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Solar Rider
1st PlaceSolar Rider
AP


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Hot (Basic Editing)
Camera: Nikon D2H
Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Nikon
Location: Valley Forge National Park, PA
Date: Jul 22, 2008
Aperture: 4
ISO: 400
Shutter: 30 sec
Galleries: Sky
Date Uploaded: Jul 22, 2008

 Oh wow, I just returned to civilization from a hiking/camping trip to find this!

I can't believe it.

Since a lot of people asked I'll divulge what this really is, but I hope too many people don't think less of it as a result... :P

The "rider" is a statue of George Washington or some other general in Valley Forge National Park in PA. This is a 30-sec exposure I took at ~10pm, just before being chased out by park security. The white dots are stars, not hot spots. The 'sun' is actually a low-hanging moon which appeared red/yellow, and cast color on the passing clouds, which aligned themselves quite serendipitously for this capture. PP was just a lot of curves work, pushing it to the extreme, and using hue/sat & selective color adjustments to tweak the sky into something 'hot'.

I mean, a 'live' subject would likely be more compelling, but I liked the idea of this statue - a frozen, persisting monument to the deeds of a person who once was - imposed against the night sky and the universe beyond. I'm pleased with the result, despite some of the flaws of the image.

Here is the original:

Thank you everyone for the comments and the votes, I'm so happy to get a ribbon for this!

Oh and thanks to Artvet for the title :D

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 167
Avg (all users): 6.9949
Avg (commenters): 8.1875
Avg (participants): 6.9831
Avg (non-participants): 7.0000
Views since voting: 7670
Views during voting: 435
Votes: 198
Comments: 37
Favorites: 16 (view)

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AuthorThread
 05/15/2009 11:05:42 AM
I liked this image back then and gave it 10, and I still do :)
You have a wonderful style Adam, keep up the good work,
Cheers,
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/05/2008 03:00:03 AM
WOW !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/04/2008 09:35:13 PM
Great capture and vision to achieve it. Love everything about it and the fact it's a statue doesn't diminish it in any way. The impact is there and that's what counts.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/03/2008 04:16:22 PM
Congratulations on a well deserved ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/02/2008 12:12:40 AM
Congrats on seeing something interesting and turning an ok photo into quite a stunning image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/01/2008 08:21:26 PM
Just noticed the drink shot was DQed :(
What an awesome return though. Couldn't get any better than this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/01/2008 08:03:01 PM
Congrats! Very cool image. A good example of a shot where going 'heavy handed' in PP is very fitting, and yields a great result, IMO. Nice job. :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/01/2008 05:33:19 PM
Thanks so much!
Debbi
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/01/2008 02:44:35 PM
Now that I know how you did it...I actually think "more" of it as a result...Thanks for sharing this wonderful pp job!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/31/2008 10:40:34 PM
Congratulations Adam...a great job with the editing to bring the most out of this image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/31/2008 07:59:03 PM
WOW ADAM ... !!!
CONGRATULATIONS on a stunning and dramatic image and another blue ribbon ...:):):)
it looks excellent on your profile page .. :):)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/31/2008 06:52:03 PM
Came back to see if you'd left any notes and to add to faves. I knew it had to have been a statue or cut-out, but I was more taken with what you captured in the sky. Thought it may have been a very clever 'cover-the-lens' long exposure deal, but I'm still very much impressed just the same. Double congrats for your excellent pp work on it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 10:49:15 PM
OMG WOW, what an outstanding picture. Wish I would have taken it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 05:19:50 PM
Well this is interesting and very well done. I don't believe it's the real sun and the black horse/rider looks like a paper cutout (or small plastic toy of some kind) silhouette. I think the specks are actual stars? I do hope you comment on how it was done. . I love to see images that make me think and wonder how it was done.

Magnificent
Debbi
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 03:01:31 PM
I loved this photo as well, but I am perplexed as to how this was done in Basic Editing and would appreciate any tips as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 02:21:36 PM
Adam, those of us who are lower down on the learning curve would love to hear how you did this.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 02:01:14 PM
Adam, great idea and you did it nicely with the basic set of rules.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 01:32:23 PM
Congratulations on your ribbon, I loved this photo. I hope you'll give us a clue as to how you did it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 08:21:21 AM
It looks like he's riding into the fires of hell. GREAT image and wonderful use of minimum space. Congrats on your very well deserved Blue, Adam.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 07:19:37 AM
Umm... you ok there Artur? That is a few many of the same comment. Anyway, WAY TO GO ADAM!! Chaulk up another ribbon for the Polska front. Great job mate, you rock and keep up the outstanding work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 06:52:12 AM
Nice job Adam!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 06:42:10 AM
NICE! Congrats on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 06:38:56 AM
Fantastic image, Adam! Congrats on the blue!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 03:04:24 AM
Great work Adam many congrats on your BLUEY
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 03:08:34 AM
congrats!
this was my fave of the challenge...great job
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 02:04:25 AM
Adam, congratulations!!! I knew it would ribbon!!! Good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 12:42:10 AM
Congratulations Adam!. Feel so much better that you scored so well. Great job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 12:42:01 AM
What a shot!! fantastic & congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 12:29:37 AM
Absolutely awsome. Congrats, well deserved!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 12:06:46 AM
Congratulations! How did you accomplish this? Give us some details!! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 12:05:50 AM
Congrats Adam!!! =)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2008 12:02:37 AM
Nice to be sharing the front page with you Adam!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/29/2008 04:32:03 PM
Striking shot (probably the winning one) with a great sky. The silhouette is a little indistinct in places but I like the horse stance.

It's just a big shame that it's so sharpened that it's created a distracting halo, although it's possibly intentional. You need to be careful with your border too (see bottom edges).

Personally, I'd prefer it much less extreme as it would add so much more gravitas to the photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2008 10:03:34 PM
Very nice. I'm curious to know what the sun actually is in the photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2008 01:51:14 AM
....how?????

I really hope this places, it's incredible.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/25/2008 02:08:20 PM
Are the horse and rider real? They look like toys or cutouts. The effect you have achieved to show as if he is riding towards the sun is "the" thing in this shot. I like that part very much.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/25/2008 01:55:00 PM
Great colours. The white spots could have been removed by cloning even in basic editing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/25/2008 12:09:53 PM
apart from sharpening halo around the subject, hot pixels, and some irregularity on both bottom corners...this is an excellent image. should place high. good luck. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/25/2008 10:48:00 AM
wow very cool indeed 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/25/2008 12:09:53 AM
this is lovely, nice colors and composition
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/24/2008 11:55:45 PM
wow! crazy photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/24/2008 01:30:34 PM
Awesome! ! ! Really well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/24/2008 10:55:21 AM
Powerful image. Nice technical quality. It is an interesting twist on the classic silhouette against the sky you see all the time.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2008 08:07:53 PM
Great image, well done, 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2008 05:55:17 PM
dramatic!!
Real shame about those white spots all over the place. Is it sensor dust? Could you have cloned them out?
My favorite from the challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2008 11:04:56 AM
fascinating and beautifully executed image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2008 11:04:04 AM
This is gorgeous.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2008 10:05:08 AM
wow pretty awesome shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2008 12:50:59 AM
wow! Are those stars or hot spots? whatever it does not affect my scoring. I love the story this image may create in our minds. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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