The Kumtag Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

The second of my uploaded photos of this part of China, however adjusted according to your previous critiques of a different photo in the same area.

Copied and pasted from previous entry:

"Within walking distance of Dunhuang town centre are some enormous sand dunes at the start of the Kumtag Desert, most notable of which is Mingsha Shan, or 'Echoing Sand Mountain' in English which is renowned for the sound it makes when you slide down it. They say it sounds like thunder and at first I was sceptical, however they really aren't lying! At first it starts quietly, but as you slide further down it the sound really booms to the point where it's almost disconcerting!

This picture was not taken from Mingsha Shan, but was taken from another dune some 5km away which also shares the same characteristics. It looked close to the top of the biggest dune, but even with a bunch of young, fit and healthy guys the ascent took over 1 hour. Walking on dunes really isn't as easy as it looks!"

I always take all my photos with very little contrast or saturation, and adjust them after. In this photo, the contrast and saturation have been increased, brightness reduced, and individual RGB curves adjusted. I then added an un-sharp mask as the image was looking very noisy due to increasing the contrast. Not much I didn't change really!

See workshop posting for the original image

Let me know what you think!

Jeppo, tolis68, essie, Philipp_Gurski, Roly, Benedict has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Odinn (131) 2008-05-17 7:42

Bonjour,

Magnifique photo, trés belle lumière, on a l'impression qu'il s'agit d'une étoffe agitée par le vent... Bravo!

Odinn

jonathan_hart (22564) 2008-05-17 7:43

excellent graphism and textures of the dunes, beautiful in its simplicity, interesting landscape to shot (or should i say sandscape?;)
regards
jo

rgarrigus (0) 2008-05-17 7:43

Hi Lee,

Beautiful image of the undulating curves in this desert scene. I can't see a thing to be improved upon and think this would make a great print.

Cheers!

Bob G.

Jeppo (11642) 2008-05-17 7:46

Hi Lee,

I like deserts....I like the alternation of lights and shadows and the dunes pattern
colours are very vivid and sharp!

TFS
Silvio

PS: I have also some desert pics from Erg Chebbi (Morocco) in my gallery...if you want to have a look at!

fabdemacedo (455) 2008-05-17 8:11

Hello, really beautiful picture, very nice athmosphere, good contrast, very deep. Thank you
fabien

smarcell (14105) 2008-05-17 8:57

very beautiful desert view. Excellent light to show the pattern of the dunes.

BennyV (4512) 2008-05-17 9:11

Ni hao Lee,

Excellent PP work. Amazing if you compare the result to the original. Still...how far can you go in PP without betraying the original realism? I suppose if the end result is as good as this one, it doesn't really matter, but still...

Cheers.

Benny

cyrrhus (2878) 2008-05-17 14:19

Hello Lee,
This is one of the best images from this place. Light is magic and gives very nice light brown tints. The relief looks almost chaotic.
Very fascinating
TFS Eric /.

amfdj (1968) 2008-05-18 3:07

Hi Lee,
This is a splendid graphical result, just playing with light and shadow. The composition you choose is just splendid and couldn't be improved.
Reagrds from Belgium,
Eddie

recepyuksel (17786) 2008-05-18 3:30 [Comment]

Show Comment +

tolis68 (1990) 2008-05-18 3:43

Hello Lee.Great light contrasts and details.I like the game between sun and shadows.Bravo Lee.
Sorry for my bad laconic english.

jimmj63 (769) 2008-05-19 23:48 [Comment]

Show Comment

jimkilgallon (0) 2008-05-21 6:11

Hi Lee

I didn't see this one, this is the best Dune shot you have my opinion. The shadows are deep, the highlight and midtone levels look spot on, and the sand looks gold. Finally the waves off the dunes are very appealing. Very well done
Regards
Jim

essie (125) 2008-06-30 10:06

This is a gorgeous image! The lighting is beautiful and the composition is great. The PP work really seems to help this out a ton! Thanks for sharing!
Essie

lelson (273) 2008-07-20 12:21

Wow! those dunes are amazing with that colors and sharpness; the shot is superb and your workshop good too. Thx for share that wonderful place with us Lee.

itamaratiya (539) 2008-07-29 4:02

Hey Lee,

Beautifull dunes!!!
The colors and the shadows are great. The composition is very good too.

Well done,

Itamar

baba_flies (7941) 2008-08-05 7:09

Hello Lee! It is quite impressive what came out when I compare the two versions although I must say the other one has something too but you added your own style in this one. I have never been to a sand desert and it is needless to say that the feeling must be incredible. Walking on sand is a great "work-out" and together with the heat hard work I suppose. I like that you chose just the dunes and how they flow smoothly up and down giving a feeling of freedom somehow. This is really good, I like it ... Best regards, Barbara.

Roly (1948) 2008-10-28 21:58

An awesome shot benefiting from excellent light. Your note is great and this is definitely a place I'd like to see. I have the feeling that the top of the dune on the left should have made it into the frame, but the composition is nice as it is and the random shape of the dunes is very appealing. The shadows create an awesome pattern onto the rather exquisite color of the sand. I wouldn't know how to name this color... other than sand brown, I guess...

HimalAnda (1042) 2008-11-10 3:21

Hello Lee,

What a beautiful picture of this desert !
It is very graphical and I like differents colors of the dune. Good composition : the eye is driven by the dune's curves through the picture.

Stephane

Benedict (7062) 2008-11-19 21:06

one can never go wrong with simplicity!
excellent work- light, composition and details.
Benedict

LAPIAZ (1546) 2008-11-24 23:09

Hello Lee,
Intriguing and surrealist curves!! I even did't know that there was a desert in China ;-)
Have a nice day,
Anna

Waylim (10717) 2008-12-03 23:43

Hey Lee,
Caught this one at random display. Wow, one tend to associate such scene as being in norther Africa somewhere. We forget that much of China is also desert. I love the strong line and curves of the sand, and the light and shade of the formation. As much as I like this version, there something speaks for the original version as well. I like the softer tone of the other. Perhaps just a little lighter in the dark shadow here will be a perfect compromise. Thanks Lee for your kind comments and for sharing your images.
Way