Desert
May, 2016Views
37
Likes
Awards
Top Shot Award 21
Member Selection Award
Summer Selection
Superb Composition
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankSame photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Joshua Tree National park in California.Time
This is one of my favorite photos that I have taken so far. This photo was taken at 3pm in the afternoon on January 23, 2016.Lighting
The sky was somewhat overcast which is a perfect for landscape photographs, because the light in the sky is somewhat diffused so you don't get those harsh shadows. I wanted the details in the rocks to stand out more than anything and the vibrant colors in the sky. So I added a little bit of sharpening and dodge and burn on the rocks.Equipment
This was shot Mark 3 5D with a Canon 24-105 mm lens an aperture of 4f and a standard zoom.Inspiration
I was looking for a great place to shoot in Joshua tree and with the clouds coming in so fast, an afternoon shot wasn't really working out for me. Then as the sun was starting to go down behind the mountains "I saw it!"I loved the way the sun was hitting the rocks, and the cacti in the shot was at a perfect angle and placement. The colors in the sky were beautiful, I knew it would make for a great shot!Editing
Landscape photography usually consists of a lot of image processing. I started by saturating the sky just a tad, in order to bring out those amazing blues and purples. I also saturated a bit of the greens in the cacti and the browns in the rocks. I ended by using some of the dodge and burn tool on the rocks and the sky, which made the sky more dramatic and gave the rocks more of a define depth.In my camera bag
I always pack my 5d Mark3, I love that camera! The wide angle on it is awesome and great for landscapes. I also have my Tokina 16-28mm F2.8, that I just purchased. A wide angle lens on a wide angle camera gives you an amazing photograph. If i am taking portraits I make sure to pack my Canon lens 50mm f1.4 prime, which has a great depth of field and creates super sharp images. Just in case I need a flash I pack my 600 EX-RT speedlite.Feedback
For a landscape photographer, patience is the key. When you find that great spot, sometimes you'll need to stake out at that spot all day just waiting for that one perfect light to take your shot. You want to pay attention to light and color. What do you want the viewer to see and feel from the image? No high afternoon, the shadows are too harsh and its so bright out that your photo will look blown out.
