Most images that we see on NPN from Bosque Del Apache are of the birds. Of course that’s a great reason to go there, but since I have the opportunity to go there a lot and teach I’m always looking for new opportunities. This particular morning presented something I’ve never seen there… A small rainbow early in the morning. I know the rainbow is not particularly prominent in the wonderful sky, but it still was a first. I was amazed as I walked up and down the row of students in my group and said “did you see the rainbow?” and most had not stopped looking through their long lenses to take in the magnificent sky and the subtle rainbow. There are a few sandhill cranes still on the water from the morning fly out.
Any pertinent technical details:
Olympus EM-5 Mark II
7-14mm f/2.8 @ 7mm
ISO 250
1/250, f/9
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
Gorgeous! All the makings of a grand landscape image; great drama, beautiful and dramatic light, a great landscape and story-telling elements like the cranes and even down to the flooded fields - oh, and the bit of rainbow is just icing on the cake.
And wow, that 7mm is quite the view. It looks like you can just reach up and touch the clouds at the top of the frame! Have to ask, do you have to correct for distortion?
That’s pretty cool, Keith. I’ve been at the crane pools early in the morning in the fog, but never like this. Interesting take at 7mm. Might not have worked, but I think a slight bit more of the FG would be a good option.
Bill, WOW…lots of drama in this sky. Love the colors of the scene overall. The composition with the small amount of landmass and horizon fits perfectly too.
Like Lon, I was wondering about barrel distortion of the horizon that was corrected in post processing, or maybe not?
I use a mild fisheye a lot and if used perfectly vertical to the subject it does very little distortion and looks good.
No, the 7-14 is a rectilinear lens, not a fisheye and it is very well corrected to handle super wide views without distortions creeping in on things like the horizon. I went back and looked at the original RAW file just to make sure I didn’t do anything for distortion.
Nicely composed, and a very dramatic sky. At least to me, the blues/cyans in the sky look to be somewhat over-saturated. But that’s minor. You had great light, and the rainbow is a nice bonus.
–P
Wonderfully done! Love the color contrast elements and the commitment to the sky rather than the rule of 3rds. Rainbows are typically not huge vibrant elements and this one sits perfectly in the shot in my opinion. Beautiful image.
This image is predominantly about incredible sky. To my view, the leading lines of the sky/clouds created by the wide angle “distortion” of the lens, as well as the leaning in of the sandhill cranes all point toward the subtlety of the rainbow nicely placed centrally. I also like the darkness of the central mountain just below the rainbow, which creates contrast and helps to reveal the subtle presence of the rainbow. Finally, I like that the rainbow is not oversaturated/overdone. There is a strong color contrast and luminance contrast of the blue sky and yellow/brown fields that does compete very strongly for attention, however, and may even hide the rainbow a bit.
