Towers of Sanctuary

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 3, 2013201 views7 comments

This is somewhat of a departure for me compositionally. I don't do too many grand scenics such as this. But I think this turned out unexpectedly well, after a fair amount of photoshoping. Do you think that the apparent lens distortion is too much of a distraction? I tried to correct it, but anything I did just didn't look natural. There probably is some lens distortion, but I think that some of the vanishing point effect is legitimate. I think it effectively portrays the sense of being there, at least for me. Also, I'm working on my notebook computer, so the photoshoping may need some tweaking.

Canon 5D II
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II
21mm, f/16, 1/20th second, ISO 50, .9 GND

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on November 3, 2013 at 9:43 PM

Whatever lens distortion there may be seems to work well with those radiating clouds. There may be a thin halo on the left side of the cliffs, otherwise I can't fault the processing. Good job on this grand scenic. As a minor technical point there doesn't seem to be any benefit from using ISO 50 here, which may reduce your dynamic range instead.

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 4, 2013 at 10:25 AM

The colors and lighting look good and that's a special sky. I do find the distortion distracting, but that's me.

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

Comment posted by Bill Reid on November 4, 2013 at 11:28 AM

That's some great clouds you captured Jim and I don't mind the distortion. Seems to be pushing my eyes towards the clouds. Very nice job here.

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

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on November 5, 2013 at 9:19 PM

No, I don't find any distortion that may be there distracting at all. It seems very natural, as if I were lying on my back or just standing deep in the bottom of the scene, looking straight up and watching those towers stretch toward the sky. Speaking of the sky -- Wow, you were there at just the right time! Nice job!

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Runtsch on November 5, 2013 at 9:31 PM

Jim, the composition works well, and the apparent lens distortion is not too distracting, in my opinion. I especially like the contrast of the red and grey/black sections on the left wall.

Registered on October 30, 2013, 50 Posts, 445 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on November 5, 2013 at 10:47 PM

Huge feel!!!! Kudos for that!

A little bit of haloing issues I would work on resolving.

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

Comment posted by John Williams on November 6, 2013 at 5:57 PM

Works well for me Jim, because the comp really sets up that amazing cloud pattern.

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