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let there be light


let there be light
Photo Information
Copyright: Kristaps Klavins (zmey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1109 W: 72 N: 1074] (4183)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-28
Categories: Nature, Decisive Moment
Camera: Nikon D300, 18-200 f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR Zoom
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-05-07 5:32
Viewed: 500
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
not much: just light, some textures, some gravel, some dirt, some poles, sparce vegetation and cotopaxi volcanoe all shrouded in clouds in the background. the light actually is NOT painted by the known fotoshop technique "paint with light", but rather is a result of the sun protruding through a small opening in the clouds. we were lucky we had stopped the car right before the light came in. a moment later it was gone and a few minutes later we were in a hail-storm... by the way, the road you see in the photo leads to the cotopaxi refuge area's parking lot at the altitude of about 4,500 meters. the foto was made at around 4000 meters while the refuge is about 300 meters higher than the parking lot and accessible only on foot.

ps. the photo looks much better at pixel sizes of 1000 and higher. in the 800 pixels: many texture details on the foreground get "squished" together.
avene, Floydian, belido, Wandering_Dan, fulvio52, danos, gracious, zeca, azaf1 has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Angshu: paint with light examplezmey 3 05-21 06:27
To crckt: shaerizmey 1 05-11 06:38
To Greg1949: cheatingzmey 1 05-09 12:27
To gracious: Tonyzmey 1 05-09 08:36
To danos: not 'paint with light'zmey 2 05-08 22:13
To meltemi: bongiornozmey 1 05-08 08:45
To Tobias__Ortmann: ecuadorzmey 1 05-08 08:44
To fulvio52: wonderful day t'ya toozmey 2 05-07 10:43
To Wandering_Dan: refugiozmey 3 05-07 10:37
To Floydian: small stepszmey 7 05-07 07:15
To npecanhuk: volcanoezmey 1 05-07 06:47
To belido: compo?zmey 1 05-07 06:42
To Benedict: pixelszmey 1 05-07 06:30
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • avene Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1064 W: 68 N: 1332] (5002)
  • [2008-05-07 5:36]
  • [2]

the land looks rusted here and abandoned so long ago it already has vegetation growing on it. the low and menacing sky seems advancing to swallow what's remaining under the sun, poles and all. I quite like the diagonal of the road in the foreground, it's a nice natural frame.

take care,
K.

..and there was light!!
i see what you are saying about the pixels on the FG. i thought it looked noisy, nevertheless, i am a fan of the beautiful compo and the right light amount even in such a not-so-friendly time for foto-taking. and as what avene has written, the road segment made a natural framing effect. good work. talent always prevails!!
cheers,
benedict

Hi Kristaps,
Light, that's what's it all about. I like this play with light and shadow and also the tick clouds on top of it, no need for a clear blue sky here. The patterns look nice in the foreground, i do not see struggles with the pixel size. Reducing filesize can sometimes end up in a mess, you could lower the filesize in mall steps instead of one giant step, sometimes that might help.
Regards, Henk

  • Great 
  • belido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2972 W: 94 N: 2397] (8354)
  • [2008-05-07 6:16]
  • [2] [+]

Hi Kristaps,

light + textures + gravel + dirt + poles + vegetation + cotopaxi volcane = kristaps composition. That's more than you mention in your note. Very nice image. The cloud sky adds dramatism, you know how to use it. Of course a larger version would disclose more details but that's not your problem but an issue of the site. Very well done!
Regards,
Carlos

Hi Kristaps!
As you've probably seen in my pictures, I also love taking pictures from the fields while I'm traveling!
It's a traveler's pov! And I surely like this one of yours, showing us a bit more of Ecuador!
I only miss the volcano! I love them as well!
Anyways, we can't have perfection all the time, can we?
Best regards,
Neyvan

Hi, Kristaps -

An interesting use of diagonals, contrasting between the road and the mountain line. Good lighting in the FG. Having been on Cotopaxi, I know how rare and fleeting a decent amount of light can be.

One note: The road stops at 4500 meters - at least, it did in 2003 when we were there - and the refugio is actually 300 meters higher up. We struggled up the zigzag path to get there, while our driver leaped and skipped up the skree. It did help our egos to remember that he lives at 3500 meters!

And is that pay phone still up there at the refugio?

Best,
Dan

Hi buddy,
IMNAAHO, you won the pixel battle hands down.
I don't see how you could get a better result within TE limitations.
Excellent POV, the pictures continues out of the frame boundaries, sideways to the left and way up beyond.
I can only guess what's out there, but the mere fact you get The Don thinking this way about the picture speaks already volumes about the photographer's skills and IQ. Very, VERY GOOD!
Have a wonderful day man, I'll see ya soon.
Cheers,

Fulvio.

Ok I will come to equador^^
another great shot very good lights perfect composition and pov
very well done
TOba

  • Great 
  • danos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3122 W: 83 N: 4544] (16953)
  • [2008-05-08 5:07]
  • [+]

Hello Kristaps,
nice shot of this "paint with light",of the cotopaxi's area.I like this technique that you can floodlight with light the place that you like.The contrasted lighted part of the scene between the dark clouds and the earth are impressive.Informative your note too.

Regards,Danos

Hello Kristaps,
this is a really impressive picture, well realized and composed. A smoking mountain with great sharpness and contrasts. Many times natural effect gives us the opportunity to make very beautiful compositions. Here the atmosphere of the volcano is amazing captured at the best time to enjoy the phenomenon. Bravo.
All the best.
Stella

Hello Kristaps,
Ah, this is a good one!
wonderful landscape with upward view in good depth!
nice catch of the beautiful sunlight that displayed brilliantly in this image with good sharpness, colour and details
many thanks, my friend
greeting
Tony

Keistaps, I think that thee shots that capture nature's subtle light and shadow shows are among the hardest to do right and you have done a nice job. That you do it without cheating the effect in photo shot is even better, but i wouldn't be writing in that case anyway. Great capture my friend.

Greg

  • Great 
  • zeca Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2789 W: 162 N: 3838] (16536)
  • [2008-05-08 21:14]

Hello Kristaps!
Its always nice to see the sun giving the colours to the foreground and at the same time the dark background enhancing it all! Much better when we don´t need to create its dramaticity. TFS!
Regards,
Zeca

  • Great 
  • danyy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 7170 W: 436 N: 9744] (49720)
  • [2008-05-09 0:02]

Bonjour Kristaps,
un ciel inhabituel qui en jette un maximum, il plombe le paysage pourtant ensoleillé et lui donne un air inquiétant.
Un endroit bien choisi pour montrer le phénomène.
Excellent cadrage aussi.
best regards.
daniel.

Hello Kristaps,

I like this subtle blend of no light vs. light! It brings to mind a wonderful quote in physics, "God said, 'del•E=rho/epsilon; del•B=0;delxE=-db/dt...' and there was light." The "del" are capitol Greek symbols, "del•" and "delx" read "divergence of... and "curl of..." And E and B represent the electric and magnetic fields, respectively. The equations, four in number, are a vector calculus representation of Maxwell's magnificent equations that synthesize electrodynamics, and explain the emission of light. I can see that you had the God's words in mind when you took this image.

Warm regards, and have a good weekend,

Bulent

Hi Kristaps,
great atmosphere
i like glomy clouds and colors
tfs
regards
Ozhan

  • Great 
  • wolf38 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1981 W: 75 N: 959] (6572)
  • [2008-05-10 10:20]

Hello Kristaps. Really a fascinating and worth seeing landscape. Also the colors are somewhat special. They are located in the contrast to the hills and clouds in the background. Very tendencyful. Very beautifully. Best regards, Wolfgang.

  • Great 
  • crckt Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1338 W: 68 N: 1268] (6415)
  • [2008-05-10 18:13]
  • [+]

Hi Kristaps,
Brilliant! the mood is awesome, the execution perfect. I like it a lot. Thanks for sharing,
Shaeri

  • Great 
  • azaf1 (8863)
  • [2008-05-11 1:09]

Hi Kristaps
I like this composition. The lines of the road and the hills behind create a beautiful image nice to look at. The colors are natural and the foto sharp
My compliments
Argiris

Hi Kristaps
Very very good one with many great composed colors
Very good light and shadow play
TFS
Cheers,Braca

  • Great 
  • Angshu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4783 W: 166 N: 7318] (23804)
  • [2008-05-17 21:51]
  • [+]

Hello Kristaps
I was not aware of the photoshop technique "paint with light". I agree with you regarding loss of details due to TE sizing in the FG, but it is a delightful picture all the same. The cloud cover on Cotopaxi looked a bit funny at first glance, like there was some shake vertically during taking the picture, like what you have when you're shooting from a car & the car hits a pothole. Good use of diagonals for the FG road. Very nice, my friend!
Best Regards
Angshuman

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