Photo of the Month 6/'11

This is the most unique image I have seen from a slot canyon Mark. Framing with opposing walls set the stage for a magnificent show of light and color. Beautiful work!

Mark, the beam in this looks a little weird to me. Too much of a soft-edged look to it, because natural light and shadow here would cause a harder edge. Almost looks like one of those plug-in forest beam effects, although I'm sure it wasn't. The rest of the composition is very, very well done.

Thanks very much Eva.

Yes, you have a sharp eye Marc. The beam is REAL. I did not want the beam to get that hard edge look which you see in antelope a lot (which it did not have to the eye) so I purposely controlled contrast there (lessoned it) to keep the look more subdued/diffused.

Personally I would keep it harder, Mark. It's hard edges that are causing the beam, afterall. Just my two cents.

Thanks Marc, as always I appreciate the feedback.

I'm currently processing a whole bunch of Antelope shots (upper and lower) for a clients gallery and you see both types of beams in these shots. Sometimes razor sharp edge and at other times much more diffused. This one was more diffused to the eye (even just a little more faint than you see here) so I went for that...

This is a very unique image Mark, since it has the circular framing arch entrance, and the cracked mud etc instead of sand in the scene. I really like it ! Quite a technical feat you have achieved here. I am not sure what I would prefer with regards to the beam of light, but it may be worth posting the "hard edge version" to compare Well Done

Thanks very much James. In the two previous years coming to this location it was full of rocks! When I finally climbed down here I was so pleased to see the curled up dry mud!

The technical "feat" was really not that hard (I had all day to think about it). I just used "Live View" 10X to focus on the very closest wall, then shot the 3 bracket shots (+ and - 2 stops) then moved the lens focus manually a very small amount toward the infinity line, let the camera stabilize (no camera shake) then shot another 3 bracketed shots and repeated... In PS it is pretty darn easy (so far) to get the auto command to blend them (when the scene is totally static like here). And again, if it was not for producing very large fine art gallery prints, I might not go to the trouble...

This is an amazing shot Mark. I love your composition and it's a technical masterpiece. Personally I would prefer the color saturation and contrast to be a little lower on the left side. But I'm a bit of a softy from the old school.

I know we are not supposed to post two images (sorry) but here is a self portrait (I also have been doing a lot of video lately to eventually produce some vid productions) of a location I was demonstrating squeezing through a crack (downward). Its another thing entirely to do it with camera and tripod!

Sweet image Mark. I really like the contrasty feel to this and the beam of light is awesome.

This is sweet! Yup, sweet!

Thanks for the information on how this is done. I wish I got to spend more time in the slot canyons on my recent trip, but I am not that familiar with where they are all, other than Antelope. I will be back in November this year, and plan to get to a few!

Looking at your 2nd photo here, brings one thing to mind " 127hrs"

For me, the texture in what I presume is mud really sets this image apart from so many of the "Antelope Canyon" shots that we see. The textures in the walls and the framing are also great.

Hard beam, soft beam . . . we're really splitting hairs here. I just like the textural quality you were able to impart to this. Pretty unique image from a slot canyon.

Excellent!!! Great colors.

The canyons' near to far elements in great focus and the lovely comp makes it a great image. I am confused with the presence of caked mud in the image looks like debris in this so pleasing canyon. I would like to see a hard ray rather than the soft one here. Your images are a great learning for those uninitiated in blending.

Hi Vijay Raj, thank you for your thoughtful comments.

The caked mud is actually a blessing in this canyon. I have been here several times over a couple years and there was always a huge (and ugly) rock pile here (caused by flash floods) so to get anything but a huge piles of rocks is great!. You can never get that simple sand type of foreground here.

As far as the light beam, as I said in my previous reply, it was a faint diffused beam so I'm cool with it being represented closely like it was rather than as you see them more (much more sharp) often from Antelope Canyon shots.

Killer comp and the soft beam works out just great!!
Can't wait to see the video when you get it edited!

much more contrasty than other canyon shots we usually see here. compositionally interesting as well. nice work.

Pretty incredible spot and holy hell 45 images!? Guess the light cant change much while you're doing that. The blacks bug me a bit seemingly turned up too much but overall killer take on this place....wherever it is :) Rock on!

aF

Mark, this is outstanding. Very unique with many interesting elements. My initial thought was that the midtone contrast was a little heavy, but the more I look at it I like it as it goes along with the texture and punchy contrasty look you were going for. Nice job

This is beautiful, Mark! Fantastic detail and an original view I have not seen before. Well worth the effort to find and produce!

Just a personal observation: I learned a long time ago that when it comes to technical details and good photography, more is often less and can take away from the romance and mystery of the image itself.

"I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have the light joyousness of springtime which never lets anyone suspect the labors it has cost me." --Henri Matisse

Guy

Hi Mark,
I've seen a lot of slot canyon photos and this is new. Congratulations for the idea and the flawless execution.
I want to see that print!

So, what did you do all day waiting here for this moment? I love the composition, and the shaft of light. Sharper might be more dramatic, but I like this presentation just fine. I noticed the heavy contrast right away. I like it, but it might be just a tad too much. This kind of had me thinking of a "Dream Chamber", so maybe you did a lot day dreaming while you were waiting?

I like the thought of just letting the art speak for itself. But I also like the explanation of how you were able to achieve this result. It's good to know you can't just go pull of something like this with just a single exposure.

Chris

The light and dark tones in this image will reproduce magically on Flex. The composition is sweet, and the conditions of the mud are very unique. When you have your red carpet opening of your future gallery, make sure you send me an invite. :-)

Fantastic! I love the kind of round chamber you found, and the textures throughout this scene are incredible.

Thanks Aaron. I (as do others) have a black background website and find I need (or can) push contrast a tad more for it there, which makes it just a tad over for a white background... It may also be personal taste, but it does look better there.

Thanks Guy. I very much appreciate your comments and observation. I also very much agree, mainly with the market (print market). Yet on this forum I get a lot of positive feedback (often through PM's and emails) from people thanking me for the technicals of either how an image was shot or what it took to get the image, so I have felt a tendency to share that to help with some peoples educational process. I think it can be a double edge sword for sure and sometimes some can think I might be bragging or whatever but that is not my motive. I also have come to have a much deeper appreciation for many images once I have heard the story behind them (as a recent example Marc's Aurora shot!) and I think that has influenced my tendency on a photographers forum to share the story behind an image. I think a lot of folks (lurkers included) come here not only to appreciate but also to learn. At least for myself, hearing what it took to get an image has helped me a lot to know what it takes to go out myself and get one, if that makes sense? Yet having said all that, I do agree with the flip side benefit of throwing out an image and not saying anything so that others can interpret it with no influence. I will consider that more.

Chris: I really have a VERY hard time sitting still, so waiting is a very, very difficult discipline for me! I used to read about Michael Fatali waiting all day in a canyon (sometimes more than one day) just watching the light and was greatly inspired to figure out what that meant. I think too many show up, pull out there DSLR's and shoot rapid fire and then leave (someone from Oregon showed up at one very remote location I was at shot for 15 minutes and left, and right after they left I saw the most awesome sunset in a very long while). I feel, if I have paid such a price to get to such an amazing location and there may be a chance that I will never be there again, and if I am serious about a composition and think it has real value... then I think it is a true and maybe profound privilege to be where I am and I should maybe slow down, take it in and try to go for as much excellence as I can. So, to answer your question (in a round about way) after I set up exactly the way I want, I then sit there for quite a while until I feel I really can see the scene and get familiar with it, then when I know the light is not even close to what it needs to be, I might dart off (but not a long way off) and look around different areas of the canyon, coming back over and over (at fairly short intervals so I don't miss anything). Sometimes I sing out loud. Often I talk to myself (but I don't reply ). It seems to help having a friend shooting w you, but in this case it was solo with a lot of sounds of wind, birds and silence. So, it is simply a discipline that is sometimes enjoyable and sometimes challenging. BTW, I do think this could have been pulled off with one shot, but the bracketing (both focus and DOF) will make the print much better.

Ben, thank you very much. It won't be for a while. I'm in NO HURRY about that anymore (especially after the huge losses I took coming to Vegas). You'll prob have yours before mine! But it will happen and I will contact you (maybe even carry one of your awesome pieces)! Success to you. You are an excellent photographer.

I'm enjoying this canyon shot - I don't seem to get tired of them. Always fun to see a new slot. The enire image looks a little soft for the web, though I'm sure your larger file is very sharp. Not mentioned by anyone else, so maybe it's me. The added squeeze shot looked sharper, though not over sharpened.

Awesome shot Mark - the processing reminds me of a Peter Lik type image. Definitely a unique slot canyon composition - great patience waiting there all day.

Wow, cool area Mark.
I like that your bringing new comps to this landscape that I haven't yet seen.
Great work

This looks fantastic to me Mark. I'm really enjoying this view, and I like this comp alot. Very interesting, and well done.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Sweet! Very original and engaging -- you definitely achieved your goal of finding a new slot shot. I don't mind the blown blacks at all. 45 shots, dude? Holy moly... that's dedication.

Phenomenal. The framing of the rock to either side really makes this more special, as if one were peeking into an ancient place seldom seen. Stunning work.

Very creatively seen and executed!

Mark- Very original....nice job !

Mark - I'm back to check out your shot, and noticed something I can't quite figure out - lots of discussion regarding hard/soft edge beam. My question is regarding where the beam is hitting the ground. I see a cupped shaped area where the strongest rays are hitting, but the rays are hitting on the right portion of the ground. It would seem that rays would have to be coming at as different angle to illuminate the right portion of the "cupped" ground. I guess what I am saying is that too much of the ground, especially on the right, seem to be too illuminated.

Beautifully composed and executed Mark. Certainly one of the best, if not the best, slot shots I've seen.

Definitely unique - but apart from the light beam issue, I will love to see this in a warmer tone.

Sweet! Any non-AC light ray shot is cool in my book. I might go a bit darker (could use some richer blacks IMO) but otherwise this rocks!
OK--i just went back and read the comments--a couple other notes:
I agree with Marc, and i think darker will help the beam stand out better.
I also agree with you. There's room for romance, and theres room for learning--i think you've covered both with this shot and post.

Your hard work in making this image resulted in rich dividends. The light and
colors are marvelous. This is a unique slot composition.

Stan Rose,

Thank you very much for your feedback, it is always excellent and appreciated.

Got a question though... are you saying darker blacks in the image globally? If so, is your monitor calibrated? I pushed the blacks here even a little too much for some, plugging them a tad to get a darker feel. So if that is what you are suggesting I would resist that.

But if you are simply talking about the light beam and letting it have sharper edge definition (which Marc was addressing) I see what you are talking about. I think it would certainly look good that way (maybe better for some) but to be at least somewhat true to the scene the beam was less contrasty and pronounced than you see here so during processing I erased out some of that extra pop...

I love the framing on this! Really a unique take on slot canyons. The composition just invites you in.

Mark, my account got messed up in the last few days (hence image count and comment count having gone back to 0), but I have been dying to comment on this one. I love it. I like the beam as is with the softer edge.

As for the discussion on posting your processing technique, I for one really appreciate it. I am trying to improve my knowledge of Photoshop and knowing how some of the really stunning images are processed helps me with ideas and understanding. So thanks :)

Next time you are in Portland let me know and I will buy you a beer for the free tips.

Thank you Scott, that would be great.

I have two, one week photo tours up there. One in the Beginning of June and another the beginning of Sept. Maybe a time around then would work out? Aside from the tours I'll be crisscrossing the state for additional weeks scouting out (and shooting) all the pearl areas can find. I'd love that beer!

I am out of town for work June 2nd through 9th, but from the 10th on I am around. Plus my wife is in Europe for work pretty much all of June, which leaves me with a completely free schedule.

So if you are around after the 10th, pick the brewery that your exile for the Pacific Northwest has made you long for the most.

Hey Scott, my tours are June 9th through the 18th, then I'm all over the Oregon map for a couple weeks. Maybe leave me your info (PM) and maybe we could meet up? Places of interest for additional scouting/shooting (I have shot there but want to spend more quality time): Crater Lake, Smith Rock, Silver Falls, Painted Hills, Lake Billy Schnook (sp?) Sparks Lake and a few others especially around Bend and maybe Yachats.

Holy crap this is amazing!

INCREDIBLE! Beautifully done, that gallery print should be amazing!

Not much I can add here, so I'll just say: Wow!

One of the best slot shots I've seen - the framing works perfect, the DOF is stunning and the spotlight is beautiful. This image will pay heavy dividends well beyond a WP on NPN

Mark - gorgeous. excellent processing.
Congrats on the WP!
Sandy

The WP was well deserved! Congrats

magical shot. Love the contrasts, the light shaft and the fantastic color. Very nice.

Congrats! Just an epic canyon shot.

Wow, I won this weeks pick?!!! I did not know!

Wow, this is insane Mark! You really nailed the composition and it's so refreshing to see such a wonderful slot canyon image from a rarely visited canyon. How cool it must have been to be immersed there for an entire day (after the scouting days) and watch the light slowly play out. One of my favorite slot canyon images in quite awhile.

Wow, thanks very much everyone. This image got photo of the month here and I am truly honored! With all the fantastic images from so many great and even world class photographers, I am really honored.

This belongs to the best I have ever seen!
Congrats,
Christian.

great detail and light here. What an accomplishment.

Lots of interesting textures and one of the more unique slot canyon shots I have seen.