Valley of Fire
A van winds its way along one of the many twisting roads in Valley of Fire State Park in southern Nevada
A van winds its way along one of the many twisting roads in Valley of Fire State Park in southern Nevada
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Mar, 2019Views
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Awards
Spring 21 Award
Featured
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rank week 1
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
The shot was done in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, just NE of Las Vegas.Time
The shot was done in mid-morning, if I remember right. We were on a multi-day shoot, and it's hard to remember exactly.Lighting
Overall, I was impressed with the general clarity of the light in the Desert Southwest. I'm from the east coast, and there is a different light quality here.Equipment
I shot this with a Nikon D300 with a Nikkor 55-200mm zoom. For this type shot I would normally have used a tripod, but for this one I think I rested on a large rock. No flash. I use flash sparingly and usually only to fill shadow detail.Inspiration
I loved the serpentine pattern of the road and the contrast of the road and the red rocks. I knew if I waited long enough, a vehicle would come along to use in the shot.Editing
I didn't have to use much post-processing on this one. The light already there gave me enough contrast and the color was certainly sufficient at the park, but it might help the shot to boost the color slightly.In my camera bag
Nikon D-300, Nikon D1X (backup), 55-200mm zoom, 18-55mm zoom, 10-20mm zoom, 80-400mm zoom. All the lenses are Nikkor except for the Sigma 10-20 zoom. I keep an assortment of filters (ND, polarizers, etc.) lens cleaning eqpt., collapsible mini-pod, lens hoodsFeedback
There's always a better angle from which to get your shot. Don't be satisfied with the first angle you see. Look at the scene and try to determine the best vantage point. Sometimes it means working to get there, but it's usually worth the extra trouble. Give the viewer a new angle. The best compliment I get is when a viewer says, "Wow, I've never seen it from THAT angle before."
