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Moon Over Rainbow Mountain

"Moon Over Rainbow Mountain" - Rainbow Mountains Conservation Area is the western border of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Park and like th...
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"Moon Over Rainbow Mountain" - Rainbow Mountains Conservation Area is the western border of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Park and like the park is a BLM managed zone with lots of hiking trails and beautiful scenery. The park is just a short drive west out of Las Vegas, NV. This image was taken at sunrise on 4-13-2017 from the overlook on highway 159. (Sony a7R II, 60mm, f-16 1-3 sec., iso 64).
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Apr, 2017

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2179

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Awards

Contest Finalist in Mountain Captures Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in The Moonlight Photo Contest

Peer Choice Award

Contest Finalist in Blue Skies Photo Contest

Peer Award

+236

Absolute Masterpiece

+17

Superb Composition

+10

Top Choice

Magnificent Capture

Superior Skill

Outstanding Creativity

All Star

Genius

Virtuoso

Emotions

Impressed

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photograph was taken in the Rainbow Mountains Conservation area near Las Vegas, Nevada. This area along with the Red Rock Canyon park are just a half hour drive outside of Las Vegas and truly a gem to visit when in the gambling capital of the United States. Besides the beautiful scenery, the park has many hiking trails and a variety of wildlife to be seen and photographed.

Time

I went to the park for the third time just before sunrise on our last full day in Las Vegas. Their wasn't a cloud in the sky and the moon was still above the mountains. I waited until the first glow of the sunrise warmed the red mountains. The sky retained it's deep blue and the desert floor remained in cool shadows, all of which further highlighted the mountains. That beautiful moon was like the cherry on the proverbial sundae.

Lighting

Getting that warm sunrise glow was important to the image. Having an understanding of what a location looks like in different light will be the difference between a great photo and an average photo.

Equipment

This image was made on my Sony Alpha a7R II and the 24-70 Sony-Zeiss glass. A tripod is a must for a low light image like this. I use Really Right Stuff tripods, ballhead and L-bracket mounts.

Inspiration

The color, texture and strength of these mountains had inspired me to take a number of day and sunset images in this location but I knew the sunrise would light up the hills and bring out even more beauty. I was right.

Editing

Post-processing for this shot was fairly straightforward. A little boost of vibrance and some "Pro contrast" in NIK to bring out the popping details was really all that was required. I always start in Lightroom and do the finishing touches in Photoshop and NIK.

In my camera bag

I shoot landscape and wildlife, mostly birds so I carry the standard trio of lenses for the Sony a7R II (16-30, 24-70, 70-300mm), a Nikon D810 with Tamron 150-600mm telephoto and Sigma 150mm macro lenses. I try to be prepared for anything so this mix seems to cover all the bases for me.

Feedback

With desert photography the interest is in the light and shadow creating drama on textures. There is very little in the way of trees and plant life typically so knowledge of light and how it effects the area is really important. Mid-day light is rarely a good thing as side shadows bring out all those nooks and crannies that create drama. morning and evening cast dramatic shadows and bring out the vibrant colors.

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jamesjohnston_3471

Moon Over Rainbow Mountain

"Moon Over Rainbow Mountain" - Rainbow Mountains Conservation Area is the western border of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Park and like th... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow jamesjohnston_3471

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"Moon Over Rainbow Mountain" - Rainbow Mountains Conservation Area is the western border of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Park and like th...
Read more

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Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.