The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
This image was taken on a trip earlier this year as I spent 2 weeks overlanding in Arizona and Utah. My trip started in Arizona at a relatively unknown location called Coal Mine Canyon. I kept an eye on weather reports and left on my voyage when the weather was turning it’s worst which is exactly what I wanted. I was not disappointed. After nearly getting stuck in the mud at Coal Mine Canyon (the dirt roads in Utah and Arizona are notorious for having mud stick your tires filling the tread with mud 4 inches thick and making forward movement impossible) I moved on to Page AZ. where I decided on a whim to photograph Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon. This would be my 6th time inside each location and the last time I swore I would never, ever do it again. It’s a tourist trap like none other. It’s amazing but…
I then moved on to Monument Valley where I was greeted by clear skies when I really needed some drama in the clouds. So I canceled my overnight adventure with the local guides and moved on to Canyon Lands and Arches in Utah where I was following the weather and it was turning bad.
This image is from the Canyon Lands portion of my trip. I’ll post others from other areas of the trip but wanted to share this one first. Why? It was the reason I went on this trip. Following the weather and having it do what I wanted it to do was very gratifying for me. Too often I hope for conditions on a trip like this only to be disappointed and let down. I now have back up plans in place so that my trips are not so weather dependent.
As I drove into the park I noticed that there were really ugly looking clouds off to the left of the main road. I quickly decided to turn left at the juncture where Canyon Lands goes straight and Dead Horse Point turns off to the left. As I reached the lookout point the clouds were building and then everything just erupted. Everyone was running around getting soaked in the torrential rain but I stuck it out in my car and then it happened. The overhead clouds moved off a little bit, the sun came out just at the right time and this image was made…among hundreds of others.
What I liked most about this image was the light hitting the forward buttes in conjunction with the rainbow hitting the spire sticking up. I also loved the torrents of rain sheeting down across the scene. What a day. That rainbow lasted for about 45 minutes and everyone at the lookout point was just in awe.
This view is off to the left of the lookout point where the salt lake terraces come into view. Sorry for the long winded intro.
Feedback Requested
I’m really interested in the mood this gives off.
I also am interested in how you feel about the composition. Having the salt lake terraces pop into the frame on the left may not be ideal and I’d like your thoughts on that.
I really didn’t do too much with image in processing. Should I burn down the very upper portion of the clouds. Are they too bright?
Crop to a pano removing the top layer of clouds?
Tripod/handheld: Hand held
Focus method: Auto focus 1/3 into the scene
Filters: Magnetic polarizer
Technique: Single shot
Conditions: Windy, stormy, cloudy, raining
You were certainly in the right place at the right time to catch an image like this. Canyonland is an amazing place and one of my favorites to go in Eastern Utah. But you’re right it can be very hazardous.
I like the image quite a bit. It is in fact quite moody. But if you like storms, It puts you in a good mood.
As with many images taken in the red rocks area, image complexity comes with many decisions that one has to make in their editing. As you said, there’s a lot going on in here with the storm, cloud differentiation, a rainbow, and the salt lake terraces.
I appreciate that you were anxious to post this and you state that you didn’t do too much in the way of processing. Obviously that could be good and bad. That said, this is mostly good. It is a grand view.
I first looked at it on my iPad which is 11 inches. But in order to get the real effect, put it on my 30 inch monitor. And it really shines well!
But as you have seen, I enjoy these kinds of images.
I think the strongest part of the image is the central area with the rainbow, over to the airstrip in the left lower corner which I would clone out. I also ran the image through the distraction remover and it got rid of a lot of the dust In the foreground shadows.
Thanks David. I’ll have to go back and check but I may not have run any noise reduction or spot remover on this image accounting for the dust you mention. Yep, I’ll remove that airstrip down in the left section in front of the mountains. Great catch. Quick question…You said you used a distraction remover? What is that exactly? Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.
First, what an amazing image and experience. You have pretty much every element that makes a photograph interesting in one frame! I’ve never photographed in that area of the country but I certainly see what I’m missing. As you mentioned, the light on the buttes really completes the image of the “storm”.
From a processing perspective I’m not sure I would change anything. At first I thought some of the clouds might be clipping, but after a closer look I don’t think they are, and there is plenty of texture in the sky. Fantastic job with the rainbow.
I might be tempted to remove whatever that is in the LLC (road? air strip?) I can’t really tell but it is somewhat distracting when I view the image. In any event, I hope you are putting this on a wall somewhere, it deserves it.
Thanks for your comment on this one, Jonathan. It’s actually a man made salt lake that grows different colored salts. That’s the edge of it and they are in terraces like they grow rice. Hope that makes sense. I can probably clone it out. Thoughts? Thanks again for your comments. I appreciate it.
Ah! I saw a reference to that in an early comment but wasn’t sure what it was referring to. I’m not sure I think it being there adds anything to the image, so I would probably clone it out. Particularly if you are going to print it.
David, the mix of land, rain and rainbow is great. Congrats on having the foresight and the patience to be at the right place and right time. Yes, the salt pan is a distraction with it’s bright blue color. Cropping it out would leave an unbalanced view. Have you tried a desaturation layer that targets only the blue of the salt pan. I would also try a bit of mid-tone burning-in on the central clouds for a touch more contrast there, although the sky looks good as presented.
David, this is a beautiful image that really captures the interplay between the sunlight and the storm both in the rainbow and the illuminated shafts of rain falling to the ground. Its very dramatic for the right reason 9because of the conditions) rather than being artificially pumped up in processing.
I agree with @Mark_Seaver that trying some desaturation on the lake might work well.
Yes, a distraction remover is connected to the removed tool. What do you need to do is go into the menu and click on the toolbar and find the removed tool. Once you find that, they should be in one of the top panels a box that says distraction remover remove wires remove people. What you have clicked on the removed tool, you will see a dialogue box that has as above, distractions, people wires. Click on the fine distractions, and it will look for all of the things that it would like to remove .
You have many choices, but it’ll depend on how complicated the images before it will list all of the distractions.
If you see something you don’t want removed, you can uncheck the box
click on the right side of the dialogue box where there’s a checkmark and it will remove all the distractions and whatever else you want removed pretty seamlessly.
click on the right side of the dialogue box where there’s a checkmark and it will remove all the distractions and whatever else you want removed pretty seamlessly.
I hope I explained that well enough for you to understand.
I’m sure there’s a video or something on PHLEARN osr something else ,”
Thanks for asking first of help on this. I think it’s a pretty amazing look AI technology if you’re into that and it’s becoming hard to avoid as much as I think it compromises an image.
This is beautiful.
I love the overall mood of the scene; I love the fantastic light; I love the contrast in the clouds.
As noted, my gaze was immediately drawn to the “Blue Lake,” and I always get the impression that it doesn’t belong in this photo. It’s a shame to lose the upper part of the sky above the lake, so if it were mine, I’d be inclined to remove the lake—or at least change its color and lower its brightness. in the end just crop it out.
Processing is done with a light touch and that’s what I think is needed. The salt lake needs an edit to stop the pull from the centre where the main narrative lies.
A little gentle D+B in the clouds may help bring out the clouds , and colours are often supersaturated in storms - again gentle hand.
This will be wonderful on the wall - so must be printed to show all its glory
Well this is certainly a grand landscape. You have the clouds and their shadows which all good Grand Canyon landscapes have. I wonder if this could be made a bit more brooding with the clouds.
I love this David! I agree with your observations. What great timing to catch that rain/virga and the rainbow. The dappled light on the buttes is wonderful.
The mood I catch is monsoon season. Growing up in AZ, the season normally started around July 4, and brought the optimism of cooling rains that bring life to the desert mixed with the drama of lightning and thunder. I’ve always been amazed how the clouds build between the beginning and end of the day.
