Layered Badlands

Gallery: LandscapePosted May 26, 20183,689 views7 comments

This shot was taken on one of the back roads in near Capitol Reef N. P., the light had just started to improve and I noticed some light starting to color the hills that separated me from Factory Butte in the distance. There had been fairly high winds in the area for several days and the visibility was poor due to sand particles in the air.

Inspired by a recent image posted by Ken Henke, "Badlands Beauty", I decided to re-work and post one of my shots from this past April that I had already spent way too much time trying to "get right" and see if I could get some suggestions for improving the image. I've increased the Dehaze slider to 50 which is as much as I felt comfortable in doing so I'm not sure where I should go from here.

5 D Mark III
24-105
f 13
1/320
iso 400
1/3 ev
handheld

Comments and Criticisms always appreciated.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on May 26, 2018 at 7:31 PM

That's an imposing bit of real estate. Strong and in your face. I like the statement. The layers are like waves rolling towards it.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Neale Dyster on May 27, 2018 at 7:45 AM

Looks great to me, I wouldn't go anywhere from there!

Registered on February 19, 2008, 94 Posts, 738 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on May 27, 2018 at 11:34 AM

Paula, this is a fine look at an amazing landscape. You've got good colors and a nice change in texture in the two foreground layers with that imposing butte in the distance. If you want the butte to pull more attention, I'd suggest dodging it through a light tones, luminosity mask. That would brighten it's lighter tones without changing the darker tones. The increase in contrast and brightness (more contrast is what the dehaze filter does) will let the butte attract more attention.

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

Comment posted by Bill Fach on May 27, 2018 at 6:35 PM

Paula: Ditto what Mark said but I think this is a fine image and result. Most excellent.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on June 1, 2018 at 4:49 PM

Great take on the badlands. I like Mark's suggestions, too.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Barry Ashenhurst on June 22, 2018 at 1:12 AM

I like his Paula. Very cinematic and it works. Fantastic landscape you Americans have to work with. Well done.

Registered on August 4, 2009, 253 Posts, 455 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on June 22, 2018 at 5:45 PM

The contrast between the eroded slopes and the smoother vegetated foreground ridge is nice. My sense is that it feels too tightly cropped on the sides and above.

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