GOG sunset (2)
Jan, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at sunset in May 2008 at Garden of the Gods (aka: GoG) in Colorado Springs. I was still learning the camera and editing/developing software at the time.Time
The shot was taken at sunset. I had the opportunity to pass this park everyday between where I worked and where I lived at the time.Lighting
The original image was underexposed and I had wanted to punch it up since the original image I had witnesses was quite beautiful in real-life ... much more beautiful than my capture. I had a copy of PaintShop Pro at the time - I don't recall the version and attempted to brighten up the shot. Starting with the exposure setting I had made a bit of an improvement. However, the surprise came when I began to change the Contrast. It was immediate when the colors began to pop. I still had an issue, though. The foreground of the shot, especially the foliage, was dark, nearly too dark, to the point I wasn't sure I could do anything. Not knowing what I was doing didn't seem to stop me. I used some of the brushes available in PSP and was able to improve both the color and exposure of the foreground. I remember that after one point I exclaimed I just can't do anymore to this shot. I remember that I had spent hours and days on this edit as I was learning the tools, and was self-taught. I began to share the photograph to see if there was anyone that might like it. Having been a fan of the Sons of the Pioneers, and the Disney short about Pecos Bill, I found the shot to be reminiscent of that colorful western photograph and I believe that I had come the closest to recreating that atmosphere. I continue to seek this same atmosphere in some of my shots to this day. I still have the original photograph, and continue to play with it now and again, and get different results. One thing to say is that the original jpg (I did not have access to raw photography or developing, at the time) looks nothing like this final result.Equipment
Being new to the world of digital photography at the time I didn't know better. The shot was hand held; taken with the Pentax K-5 using a Pentax 50 - 135mm zoom at 50mm. no flash ... just jump out of the car, shoot, and move on.Inspiration
Garden of the Gods is a beautiful park featured near the foothills in Colorado Springs. No matter what time of day, or year, there are thousands of gorgeous views that scream to be captured. Living so close to the park at the time, and the fact that it was on my commute, inspired me to stop regularly and I ended up shooting hundreds of pictures at the variety of scenes available in the park during each season. This shot was late May.Editing
The post-processing was my attempt at taking a rather bland, underexposed shot that seemed ok compositionaly, and attempting to recreate some of the color I had seen at the time I took the shot. While learning the tools available in PSP, it really did turn out that increasing the Exposure and Contrast was what made the photograph pop.In my camera bag
As I have evolved over time I now carry a Pentax K3, and a Pentax K3 II. I have several lenses that have become my favorites: Pentax 100mm macro f2.8; Pentax 55mm f1.8 prime, Pentax 31mm prime 1.8, and my favorite - Pentax 16-50mm f2.8 zoom.Feedback
I don't have anything specific other than take every opportunity to shoot; sunrise and sunset are the BEST! Look for high contrast in your shot; a view with a lot of tone.
