Heavens door

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 26, 2011128 views11 comments

This was shot the same evening as my image "falling fire". I really wanted to capture this incredible light and after looking at the file so many times it hit me that the buttes in the foreground don't need to be lit up, so I purposely darkened them up with some layer masks to bring out the colors in the sky. The way the light burst through the clouds was incredible. One of the best light shows I've ever seen. From these dark stormy cloudy skies to the sun bursting through and finally creating a cotton candy sky (another image which I may share later). Anyways, comments and critiques are always welcome.

Canon 7d
Canon 17-40mm @40mm
f/22
1/40 sec
ISO 100
3 stop grad ND
tripod mounted

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on December 27, 2011 at 1:18 AM

Incredible light. I'd crop a large amount of the heavy, dark clouds. They seem a bit much with the fg also dark. A beautiful sky, must have been awesome to witness.

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

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 27, 2011 at 9:17 AM

i agree with Nancy--let the lit strip go, this would be awesome as a pano of the bottom half.

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

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on December 27, 2011 at 12:05 PM

Thank you, I thought about a pano originally, but wasn't sure if it would have as dark of an impact. Will try to get a pano version up soon.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Basil Greber on December 27, 2011 at 4:33 PM

I agree with the pano suggestion. But even then, I feel that there's too much darkness left - though I'm aware that this was your intention. I might still go with lightening the foreground and clouds.

Registered on November 8, 2005, 219 Posts, 1340 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 28, 2011 at 2:10 PM

Peter,

A great and dramatic light show for sure. I think the central mound of rock works well as a focal point and I think it works going to the complete silhouette as you have done. I'm just not sold on the heaviness of the right side and I also agree with cropping much of the sky. There's still plenty of darkness after a crop to show off the light show. But I can understand if you want to keep it dark too.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on December 28, 2011 at 3:37 PM

Here is a pano version, worked out some of the dark areas in the image.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on December 28, 2011 at 3:38 PM

Also did not crop as much

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on December 28, 2011 at 4:38 PM

I prefer the pano crop here Peter. I like how the pano focuses in on the interesting light.

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

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on December 28, 2011 at 7:38 PM

Thanks Scott, looking at the two I must agree

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by Basil Greber on January 2, 2012 at 5:05 PM

Peter - I realize that I won't win a popularity contest with that comment, but in my opinion, this photograph is not up there with the rest of your portfolio, independent of the pano crop (or not). I think you have a great and clearly recognizable post-processing style, and this one just doesn't fit. Maybe if dramatically differently processed, it would, I don't know. Just my opinion of course.

Registered on November 8, 2005, 219 Posts, 1340 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on January 2, 2012 at 6:11 PM

Thanks Basil, I wish I were in a more optimal location to photograph this light. I'll be the first to tell you I prefer to get up close with the wide angle (As you will see with my cacti images). I think personally had I had something of foreground interest and not just the silhouettes the processing would be much different. This was more to just show this incredible light.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments