Rolling Thunder

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 3, 2015156 views15 comments

Good evening NPN,

I have been working on a new series of black and white images captured from a trip about 6 years in the Wind River Range, Wyoming. This series will need some input on the black and white conversions, and I thank you in advance for all of your help and support. This image was captured hiking down from east temple which I believe was close to 12,000 feet. A storm was rolling in, and the sound of thunder rolling through the mountains is unforgettable, it seems like it surrounds you.

One feels so alive in moments like this, and I love every second I get while in the mountains.

Canon Rebel XTI
Canon 10-22
at 22
1/40s
ISO 100
F 20
Tripod

Converted in Photoshop CC

Thank you for your thoughts on the image

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on January 3, 2015 at 10:09 PM

Your tonal range looks good to me, although you might consider toning down the highlights in the middle a bit as they draw the eye. Majestic scene to be sure.

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

Comment posted by Ed Cordes on January 3, 2015 at 10:09 PM

Beautiful detail and to my eye great B&W tones. I like it a lot.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 451 Posts, 3366 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on January 4, 2015 at 1:01 AM

Lots of texture and tones happening here, Ryan. Those thunder clouds look so ominous, they dominate the scene for me. Just the same, I get some relief from the thunder by looking at the magnificent mountain scene.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on January 4, 2015 at 4:37 AM

A nicely moody and dramatic presentation.

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

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on January 4, 2015 at 8:34 AM

Your tonal range goes from white, every shade of gray all the way to black. Can't get much better than that. Beautiful scene as well. No nits or suggestions to improve. Great image!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on January 4, 2015 at 10:24 AM

What a spectacular view, Ryan! I love a good B&W and this certainly falls in that category. The range of tones is superb as is the rugged landscape and that drama laden sky helps tell your story. Excellent work.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on January 4, 2015 at 11:43 AM

I think this works beautifully in B&W - my only comment is that it appears to have a bit too much grain and/or noise? Perhaps just dial back the sharpness a bit. Other than that I think it is just fine!

Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on January 4, 2015 at 12:32 PM

Great drama. The tonal range seems right to me.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Falley on January 4, 2015 at 12:32 PM

Ryan:

I am glad you have posted this image. The Canon 10-22 lens is a good sharp one. Good near far composition so I can see why you used a small F stop. Probably some loss of sharpness due to diffraction but we have to make our choices for the overall image. This one depends a lot on local contrast, but B&W can be very good ant emphasizing this.

Love the Wind River Mountains and the high alpine country. Did a bunch of climbing in Cirque of the Towers years ago. Very similar to high barren alpine country in Alaska's Brooks Range, although at a lower elevation.

Keep up the good work! Tom

Registered on November 21, 2014, 189 Posts, 454 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on January 4, 2015 at 12:38 PM

Going b&w here, Ryan, seems like a great way to deal with the lighting. The details in both the sky and the land are terrific and the lake makes a great lead into the distance. Neat view of some very rugged terrain.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 4, 2015 at 12:50 PM

Ryan, I really like looking at your large version here. It is a great looking scene and I like the drama those clouds add to it. Your b&w processing looks very good to me as well and I like the comp. Nice details in this!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Waleed Marhoum on January 4, 2015 at 2:31 PM

excellent view, I think you made a lot of clarity in PS, try to reduce it in-order to make the mountains looks real in terms of tones.

Registered on December 29, 2006, 85 Posts, 421 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on January 4, 2015 at 3:50 PM

I know what you mean about the sound of thunder in the mountains. I grew up in the Texas Panhandle where there is no shortage of thunderstorms, but the most frightening experience of thunder that I have had was in a summer thunderstorm in Aspen a few years ago. The way that the sound reverberates off of the massive peaks is chilling!!

While it's hard to convey that feeling visually, the B&W presentation here hints at the ominous feeling of the stormy skies. I like that you have used a wide tonal range here with strong highlights and shadow areas. That's something that I have noticed is a key element in Ansel Adams' B&W photography. He was an expert at utilizing strong contrasts to convey the mood.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Kearl on January 4, 2015 at 7:49 PM

Nice B & W, a nice range of light.
I might crop the dark band off the bottom....

Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on January 5, 2015 at 2:53 AM

I think overall this is a tremendous Wind River b/w presentation, Ryan. It is a big photograph and covers a lot of country. If this were mine :biggrin( and that would be cool,since I haven't backpacked in the Winds since 1978), I would loose the dark band at the bottom and some of the foreground on the right side along with about 25% of the sky. The middle lakes appear a bit hot and could be toned down. Beautiful alpine scene from one of the coolest spots in the lower 48.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments