132 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on January 12, 2011 at 2:52 PM

wonderful indeed

very nice processing

thanks for sharing us your dreams

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on January 12, 2011 at 3:10 PM

This looks terrific Zack, I like the glistening light on the wet rocks and walls especially. Great job on the blend.

Gary.

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

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on January 12, 2011 at 3:21 PM

What a cool spot, another great image Zack. Love the light play on the water.

Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on January 12, 2011 at 8:54 PM

Yeah, you and a few others have some great pics from this spot. I'd say this one is unique in it's ethereal darker presentation. I like it a lot! I hesitate to suggest it because your processing is so strong, I imagine it is exactly what you intend. But I can't help but want just a little more visible detail on the walls. I can see it's there, so it might be just the small size. A large print probably looks just fine.

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Arild Heitmann on January 13, 2011 at 4:27 AM

I love the foreground blues and exposure...terrific! Great blend, Zack!

Registered on October 13, 2010, 27 Posts, 378 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on January 13, 2011 at 5:11 AM

Fantastic! The foreground holds it's own with the colorful keyhole.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on January 13, 2011 at 8:03 AM

Love the eerie mood. Awesome work!

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Chip Phillips on January 13, 2011 at 2:47 PM

Looks like the tide worked out for you Zack. Glad you got to shoot this in these conditions. I love your rendition here. I'm also jealous that you are so close to that area, and can just shoot over when things look like they will line up.

(that's me being jealous)

Registered on November 26, 2007, 128 Posts, 1436 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on January 13, 2011 at 10:52 PM

Wonderful color and light! Dreamy feel. Well done!

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

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on January 13, 2011 at 10:54 PM

Fantastic!!!!

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

Comment posted by Abdullaziz Bin Ali on January 14, 2011 at 12:40 AM

What a location
gorgeous image

Registered on May 31, 2009, 112 Posts, 1590 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on January 14, 2011 at 2:03 AM

Wonderful effect on the foreground rocks, it makes the scene so dreamy. I also love the hint of yellow on the horizon, it adds a lot of depth.

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

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on January 24, 2011 at 8:24 PM

Zach,
I read on FM that the Kiwanda arch has fallen, and this link
http://www.kgw.com/your-pics/114468434.html
I have enjoyed your images, and by others, of this location.

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments