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Sonoran Spring
1st PlaceSonoran Spring
Artifacts


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Ansel Adams (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Sony DSC-F717
Location: Superstition Mountains, Arizona USA
Date: Mar 6, 2005
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/250th
Galleries: Landscape, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Mar 6, 2005

An approaching winter storm over the Sonoran Desert east of the Superstition Mountains of Arizona.

The dramatic sky was achieved through the use of a polarizer filter.

Post processing:
1-NeatImage applied to sky only
2-Selective color: black, -5% black, on sky only
3-Brightness Contrast: +5% brightnest and +5% contrast on ground only
4-Channel Mixer: Set to monochrome, +108% red, -8% green, -16% blue
5-Levels used to set black point to upper left hand part of the sky
6-50% greyscale layer used for dodge and burn
7-Clone tool used to remove slight haloing on sky/ground boundary
8-Image rotated 1.19 degrees to right
9-Cropped and resized to 640X512 (1:1.25 ratio)
10-Autocontrast applied
11-USM 100%,.3,0 on sky and 250%,.2,0 on ground
12-Saved for web

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 292
Avg (all users): 7.6172
Avg (commenters): 8.5385
Avg (participants): 7.4966
Avg (non-participants): 7.7748
Views since voting: 15723
Votes: 256
Comments: 87
Favorites: 63 (view)


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AuthorThread
03/25/2007 01:54:44 AM
Wow! This is AWESOME! Ansel would be proud :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/31/2006 10:19:11 AM
Bringing some of his shots on the frequently commented page so that people will be aware that he's been missing since the 23rd.

Here is the thread:

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=435289&page=1
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2006 01:40:35 PM
I can almost see the colors in this one, great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/22/2005 07:56:48 AM
Thanks to everyone for your kind remarks and generous scores.
03/18/2005 11:43:00 AM
Instead of fussing with the channel mixer, I would have popped on a red 25A filter during the shoot and played with the combination of that and the polarizer. I think you would have been able to keep a LOT more of the detail in the foreground.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/17/2005 08:10:17 PM
'Nice' is not strong enough a word.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/16/2005 07:01:41 PM
Blue ribbon for a perfect Arizona photo. Congratulations. BBell Pinetop,AZ
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/16/2005 12:54:18 PM
unbeliveble sky and shadows
note can be just one 10!!!!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/15/2005 09:08:18 PM
This is just amazing! I love it. Congrats, you deserve the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/15/2005 03:45:25 PM
Excellent image!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/15/2005 10:43:29 AM
I love everything about AZ. Ansel would be pleased with this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/15/2005 12:39:53 AM
Congratulations! Very beautiful.

Added: How do you NeatImage only a portion of the picture? That black sky and the beautiful growing clouds are really good to look at. Congratulations again, I like this very much.

Message edited by author 2005-03-15 00:43:07.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 10:43:32 PM
Congratulations Steve! I knew you would win this one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 10:36:41 PM
Well done beautiful shot. This image definetly to me shows the "zone system"
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 08:57:56 PM
Congrats on a much deserved blue. cya on saturday.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 08:57:25 PM
Congratulations on Your BLUE!! A striking image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:36:41 PM
Winning the Blue Ribbon completes the set for you; congratulations! Beautiful entry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:24:04 PM
A rendition in classic Adams style! Well done. Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 10:14:59 AM
Looks like you could be the next Ansel Adams Dad!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 09:15:11 AM
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You are awesome Steve, how great it must feel to get that blue... and so deserved.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 09:11:47 AM
Absolutely STUNNING! Very deserving win! CONGRATS!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 05:56:43 AM
nice shot...congrats on the ribbon.

debbie
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 05:35:30 AM
nice one, well done !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 03:17:27 AM
Congrats Steve, superb image!!

sue
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 02:13:10 AM
No surprise here! Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:47:59 AM
Congratulations, great shot !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:31:39 AM
Congrats! Love this one :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:15:40 AM
Delighted with seeing you in the Blue Ribbon Circle! Great desert photo, Steve. I love your desert spring photos on your website as well. Congrats from Oregon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:04:52 AM
Beautiful! Congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:03:14 AM
congrats on a truly awesome image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 01:01:56 AM
Congratulations Steve! This is an incredible photo! Truly an Ansel masterpiece!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:59:49 AM
Awesome photo Steve! Congratulations on a well deserved blue ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:30:56 AM
Great shot and a worthy win.
Paul.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:21:41 AM
Great shot. Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:16:44 AM
great job! this photo is a true Ansel Adams champion!!! well deserved blue !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:16:10 AM
Beautiful shot. Congratulations Steve.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:11:20 AM
Exquisite! Congratulations, well deserved!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:10:58 AM
Woohoo! Way to to go Steve! This is a great shot. Congratulations on a well deserved ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:10:42 AM
Congrats on your third ribbon and first blue! Like I said below - My favorite of the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:10:40 AM
Congratulations on your Blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:10:05 AM
Congrats a true ressemblance to the masters work.. well deserved blue
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:09:14 AM
WooHoo!! I thought this might be yours - pure class and perfection!! Congrats!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/14/2005 12:09:12 AM
congrats man you deserve this ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/13/2005 10:18:20 PM
Terrific. AA would be proud. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/13/2005 02:02:46 PM
you've capture the dramatic lighting and sky, well composed, interesting subject... one of my favorites this challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/13/2005 10:14:27 AM
i love this, especially the textures!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/13/2005 08:53:08 AM
After close scrutiny of all of my top picks I have to choose your picture as the best AA tribute. For me it has all the aspects of a good AA picture. Great job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/12/2005 06:30:39 PM
Very nice, I can remember that he did something similar to this. well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/12/2005 08:14:45 AM
Great job. I wonder if you could have changed your angle to capture more clouds and avoid the sky (dead space). Also, the leaning cactus on the left is a little out of norm for the rest of the group. All in all, a great pic. (9)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/12/2005 05:58:58 AM
Great contrast and detail - love the sky.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2005 02:18:00 PM
great photo, very Adams-like
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2005 08:33:27 AM
When I first saw your shot I knew it was a 10 to me. It has the tonal range and razor sharpness that is Ansel. It is hard to get the razor edge without a field camera, but you seemed to have done it. This is realy on par with the master. Great shot!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2005 02:47:16 AM
Beautiful capture of the spirit and style of AA! One of my favorites to win this challenge. I especially love the start contrasts so evocative of a desert landscape. Thanks for this stunning photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2005 01:00:29 AM
My favorite image of the challenge. Great job with dodge and burn. Helps to have such great scenery!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2005 10:46:48 PM
love this shot -- 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2005 06:32:06 PM
Good sky, if a touch over dramtised for my taste. It is however quite 'AA' so it will do well. Composition is sound. Steve?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2005 04:31:27 PM
This has SO much potential. The sky's marvelous. It falls short for me, though, in that the shadows are too blocked up, especially on right center, and the "toppling" perspective on the largest saguaro is disturbing. A strong entry, regardless.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2005 01:05:11 PM
An Ansel Adams photo if I ever saw one, especially with those clouds. I really like the way the clouds sort of frame the cactus and draw the attention further into the photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2005 11:50:27 AM
A wonderful image! Good tonal range.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2005 09:11:23 AM
Lovely and sharp, maybe a little dark in the foreground but a very nicely taken shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2005 10:05:44 PM
Excellent photo. Should be in the top 3 for a ribbon. Good tonal range with a brillant sky with clouds.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2005 09:47:59 PM
Excellent, one of my favorites, I like the range of tones
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2005 09:03:00 PM
Impressive! I love the dramatic composition, and the range of tones is wonderful. This is definitely ribbon material. Very well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2005 05:21:56 PM
Fantastic shot - top 5 pick from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2005 02:37:46 PM
Now this one has some drama! Nice processing to get that dark sky and light clouds. Congrats also for not blowing out your highlights! 9 A few more things: Ansel Adams was not afraid to shoot in stark sunlight; I think he liked the contrast between the deep shadows and highlights. You also have a natural line that runs from the largest saguaro at left to the one at right. The opuntias are an added bonus and lend a lot of interest to the shot as well. Just some more evidence on the quality of your photo! I'm tempted to give this a 10. Perhaps had your photo just a few more shades of gray in between your highlights and shadows? Hmmmmm.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 08:44:45 PM
Very Nice!!.. Very close to Ansel :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 04:05:10 PM
Lovely processing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 03:24:14 PM
great clouds
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 02:00:33 PM
beautiful- reminds me of El Paso.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 02:00:19 PM
i like the sky!good tones
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 01:01:33 PM
Beautiful framing & Great tonal range, one of my fav. for this challenge. GL :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 12:06:13 PM
My lone top pick - good luck. Although the details of the picture are not as clear as I think they could be - I think you composed a picture and capture drama in AA style. Good job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 10:08:41 AM
I can most certainly see this in the calendar now. Fantastic and in my opinion the strongest part of the photo is the sky and clouds. Great job!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 08:48:33 AM
VERY NICE! One of my favorites in this group. The softness of the billowy clouds are a nice backdrop to the more stiff skeletons of the cacti. Great contrast!! I'd hang this in my home.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 08:13:36 AM
I love it! Stunning contrast and beautiful sky... just a tad dark.... but, I am adding it to my favs:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/08/2005 07:12:39 AM
Nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 10:26:16 PM
Fantastic composition, beautiful sky and excellent contrasts in this photo. Bumping to a 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 08:51:59 PM
Wonderful composition, I'd really like to see the original color version.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 08:31:26 PM
Good shot. Looks like Ansel-like.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 08:30:36 PM
Dramatic, almost epic. Like it a lot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 08:04:34 PM
Great picture, 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 05:45:16 PM
One of my favorite memories. I've moved away. Thanks for sharing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 05:02:08 PM
Excellent clarity and composition! 9!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 02:40:43 PM
Nice one, how did you get the sky black?!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 10:47:41 AM
Great detail and contrast, one of the best I have seen so far
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 05:02:54 AM
Excellent subject for this challenge and you did a great job capturing the lines and depth, as well as with the processing. Very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/07/2005 04:12:25 AM
this pops, well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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