December 14th

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 16, 2011486 views25 comments

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Wednesday sunset. I followed the east side of the dunes until i found Medano Creek, in a fabulously frozen state! This is sunset looking southeast to the Blanca group in the Sangre De Cristo range. I was the only car in the park Wednesday; nice to have a national park all to yourself!

5Dmkii; 24mm TS-E 2 img stitch 1s at f/16
C&C Welcome!

Comments

25 comments

Comment posted by Tom Wilson on December 16, 2011 at 10:36 PM

Wonderful light! Really nice foreground. I like the subtle composition. It's not trying to grab you with exagerated w/a perspective, it's just quiet and lets that light speak. It's easy to feel like I'm there.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 573 Posts, 2211 Comments

Comment posted by Hillary Younger on December 16, 2011 at 11:37 PM

Beautifully lit scene....love the reflected light and the f/g texture and detail. I also like the way the frozen pool creates a separate layer from the more complex middle ground - nicely composed.

Registered on October 2, 2011, 17 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by Taylor Reed on December 17, 2011 at 12:06 AM

Strong comp and perfectly processed, great work.

Registered on February 18, 2010, 26 Posts, 556 Comments

Comment posted by Russell Colletta on December 17, 2011 at 12:18 AM

Wow, you got every bit of the drama in that super sky Stan, and you caught the reflection perfectly. I have yet to make a trip to the Dunes, this only adds to the sense of urgency to get there soon. Nice, very nice.

Registered on October 31, 2009, 114 Posts, 1008 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Austin on December 17, 2011 at 12:43 AM

Nice stitch here Stan. The shadows cast onto the ice really add to the image

Registered on November 30, 2011, 5 Posts, 43 Comments

Comment posted by Sandipan Dutta on December 17, 2011 at 2:09 AM

Great light and excellent composition !!!

Registered on March 9, 2009, 171 Posts, 493 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 17, 2011 at 9:11 AM

Beautiful picture Stan. I really like this. Just looking at this has the feel of being alone, which I really enjoy. Great comp, beautiful colors and light. Really nice work! Must have felt great being the only one in the park.

We have snow here this morning...finally.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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

Comment posted by Walt Sterneman on December 17, 2011 at 9:15 AM

Great shot Stan. I want a national park all to myself too! Think Santa will cooperate?

Registered on March 24, 2010, 73 Posts, 1268 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on December 17, 2011 at 10:08 AM

Lovely light and I like the composition, Stan. Two ideas. I might brighten the mountain back there ever so slightly to enhance the contrast lost of the distance. The red part of the sky could use a little more texture as it feels a bit flat. There's lots of info in the green and blue channel to get it back.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on December 17, 2011 at 10:38 AM

Beautiful scene. I love the clarity of your images, they're like breathing fresh air. This one is very nice

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 17, 2011 at 10:49 AM

Really nice color in the clouds. Compositionally, the non-cloud and non-mountain portions are less interesting in that they seem a bit busy.

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

Comment posted by John Williams on December 17, 2011 at 11:01 AM

Ditto on the sky and it's reflection Stan. Beautiful. I do wish the large bush didn't overlap the mountain so much, but the small spot of snow anchoring the lower right is excellent.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on December 17, 2011 at 12:44 PM

Great work here Stan! This carries a lot of atmosphere. The beauty of winter is well conveyed. Fantastic sky!

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

Comment posted by James Fougère on December 17, 2011 at 2:04 PM

Nice light and reflection

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

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on December 17, 2011 at 4:50 PM

I detect a trend of square format Stan. Gorgeous sky and reflection! The foreground is a great lead in. A lot of wonderful elements. The dark mountain contrasts well with the snow and sunset colors.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 17, 2011 at 7:49 PM

I'm just a square kind guy, Eva

Andreas--thanks, i think i can make some minor tweaks to correct those 'issues'

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

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on December 17, 2011 at 8:55 PM

Amazing reflection .. beautiful colors.

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on December 17, 2011 at 10:48 PM

Really like that reflected "rose" colored light Stan...

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on December 18, 2011 at 12:42 AM

Love the reflections in the partially frozen water. Lots of interest generally, but that's the part that really grabs me.

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

Comment posted by Peter Richter on December 18, 2011 at 5:55 AM

Great dynamics in your composition, Stan, I admire the fire in the sky (although there is no smoke on the water...)

Peter

Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on December 18, 2011 at 1:18 PM

great

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

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 18, 2011 at 6:50 PM

Gorgeous Stan! I really like the visual balance between the sky and the icy reflection. No nits or suggestions.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on December 18, 2011 at 9:16 PM

Very nice, Stan. I love the sky reflection in the foreground ice.

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

Comment posted by David Edwards on December 19, 2011 at 3:16 AM

Beautiful color Stan. That sky is awesome, and the reflected part in the ice really pulls the eye down to the lower area. The small clump of snow in the bottom right is a nice anchor point too. Very nice processing. Must have been great to have all that to yourself!

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

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on December 19, 2011 at 6:23 AM

nice image stan. i agree with andreas re the red blob in the sky - some texture would be good there if you can find it.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments