melaniegentry
FollowViews
869
Likes
Awards
Winner in Inspring Sunsets Photo Challenge
Staff Winter Selection 2015
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Love it
Superior Skill
Genius
Top Ranks
joycealicesmith
May 01, 2016
Wow!!! Amazing clouds!! Love it! Congratulations on winning the Challenge!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was shot in the Chihuahuan desert region of far west Texas in the small farming community of Dell City, nestled at the base of the western escarpment of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.Time
Shot at sunset three days before the autumnal equinox of 2015, it was a beautiful way to close the chapter on a magnificent summer and welcome fall at the same time.Lighting
The natural glow of the sunset danced across the clouds giving the appearance of a fiery river flowing through the sky.Equipment
Shot on a tripod with Nikon D7100, Nikkor 18-200mm @ 35mm, ISO 100, f/11 @ 1/100Inspiration
I have long been distracted by our beautiful “west Texas" sunsets! After a long and hard day’s work on our family farm, my Dad would wind down by sitting outside and basking in the glowing warmth of the setting sun. Following his passing in 1993, it became a part of the healing process to try to capture and preserve on film, and now on a memory card, fond memories of the peace and pleasure he derived from his end of day ritual. Today, when I am stressed, depressed, or just bored I grab my camera bag and tripod and head out the door for a little therapy and distraction from the daily grind.Editing
I shoot in RAW and the only post was done in Adobe Camera Raw, including a slight adjustment to the white balance to bring out the true warmth of the scene and a nudge on the vibrance slider.In my camera bag
Depends on what I'm going out for, but I usually carry my Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5, Tokina 11-16mm f2.8, and Tokina 100mm f2.8 macro. I always have a tripod with me, along with my remote, extra batteries and memory cards.Feedback
For me it is all about INTUITION...when you turn your lens to a subject be it a beautiful landscape, the skies above or whatever draws your attention...See it, Feel it, Trust it! When composing an image I’m looking for several things like balance, symmetry, tonal range, etc. The most important thing is to show up and shoot, even if the weather doesn't look like it will cooperate you never know what you'll come away with.