To Be Happy

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 3, 2013693 views12 comments

Thanks all for the comments and feedback and suggestions to my last panorama of Leidig Meadow as well as all the photos from my autumn adventures. It has been fun.

This is my last photo of my 'A' batch from my autumn adventures and Yosemite in specific. I might revisit a couple of photos from Yosemite that I had trouble developing and try again, but for now this is it.

This was not the next photo I made, but it was the last photo I made before leaving the Valley. Each time I visit Yosemite I at least stop at this location if not to make a photo, to just sit and Be Happy. This is my Happy Place. In autumn, if it is timed right, the trees are glowing with all the color. This year the Merced was so low that water was not an attraction at all. I only included a small bit of river and rocks to provide a foundation for the composition.

The main attraction was the trees. In the past I was happy just making a single frame with more concentration on a specific tree. This time all the trees were just popping and all had to be seen together. Being that I have been smitten by stitching 4x5 transparencies together, I made two exposures on two different sheets of film and stitched them together. The final master file is over 7 GB in size. I wish I could show this REAL BIG online. The amount of detail is ridiculously staggering. I am very tempted to make a 40x90 inch print of this, and if I had my own 44" wide printer I think I would. For now the 20x45 will have to do.

4x5, Nikkor 150mm, f22, 3 sec, 81EF filter for color balance. CS5 with Luminosity Masks and Triple Play actions by our own Tony Kuyper.

Your feedback on this photo much appreciated. Please see the Larger Version.

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on January 3, 2013 at 11:06 PM

Definitely a glorious scene Youssef. I can only imagine the detail yo have captured here. It certainly is a very tranquil scene and one I would love to sit and watch for some time. Though just a very minor nit, I might be temped to bring down the highlights a little in the tree close to center.

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

Comment posted by Todd Liotine on January 3, 2013 at 11:29 PM

The is beautiful. I think compression is playing a little havoc on the highlights but that's minor. That belongs 90 inches above a couch.

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

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on January 4, 2013 at 7:08 AM

This is a beautiful scene. Beautiful light and some great colors.

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on January 4, 2013 at 9:49 AM

Another fine image Youssef. I like how the different colors stand out so nicely. The greens of the ferns contrast so well with the color of the rock

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 4, 2013 at 11:14 AM

Youssef, This is fantastic! I really enjoy the scene with the wonderful light and beautiful color. The pamoramic format looks great and really shows off this scene in a very nice way. I can just imagine the detail. A 40 by 90 print would be awesome to look at. I do have a 44" printer...

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 4, 2013 at 6:18 PM

Youssef,

Well, not only was it great sharing the experience with you and the guys on this autumn trip to Yosemite, it's also been great sharing our images. I'll be posting my last one as well soon. ;-( I gotta say, this one might be my favorite of the entire series, if not certainly the top 3. "In The Cathedral" and "Anchored" are my other two favs.

I know this stretch well and this is simply a fantastic and beautiful capture and representation of the place. Agree with you about the water level, but that's not the story in this image.

the only minor suggestion I had and it's been mentioned too, would be a slight burn of the center trunk. Not over exposed at all, but just for some tuning of light relative to the rest of the scene - call it a tweak. ;-)

Been wonderful being along for the ride. And way to finish off with a top image. Congrats!

Lon

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

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on January 4, 2013 at 6:37 PM

Thanks Lon. Do you mean to burn down the Dogwood or the Cedar? Both are near the center. Funny those three I my top three as well. I have already printed 'Anchored' and 'In The Cathedral' and they just sing. I can't wait until I make a print of this one. Hopefully we can do future trips together again.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 4, 2013 at 6:58 PM

Youssef,

I was referring mostly to the cedar. but now that you mention it, the dogwood on the right of center and the center area in general could be adjusted. Interesting because the dogwood/maple, etc. on the left third are slightly darker and richer. I'm not saying to make them all the same, but I think just a little burning around the center might put a nice finishing touch.

Lon

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

Comment posted by David Chauvin on January 4, 2013 at 8:11 PM

This must be truly stunning as a large print.

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

Comment posted by Vance Gese on January 5, 2013 at 11:25 PM

This is beautiful, Youssef. The evenly spaced, stately trees really seem to speak as pillars of the forest, with the lovely smaller trees in autumn color and the foliage as the supporting actors. Maybe I'm reading more into this than you intended but that was my first reaction. Really a superb image. A print from the stitched 4x5's will clearly be spectacular, even the 20x45 you state you can print (didn't even know you can have a print made to 40x90). Hey, and congratulations on the Gallery of the Month. Well deserved.

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 6, 2013 at 10:35 PM

Even on the laptop this looks good, Youssef. Really love all the colors and detail in the larger version.

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

Comment posted by Rick Diffley on January 8, 2013 at 9:09 PM

Very well composed. A pleasure to view this image!

Registered on April 8, 2012, 52 Posts, 279 Comments