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whold90

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Mar, 2018

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

Glacier Bay is located in Alaska on the southern coast. It's home to where many glaciers flow into the ocean.

The Colorado River running through the Grand Canyon

A winter view of the Teton Range in Wyoming

A stand of Aspens below the Grand Tetons during early winter.

Where the glacier meets the sea after winding its way through the mountains

One of the entrances to the Grand Teton National Park winter view

Taos Pueblo South just before a snow storm

Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane's final resting place in Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood, South Dakota.

Taken at twilight in Jackson Square, French Quarter,, New Orleans, LA

A whale surfaces in the Inner Passage to Alaska

An Alaskan sun setting over the Gulf of Alaska

Behind The Lens

Location

The photo was taken from the View Hotel in Monument Valley. The direction was to the East at sunrise. The sunrises are absolutely beautiful at this location as well as the general overall view of the Monument Valley Loop that allows vehicle access through the edifices in the valley. It's a great tour and one that you can make yourself. The Loop is shown at the bottom of the shot snaking out towards the East. The sky was vibrant that morning and the light was just right for the shot.

Time

The shot was taken at 06:30 facing North East.

Lighting

The lighting in the valley is phenomenal at any time but in the early morning it especially brilliant. Usually, there is either a mist or reflections from dew on the edifices or surrounding lands. The morning of the shot the clouds forecast the rainstorm that came in around noon that day. The clouds build up and then bang the rain comes down hard and heavy.

Equipment

I was using my Sony Alpha 99 V1 camera with a 30 mm Tamron lens. I shot the photo handheld with support from a stone wall to minimize shake. The light was bright enough to avoid having to use any additional lighting. There was a 15 mph wind blowing, but with the support, I didn't need any additional equipment to offset the wind.

Inspiration

Any time you are at the View Hotel you have nothing but beautiful shots to choose from. The position of the Navajo run hotel is from a mesa that overlooks Monument Valley. You can see for miles and all you have to do is pull up a chair and choose your shots. I loved the view along with the cloud formations that were present that day.

Editing

My workflow consisted of using Camera Raw to prep the shot, Photoshop to bring out the features hidden in shadows and underexposure. Then I used On-1's software to bring out the features of the sky. Some were washed out, but I darkened the sky a little bit to recover detail. The rest of the shot was properly lit and required no additional manipulation.

In my camera bag

My bag contains the usual Landscape photographer gear: I have both a Sony Alpha 99 VI and a VII camera, Tamron 30 to 70mm, 70 to 200 mm Tamron, and 150 to 600 mm lenses. I also have a lightweight carbon fiber tripod as well as a heavier duty Manfrotto Aluminum tripod. I usually carry some prime lenses from more close up work.

Feedback

Spend a night at the View Motel and just soak in the natural beauty of the location. I find the fall of the year to be the best time to visit in order to avoid the summer crowds and the resultant additional task of removing cars and people from your shots. The sun is usually rising further South during that time of the year and will provide a superior illumination of the cloud formations that form over the Monument Valley edifices.

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whold90

whold90

MV-View

Behind The Lens

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