Santa Maddalena & Clouds

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted November 3, 2012297 views15 comments

This photo was taken during a photo tour where I was guiding a small group of photographers in the Dolomites in early October 2012. The view is the fairly classic view of Santa Maddalena in Val di Funes. In this case the sky was asking for a wider composition so I did.

The camera was Canon 1Ds mkIII and Canon 24-70 f/2.8L, ISO 100, 34mm, f/8, 1/100sec on a RRS tripod. Post processing was done from a single RAW file in Lightroom 4.2.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by jack jaeger jr on November 3, 2012 at 2:38 PM

Awesome ! love the clouds . Wish the mountains were a little brighter.

Registered on April 2, 2012, 26 Posts, 355 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on November 3, 2012 at 2:55 PM

Awesome sky! I agree, the mountains are a bit dark, but not objectionably so. Might tinker with the shadow slider just to see. If there is no significant improvement, I would leave it alone; it's too close to perfect!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Nelson on November 3, 2012 at 6:49 PM

Hi Hans,
Beautiful image, to me my eye is drawn to that perfect little church in the village. I like the whole scene just the way it is.
Thank you
Guy Nelson
Alberta, Canada

Registered on October 12, 2012, 24 Posts, 138 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 3, 2012 at 6:59 PM

Beautiful scene! That sky is fantastic! I like the feel this image has. Nice work!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Rob Graham on November 3, 2012 at 11:25 PM

Beautiful, Hans. I like the streaking in the clouds. The darkness of the mountains doesn't bother me. The church really stands out as it towers above the town.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Smith on November 4, 2012 at 1:18 AM

Bravo! Exceptional shot with uniquely majestic sky and tantilizing light on the slopes with a wink sunshine on the peaks. Love the large version...print it big.

Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Williams on November 4, 2012 at 1:20 AM

This is really nice Hans. I love the fresh green pastures offsetting the brooding dark mountains and the changing types of clouds coming in over the mountains. Wonderful.

Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on November 4, 2012 at 8:51 AM

Clouds are spectacular

Nice capture

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Gasior on November 4, 2012 at 11:35 AM

Nice picture .Amazing clouds and sky

Registered on March 7, 2010, 99 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on November 4, 2012 at 8:00 PM

Powerful sky. This is a fine composition. I agree that it would have been even better is the mountains would have been lit by the sun also.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Cristina Strudthof on November 4, 2012 at 8:44 PM

Those clouds are just icing on the cake. It's a wonderful scene but the clouds break up what would otherwise be a wide blue uneventful expanse. It reminds me of a fairytale. I love it.

Registered on January 14, 2011, 53 Posts, 363 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Kruse on November 6, 2012 at 8:38 AM

Thanks everyone for the comments. Regarding the light on the mountains, there were light later on, but the amazing clouds had gone by then...and (of course) I never copy and paste clouds from one picture into another

Registered on March 24, 2011, 17 Posts, 44 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on November 6, 2012 at 12:12 PM

Beautiful image - a classic view with ominous clouds over those ominous looking spires. I like the cntrasting moods of the peaks vs. the warm and friendly village. I tried to find similar scenes while in Austria, but I think you did a much better job. Congrats. LOve the processing as is.

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 9, 2012 at 8:51 AM

Stunning clouds and wonderful spotlighting with the emphasis on the foreground.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on November 11, 2012 at 1:19 AM

Personally, I like the contrast that the dark mountains bring to this. Great combination of pretty and drama.

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