road to canyon base
Jul, 2015Views
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People's Choice in Roads Photo Challenge
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo comes from Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. We were trying to catch a glimpse of the area before the sun set, as we were planning on hiking about there and Arches National Park, which is right next to it. This was a view of a dirt road just off of an overlook on the main road. The sun was setting across the street, facing the other way, but I was fascinated by the road and the way it wound about below.Time
This was taken as the sun was setting behind me.Lighting
I like to wait until after sun drops below the horizon before I stop taking pictures of the scene if I want the sunset shot, because the colors can really change after that drop.Equipment
This was taken with a Nikon D3X and a tripod.Inspiration
I loved the deep view of the canyon and the way that dirt road wound around in there. The sandy road was that salmon color from the rocks, and I liked how that made it stand out in the light of the setting sun.Editing
I do use Adobe Photoshop to post-process. I sharpen the image a bit, because I like really crisp lines, and then I cleaned up some lens spots and enhanced the contrast to bring out the road.In my camera bag
I have the D3X and a like to have the ultra wide angle lens, as well as a 24-70 and if I know I will need a longer exposure, a tripod comes with me. I try to have a flashlight handy too, in case I decide to light paint. But I use pretty basic stuff. My husband is the professional photographer, so I leave all the fancy stuff to him and just borrow it now and then.Feedback
The best advice I can give is, if you are really wanting a specific shot, settle in and try different angles, wait for the lighting you want. If you want long shadows and contrast from late day light, don't settle for midday sun because you will always look at the picture later and say, I wish I would have waited just one more hour....Use the time to enjoy the area and the things that make you want to take the picture in the first place and really get exactly the frame you want.
