Electric Coal

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 16, 2013940 views23 comments

Quite the evening was had at this canyon in northern Arizona. Gold light to the west as rain fell from a thunderstorm a mile away, colorful clouds to the southwest, and later this thunderstorm to the northeast beyond the canyon. The half-moon broke out from the clouds behind us and provided light into the canyon. It seemed the storm stayed in the distance for a couple of hours providing a nice electric show for us.

What are your thoughts about brightness of the canyon and the amount of blue?
Nikon D600, 16-35 @ 16mm, f/7.1, ISO 400, 30 sec.

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Bill Reid on September 16, 2013 at 10:19 AM

The large image is wonderful Doug and the canyon looks great to me and quite natural. The only nit I have is the tiny bright lights? in the backround. Really a fine image.

Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Donovan on September 16, 2013 at 11:47 AM

This is a spectacular shot Doug. A couple of hours of this light show? Sounds amazing!

The blue works well for me. I concur with Bill that maybe the distant lights could be cloned out and possibly a bit more brightness on the right side of the canyon. The clouds and lightning structure are fantastic.

Registered on August 29, 2013, 11 Posts, 40 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on September 16, 2013 at 11:54 AM

Doug, this is an amazing sight to have witnessed and captured too. I really like the action here. I could see some shadow lifting on the right just a bit. Actually, I'm not seeing any small lights, I do see what I think are some buildings in the distance. Regardless, with or without those it's a fine image overall.

Blue looks OK to me....

Second look maybe those are taillights on vehicles? If so I'd clone those out.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on September 16, 2013 at 12:03 PM

Great moonlit scene Doug. Perfect lightning strikes over the canyon. I would suggest cloning out those distant lights on the horizon, but other than that, this is a pretty sound image with a lot of mood and impact.

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

Comment posted by Nathan Apodaca on September 16, 2013 at 1:34 PM

Great timing to get this... I'm fine with the amount of blue here, personally. I would consider a little crop off the left. This seems a tad right heavy to me? Anyways, nice capture. I really enjoyed the large view.

Registered on November 16, 2011, 67 Posts, 1127 Comments

Comment posted by Karsten Wrobel on September 16, 2013 at 4:25 PM

great light show... the amount of brightness in the canyon works well for me... has a very unique mood / colour combo to it

Registered on November 1, 2008, 117 Posts, 851 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on September 16, 2013 at 4:46 PM

Well that's freakin killer. Woah.

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on September 16, 2013 at 6:48 PM

Quite a light show very well captured. As others have mentioned, I'd like to see bit more detail in the canyon wall on the right. Also, and this could be just me, but I am seeing some magenta in the lighter clouds where the lightning is lighting them. Definitely clone out the dots of light on the horizon. The blue works fine for me.

Great shot, Doug, and the timing was perfect.

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on September 16, 2013 at 6:50 PM

Doug - Your timing on the lightning pretty perfect. The lighting of the canyon looks fine to me, reflects the evening while holding the detail. There will be a flash flood somewhere after this one. Unique image and wonderful job on the processing. the detail in the right is much better in the large version.

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

Comment posted by John Mumaw on September 16, 2013 at 7:17 PM

This is a remarkable capture, Doug! The moonlit canyon looks perfect in relation to the time of day and the stormy skies.
Thanks for posting a larger version. My only suggestions have been covered already...cloning out the lights and a shade more detail on the right if possible. As usual, this has been 'developed' to near perfection. Excellent work all the way around!

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on September 16, 2013 at 8:39 PM

Thank you for your good feedback and suggestions. I knew the lights had to go, but kept them in for a submission that does not allow cloning. Here is a revision.

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by Kane Engelbert on September 16, 2013 at 9:49 PM

Doug, this one is special. Nice work.

Registered on June 14, 2009, 63 Posts, 291 Comments

Comment posted by Yiming Hu on September 16, 2013 at 10:48 PM

The repost is perfect.

Registered on April 28, 2011, 38 Posts, 733 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on September 16, 2013 at 11:14 PM

Oh yeah, you got it right there. Cut and print!

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on September 16, 2013 at 11:22 PM

The revision is the ticket, Doug. Wonderful light show.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on September 17, 2013 at 2:20 AM

super. everything coming together nicely.

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

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on September 17, 2013 at 9:28 AM

Exciting - one of the best lightning images I've seen. This is actually so much more than just a lightning shot however. Love the composition and the moody feeling that comes over me when viewing this. Superior work, for sure!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Chet Dowell on September 17, 2013 at 10:34 AM

I love this image, Doug. Beautifully dramatic Well done.

Chet

Registered on December 3, 2012, 237 Posts, 1171 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on September 17, 2013 at 6:55 PM

Doug, Fantastic shot! Really cool looking at this and your repost looks great!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on September 17, 2013 at 9:05 PM

Figured this might be here, Doug. Great combo of elements that came together that night. Always good to be on the right side of a storm.

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

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on September 21, 2013 at 3:46 PM

Are you kidding me!? WOW!!!

I'd go with slightly less blue.

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Olsen on September 28, 2013 at 3:26 PM

Amazing capture Doug! Congrats on the WP!!

Registered on October 19, 2006, 306 Posts, 1571 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on September 30, 2013 at 4:30 PM

Stunning and intense. Congratulations on the WP Doug!

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments