This favorite place is extensive. The foreground is Baughman Rock on the west slope of Laurel Ridge in the Allegheny Mountains. In the background, behind the trees, is the gorge of the Youghiogheny River. The river cuts a deep water gap through Laurel Ridge between Confluence, PA and Ohiopyle, PA. Habitat zones within the region range from a milder, more southern microclimate along the north-flowing river to colder and harsher northern climes on the ridge-top. The area is generally east to west, so slopes are north-facing in some places and south-facing in others. Laurel Ridge is an ancient folded mountain. Passing east to west older and older rock layers are exposed, and thus soil chemistry varies, adding even more diversity to the ecological communities.
The river provides easy access by kayak and a hiking/biking trail follows the river providing alternative access. There are no significant roads in the valley. Finally, it is fully in the hands of public agencies and thus over 10,000 acres of protected landscape.
If you’re interested in more information; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youghiogheny_River
Specific Feedback Requested
Any is welcome.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: Yes
The image is a panorama of eight frames stitched with LR. Additional processing was done in LR with some touch-up with PS.
The initial frames were taken as verticals with a 1/3 frame overlap. The camera was in manual mode. Exposure was determined at the center of the intended image, with the whites just below a burned-out level.
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Hi Paul! This looks and sounds like a beautiful place! I’m not sure if you intended this but the image seems like it’s very thin. I know it’s a panorama, but I just feel like I want to see more below and above, if that makes sense. I kind of feel like I’m looking through a very narrow window and I want to jump out to see the rest of the view. It’s very nice details of what you did so that’s why I want to see the whole image! 
Hi Vanessa,
I would love to show more, but that’s it. It’s an older panorama using a longer lens. Instead of having a 16 mm it was made with a 35 mm lens.
Thanks for pointing that out, it makes me think I need to do more when creating panoramas. I experimented with a process that allowed several passes at varying levels then stitching all those images and layers together. It was call Gigapan. I think the website is still around.
Although it’s thin, the width is enough to make a print over twelve feet wide.
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Oh, so the 35mm was still too far out to get any foreground! So, it was an actual panorama camera you used and doing it vertically! That’s amazing! Yeah, I was looking at it on my iPad screen and it looks like it would be huge! Like a banner. I can’t even imagine stitching together photos like this all the way across, let alone doing it for the height as well! Really nice work.
Vanessa, yes, the 35mm lens was too long to get more of the forground, and moveing back is impossible because my vantage point at this location is on a raised outcrop.
It wasn’t a dedicated panoramic camera, but my normal SLR. I use it regularly for panoramas. The process is to begin at the left side of the scene holding the camera for a vertical image. Take the first image. Then carefully move the camera to the right keeping about 1/3 of the first image in the new scene. Take a second image. Keep moving, with an overlap, across the scene,
Once you have the images in LR, there is a “Panorama” stiching option. It does all the work. Easy to do. Give it a try.
Namaste
Paul, this is a good looking pano, with the overlook on the left, lots of fine fall colors and a lovely deep blue sky with white clouds
Thanks Mark, I appreciate your comments.
This is a regular hang-out. I have pans from all seasons, some with more of the gorge and some like this, including the foreground. It’s a popular state park with a million plus visitors every year, but away from the crowed focal points, I have the 10,000 of acres to myself. There are several overlooks, but this one is the most easily reached.
