Last Rays Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

I took this image of the dunes in Death Valley just as the sun was disappearing. I used the 210mm setting and it produced this optical illusion. It looks like two images in one. The background looks like we are looking down at mountains and valleys when in fact they are all mountains that become stacked up because of the long lens. I saturated the colour a bit as there was some haze in the distance.

saxo042, jwmunro, Wandering_Dan, gabrielpat, daddo, john_c, pboehringer, crhieatt, gunbud, PaulVDV has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ommishra (1129) 2007-09-15 9:44 [Comment]

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saxo042 (15694) 2007-09-15 9:57

Hi Phil,
This photo deserves framing and hanging on a wall! It is really a picture, more than just a photo. The framing in the FG of the weed and the fantastic colour of the mountain makes this an outstanding posting!
Regards
Gunnar

AROBN54 (10773) 2007-09-15 10:05

Hey, Phil,
what a strange and wonderful shot!! I love the clarity of the foreground contrasted with that incredible back. Beautiful light, color... amazing detail. Just WOW!!! Great job! Kind regards,
Shelly

claudio74 (6493) 2007-09-15 10:15

Helo Phil
Very nice picture with an excellent composition,colours are really natural.
Well done
Claude

jwmunro (6583) 2007-09-15 10:30

Hello Phil -

This is a nice scene but it looks to lack contrast and to be right at the limits of proper exposure. I have posted a WS to add some contrast and density to the image. I do like the composition but it needs some loving PP.

Thank you for sharing.

John

[2] [workshop] [compare] +

crckt (7076) 2007-09-15 10:30

Hi Phil,
Really pretty shot, excellent composition.
Regards,
Shaeri

Wandering_Dan (3229) 2007-09-15 10:51

Phil -

This is a nice shot, and the WS much improves it.

prairieboy (196) 2007-09-15 10:54

Hi Phil,
This is a great shot, and it's sort of an illusion, as you say. When I first saw it in the thumbnail image, I thought it was taken from a plane. Really interesting light too. Thanks,
Dave

gabrielpat (6551) 2007-09-15 11:32

hi,
a so soft color shot.natural and realistic.well done.
patrick.

GREGG (2210) 2007-09-15 11:59

Hi Phil,
There are nearly no words to describe this beauty. A wonderful picture of a great landscape.
Greetings from Poland-
and have a nice Sunday!
Grzegorz

daddo (11365) 2007-09-15 20:48

Hi Phil. Loveliest nuances in colour and light. One of the best I have seen at this level of softness and delicate shapes. Well done. Regards. Klaudio.

john_c (24635) 2007-09-16 8:47

Hi Phil,
A stunning image, with the optical illusion effect working some magic. I like the way the foreground provides great colour contrast here. The clarity of detail on all the folds and ridges of the mountains is impressive. I would have been tempted in PP to use a grad tint to create a little more contrast in the mountains, but that is minor. A superb shot...I am off to my farm in New Brunswick tomorrow. Cheers.
John

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pboehringer (770) 2007-09-16 20:32

Phil, I see that you really came around during your last visit to California. You got to see all the eastern marvels and Death Valley is certainly a must in that list. I know that place quite well and that makes it even better to appreciate what you did here. The telezoom effect gave a marvelous compression effect and you used the right moment of the day to get this shot. Death Valley shots have to be done in the early morning or the late afternoon otherwise it is a simple light overkill.
John's WS worked out the colors better and enhances the vision more dramatically.
Regards, Peter

testmaniac (12136) 2007-09-16 23:49

Phil, excellent landscape with extrime deep view!

Very nice POV and great photo quality! Nice place!

TFS

Philip

crhieatt (5143) 2007-09-19 14:39

Phil,
I'm really impressed by this one - judging by the result you've obviously used exactly the right lens to produce this marvellous view.
Regards
Colin

pipe (16) 2007-09-21 15:28

o yes, great location, in right time.

Jonas_Schmitt (3074) 2007-12-01 5:00

Hi Phil!
Nice picture with good colors and great depth!
Good point of view and fine sharpness!

Jonas

Tango7174 (0) 2007-12-05 7:06

Lovely soft light and pastel colours.
Good job Phil!

Thành.

Leonie (8647) 2007-12-18 1:53

Another fabulous one...the light is really breath taking! Great! Léonie

gunbud (27891) 2008-04-14 19:05

Hi Phil,
Don't know how I missed this one! Ronald Regan would be proud of you (he played the Old Ranger for 20 Mule Team Borax). Great depth with a mystical quality of the muted pink distant mountains. The green in the foreground really brings this fine desert image together.
Regards, Tom

PaulVDV (5200) 2008-08-21 11:07

Hi Phil,
Today I discovered this picture in your gallery.
It's a fantastic landscape photo. The sunshine on the mountains makes that part look like a lunar landscape.
The different layers: vegetation, dunes, red mountains make this picture wonderful.
Best regards, Paul