I never tire of photographing the Alabama Hills. Wandering around this large area of geologic wonders in mid April, I came across a cactus I’ve never seen anywhere else – the well-named Cottontop. Working with a 24MM, I tried to capture the plant in bloom with the Alabama Hills boulders and Sierra Nevada wall as backdrop.
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Countless composition options confront the photographer in Alabama Hills. This treatment is far from unique, with subject at foreground and magnified by the wide angle lens. The problem out there is what to leave out. How might others have captured this cactus and its location?
Pertinent Technical Details
24MM, ISO500, F9, handheld – light was more than adequate. This was late morning – I was out there earlier but working other subjects.
Not sure how else to capture this scene, because I have a nearly identical composition that I made back in 2003. I love the layers that are in this photo from the rough textured foreground and cactus, to the round shaped boulders to the sharp razor edged Sierra Nevada. My only suggestion, for future excursions is to work with less harsh light. The dark shadows are not bad, but they are harsh.
Thanks Youssef – Good advice – light can make all the difference in Alabama Hills. I have also found shooting before sunrise to be rewarding. The longer exposures bring out subtle colors throughout the landscape, which can be washed out in sunlight.
You are obviously an Eastern Sierra veteran. May be amused to learn I went out early to catch a moonset at the same time as sunrise, not appreciating that the mountain wall pushes the moonset schedule back, sometimes a couple of hours. Nonetheless, I did get one, about 90 minutes before sunrise:
This image keeps catching my eye every time I look at the critique page. Very well composed, and seems sharp as a tack, with so much texture. I had a photo teacher once who said,“That’s so sharp it’ll cut your eye.” But I think it’s the mix of plant, rock, and cactus in the foreground that gives it that TEXTURE.
I like the muted colors in the foreground, they’re still warm, receding to the cool in the background mountain/sky.
You asked about composition, I’m not even sure if it was possible, but the only thing I might have tried, likely unsuccessfully, is to drop the height of the camera to try to obscure the road/path. Or raise it to give a bit more space between the road ad the top of the rock in the foreground. It isn’t a big deal, just the only thing I can nitpick. Nicely done!
Hi James,
I don’t shoot with the wide angle as much as I used to, but all the elements are nicely placed throughout the scene. The layers you created with those elements has given your composition a nice sense of depth with a lot for the viewer to enjoy. The light is starting to get a little harsh, so my only suggestion would be to try to shoot this a little earlier or later in the day when the light is better. BTW, the image of the full moon is superb!
Thanks Julie and good catch on the road – in another version, I erased it, a no-no in many circles. I try to follow a simple rule – OK to remove small things, not OK to put things in that weren’t there.
Could probably eliminate the road, as you suggest, with a different angle. Lord knows there are lots of different angles to be tried in this wild location.
James: Not sure you could compose this with a 24mm any better. The progression from FG to Midground to FG is just right and you also have just the right amount of sky. Light considerations aside I think this is a very nicely crafted image. >=))>
James: Not at all. I suppose if one was to use a wider angle you would need to get closer to the cactus and that would diminish the mid and backgrounds. I think you struck a really good balance and think you picked the right tool for the job. >=))>
This is lovely. I like the composition for sure. I have this thing about not wanting to dissect foreground elements with the edge of the frame. There might be something that prevented it, but I’d love to see the composition moved ever so slightly to the left to include the entire boulder behind the cactus. I think you could do that and maintain the same orientation of the peaks. I’ve never been there, Is Whitney the tall one there? As others have said, the light isn’t super favorable here, but you’ve captured the essence of the place perfectly.
Thanks for these ideas Paul. It’s a maddening but wonderful location for the very reason you suggest: countless composition opportunities and countless frustrations in framing to capture all the worthy elements! Good problem to have: what to leave out of a frame full of eye catchers.
Plus the awesome foreground competes with the awesome background. A buddy critiqued one of my other shots by saying it had two major points of interest, frustrating the eye!
The biggest mountain in the image is 13,000+ foot Lone Pine Peak, which is closer and so appears taller than 14,000+ foot Whitney, to the right. At sunrise you can see which is taller: Whitney catches first light. Here’s Whitney later in the morning with one of the area’s fun boulder animals.
Hope you can get out there sometime. It is ridiculously accessible compared to similarly amazing locations. Easily combined with a Yosemite visit.
Those are stunning mountains! I have been to Yosemite just once. It was June and the Merced was delightfully flooded and Yosemite Falls were roaring! I found it to be an incredibly emotional experience and definitely need to go back. My wife is from Weaverville, CA so when we visit we tend to spend more time in the Redwoods than in the eastern part of the state. I need to change that!
Thanks Paul – I feel blessed to have such a world class scenic resource less than 4 hours from my home.
Hope you can make it out there sometime.
One route from Weaverville that would give you a good look at it would be 5 south to 80 east, past Lake Tahoe to Reno, then south on Highway 395, all the way to Lone Pine, your base camp for shooting Mount Whitney and the Alabama Hills, right in Whitney’s lap. After that, you could drive back north on 395 just about 90 minutes and catch the eastern gate of Yosemite, route 120, the Tioga Road, and drive across the Yosemite high country, which has nearly as many photo spots as the famous Yosemite Valley.
From there you would find your way west to the 5 back north.
You could also fly to Reno, get a car and explore 395 that way, with a day trip into Yosemite high country. Fly home from Reno.
Thanks Mark. I think I’m getting pretty good at shooting this area. But the truth is, there is so much scenery and great access that any serious amateur can come to Lone Pine, stay a couple of nights and come home with a load of good landscapes, both with and intimate!
