While on a prefielding trip I had located this isolated cholla cactus a couple weeks ago and took a GPS reading to verify the sunrise TOD and the exact beam angle or trajectory. With that plotted out I returned and was pleased with the resulting sunrise beam striking this singular cactus.
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Mamiya RB67 ProSD - Mamiya “C” 150mm soft focus lens- Hoya CP - Ektachrome E-100.
** NO softfocus filters installed. **
Cool way to stalk a subject and then surprise it at just the right time!!! Wonderful light with the cool/warm vibe on the Cholla. I’m torn about the bright area on the rock, though. Cropping it would keep my attention on the plant better – or maybe just darken it with lower contrast – pulling the UR corner of the Curves straight down.
I still miss my RZ-67 but digital appeals to both my lazy and creative nature.
@Diane_Miller thank you for the review and comment. I can go either way on the light cast on the rock wall. Easy change there for sure.
I alternate between MF & LF depending upon subjects or ideas. The old gear just fits my style best… 
Paul: My thoughts kind of echo @Diane_Miller regarding the bright spot on the rock but the subject and the light on it is superbly captured. Thanks also for explaining your planning. I try to do similar things before I go on a trip. One evening when I was in Bryce Canyon I was set up with the camera pointed across the canyon just relaxing and waiting. Some folks walked up and wanted to know what I was shooting. I told them that in about four minutes the full moon was going to rise at that particular spot. Fortunately for me the moon cooperated and the crowd was amazed. It was kind of a fun moment. Luck happens to the well prepared. >=))>
@Bill_Fach …OMG, were you standing next to me? Many years ago I was setup in Bryce waiting for a moon rise. The people thought I’d lost my mind standing with a camera on a tripod without taking any images.
How small our world is. I need to dig back and see if I could find those images…so long ago now.
Thank you for the comments on this scene, but more importantly the story of the moon rise at Bryce.
EDIT: @Bill_Fach after thinking about that outing more I recall the images were marginal and I never used them as there was a big fire event in the eastern area of Bryce negating a clean full moon rise…SIGH !
I really love the way the light hits the cacuts. It looks majestic. I was also distracted by the bright rock as it takes me away from the beautiful cactus. You definitely don’t want to crop it but slightly darkening it can help bring the focus back to the cactus. I also wish the cactus had more room to breath above it. But really nice pictures and it shows how planning can help get those wonderful pics.
@Bill_Fach @Diane_Miller @tamar-aharony thank you each for the reviews and comments. I posted a second version eliminating the sunlight hitting the back of the rock wall. I think both work here and as always personal tastes in the end. I sort of like the splash of light passing the cactus and illuminating the small area of the wall. But, the point of keeping the focus on the plant more the second version surely makes that work very well too…
BTW: all cholla needles are barbed on the tips. I have personal experience in that arena. I wear snake guards for the cholla more so than any snake encounters.
Seeing the revision I see what you mean that there are benefits to the splash of light. it adds another dimension. Without it the only focus is on the cactus.
Paul, you’ve caught some superb light here. I think that the lighting hitting the rock on the left is an important part of the picture. My thought is to crop a bit off the right to create more of a back and forth feeling between it and the Cholla. The Cholla only feels quite static.
Maybe just burn down the bright area instead of completely removing it?
