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Nature's Grandeur
2nd PlaceNature's Grandeur
pncowley


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Stock Photography II (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Konica KD-400Z
Location: Mesa Arch, Canyonlands NP, USA
Date: Mar 14, 2005
Aperture: f4.7
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/909
Galleries: Landscape, Panoramic
Date Uploaded: Mar 19, 2005

My first submission to a member challenge in nearly a year. It may be a bit of a stretch for a stock photo, but my wife loved it, and I've learned she often has a better feel for what's good and what's not than I do.

This was shot during a recent whirlwind trip to Southern Utah at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park.

While I have a lot more freedom in the member challenges than I am used to in past challenges, I chose to do little post processing to this shot. Edited in PSP 8.10
Saturation +35, Brightness -5. Two USM passes at 2.00/85/8 and .35/100/15. Resized for submission.

I hope you enjoy the shot as much as I do.

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 258
Avg (all users): 7.4123
Avg (commenters): 8.4138
Avg (participants): 7.1159
Avg (non-participants): 7.8667
Views since voting: 8038
Views during voting: 382
Votes: 228
Comments: 51
Favorites: 27 (view)


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AuthorThread
04/24/2005 02:49:57 AM
Great pic. I just visited Canyonland and Arches, hope some of mine turn out this good
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/29/2005 09:09:44 PM
What a great sense of depth, light, and color! Wonderful shot! Reminds me of some of the wonderful shots in "Ancient America" by David Muench
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/29/2005 07:31:42 AM
Great shot! Continue to trust your wife's instincts!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 09:33:14 PM
Thanks all for the comments... and the ribbon! I almost second-guessed my wife on this one, but as I mentioned in the main description, she often has better tastes than I do. There were so many other great shots in this challenge I figured I would be doing well to get a top-ten finish.

I would love to have had a better camera to have perhaps done this shot a bit differently. My camera is a simple point-and-shoot model, all but eliminating the possibility of using a polarizer or for the on-board flash to fill such a large space (as noted by some in their comments). And the 4mp resolution is barely enough to get a decent-sized print done-- my next task.

Ideal conditions, including the cloud-filled sky and a stiff northerly breeze keeping the haze out of the way are probably more responsible for the quality of the shot than anything at my own hands.

Again, my thanks for your comments!
03/28/2005 09:04:50 PM
Congratulations on the Red ,Awesome image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 07:23:45 PM
I love this photo. It's 3 dimensional! I will be coming to Utah the end of April but I don't think I'll make it down to the south this time around but seeing your photo makes me want to try. Love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 05:32:22 PM
Congratulations on your ribbon with this amazing view! Beautifully done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 05:22:02 PM
Awesome photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 01:46:16 PM
Amazing!! The DOF is pin sharp! One of the most beautiful photos I've seen in a while. I would buy it in a heart-beat, good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 12:49:09 PM
That's breathtaking. I mean, the Grand Canyon (I'm assuming the photo is of that), is gorgeous. but so many photographs of it are pretty, yes, but so cliche. They all seem to be taken while standing on one cliff, with another cliff off about a football field away as the subject, and then the opposite side of the canyon making the background.
Your photo is different because it adds in a foreground. Throwing in that new element totally puts this head and shoulders above your regular pretty canyon shot. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 12:35:00 PM
Verry beautiful photograph. Utha must be beautiful plase to explore. This Canyonlands National Park have to see. Congratulation.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 11:15:46 AM
Congratulations - what a beautiful shot and location. I want to go!! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 08:23:30 AM
Hey Paul, this is really great stuff! Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 02:06:55 AM
Fantastic picture, well deserved ribbon, congratulations !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 01:55:51 AM
a one in a million...beautiful...congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 12:37:10 AM
After a peek in your portfolio, I believe this is the first of many to come. Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 12:23:16 AM
This is a beautiful and interesting shot! Congrats on second place!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 12:17:06 AM
What a way to return to competition! Congrats on the red!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/28/2005 12:05:43 AM
Congratulations on your red. This is one a stunning image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/27/2005 09:21:52 PM
Very nice photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/27/2005 07:07:59 PM
Beautiful shot. One of my favorites for a ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/27/2005 08:03:18 AM
A bit of a cliche, but then again cliches sell (and score high on dpchallenge). ;)
Anyway, I would really have liked this photograph if there were more a foreground - a person standing and looking at the view would have, I think, been terrific.
The sun also seems to be to your right so I think a polarizer would have been nice here to make the sky a bit bluer. (You didn't use a polarizer, did you?)
I'm also curious whether a fill flash pointed to the dark area at the top would have made the picture stronger (that is, if that area is small enough for flash to be useable).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/26/2005 06:28:52 PM
Beautiful !!!! One of my favorites
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/26/2005 09:54:08 AM
Wow (9)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/26/2005 12:15:47 AM
gorgeous 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/25/2005 11:23:12 PM
awesome! great depth of feild, love the mountains in the background! good job~!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/25/2005 10:25:50 PM
Fabulous! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/25/2005 08:45:13 PM
Absolutely beauitful! Excellent composition, use of colors, and depth of field. It's perfect =) 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/25/2005 09:13:45 AM
Excellent framing. The golden colors contrasted with the blues in the distance are so lovely. And the details of the nearer portions of the canyon are very clear. Gorgeous shot. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/25/2005 06:30:26 AM
stunning!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/25/2005 02:45:42 AM
beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/24/2005 12:58:30 PM
Awesome landscape! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/23/2005 07:47:44 PM
Stunning...absolutely beautiful!! 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/23/2005 03:26:47 PM
Fit for a magazine anytime!! Beautifully done!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/23/2005 12:52:26 PM
Awsome shot! I would like to see the sky a bit brighter and less gray, but overall one of my favorites so far!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/23/2005 12:12:27 AM
This is a good scene to start with. I like the framing of the mountains. Very good DOF. How did you get such a haze-free view into the distance?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/22/2005 10:54:10 PM
Great stock landscape photo, with rich earth tones and a great depth of field. Excellent entry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/22/2005 02:42:15 PM
I'd click on 11, but it only goes up to 10. Unlike my amp. Beautiful shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/22/2005 08:18:03 AM
Nice view of the La Sals
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 11:57:39 PM
Gorgeous - great depth.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 11:33:48 PM
returning for comments:
This image has great potential for stock selection. Outstanding work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 05:15:10 PM
Very David Muench like, beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 12:40:27 PM
Damn...I need to get out of Ontario for these challenges. Absolutely incredible shot. Great framing and Focus is top notch. Good Luck.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 12:07:41 PM
beautiful and I love how it goes on and on.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 11:10:20 AM
Second pass of voting and bumping this to a 10. Very nice job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 09:23:07 AM
Beautiful picture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 08:49:33 AM
I feel that this is a little cramped, I long for some more sky in this one. No pun though, I love the depth of the image and it's a good idea, I just think that there's a little much boring foreground.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 05:00:31 AM
Great range of colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 03:29:03 AM
slightly cliche'. seen this a thousand times.
no less than 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 01:44:23 AM
Very nice image

Message edited by author 2005-03-28 01:49:36.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/21/2005 12:48:19 AM
Excellent DOF, love the colors. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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