Over Goose Creek
A storm approaches on the Palouse. Colfax, Washington.
A storm approaches on the Palouse. Colfax, Washington.
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Oct, 2016Views
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Awards
Winner in Interesting or Harsh Weather Photo Challenge
People's Choice in Minimalism in landscape Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Genius
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Behind The Lens
Location
Colfax, Washington is on the Palouse. The Palouse is a region of Southwest Washington State known for rolling hills, wheat fields and dramatic light. This particular shot was near a spot named Goose Creek.Time
Late evening colors on the Palouse can be amazing. This photo was taken about an hour before sunset. The passing storm cloud helped provide some drama to the sky.Lighting
I hit the photographer's jackpot on this excursion. A sudden cloud burst appeared at the end of a blistering hot day. The winds move the cloud and gentle rain along the road at a nice easy pace. To my left I could see strong contrasts between sky and golden wheat fields. To my right I could see a rainbow or a double rainbow. As the storm slowly moved down the road, I moved to a new location. The light and rainbows were changing slightly as the day moved along. I followed the story for about an hour, parking in about 8 different locations. I came away with a nice collection of rainbow photos, minimalist photos and dramatic light photos of barns and old vehicles.Equipment
Canon 6D f/ 8.0 65 mm 1/60 sec ISO 100 Handheld. Sometimes I will set up my tripod and hand hold the camera on top of the tripod. It is more stable than just my arms holding the camera, but not as stable as using a tripod. Sometimes I lean into a solid body such as my car, a tree or a building. I may have leaned on the tripod or car for this particular shot. There were so many shots in that hour that I really cannot remember the particulars of each one.Inspiration
I love minimalist photos. I was taught that a minimalist painting can have two colors and one line. I think that is hard to achieve in a photograph that is also interesting. I have practiced minimalist photography in snowy landscapes. Practicing on snowy hills builds confidence quickly. In my Palouse tour, I was searching for some interesting minimalist shots. When the rainbows began to show on my right, I remembered to look for the minimalist shot away from the rainbow. Some of my favorite photos were taken when I looked away from the rainbow or sunset.Editing
I was just learning to edit photos on Lightroom when this was taken. I would have made some minor adjustments in the whites, blacks, shadows and highlights. I may have tweaked contrast, exposure and vibrance. I try to make the photo look like the scene I saw on that day.In my camera bag
Canon 6D ND filter Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM TAMRON SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD A011 Tripod Map Bird GuideFeedback
I managed to capture this contrast and color because I looked away from the rainbow. I did capture some amazing rainbow photos too. Remember to look all the way around. I also use the creative settings. Manual is great when the light is even all the way around. On this occasion, I wanted l a medium aperture (f/8.0 to f/11.0). I wanted a low ISO. I used the aperture priority, or the AV setting on Canon. I chose f/8.0 for the rainbow and ISO 100. It also worked for this sunny scene. As the light changed, I adjusted the ISO and aperture slightly. Spend some time in the Palouse. Get up before sunrise and look for morning colors. Sleep in the middle of the day. Go out again before sunset and stay up late. Sleep in the middle of the night. Making an early morning trip to Palouse Falls would also be worth it. Arrive in the dark and wait for the sunrise. Sunset light on the falls is not as dramatic.
