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Desert Monsoon

Shot captured in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.

Shot captured in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
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NIKON D4

Aperture f/22 ISO 125 Shutter 1/1 Focal Length 24/1

upload_date

Nov, 2015

Views

189

Likes

+54

Awards

Staff Winter Selection 2015

Superb Composition

Top Choice

Peer Award

Magnificent Capture

Outstanding Creativity

Absolute Masterpiece

Superior Skill

Top Ranks

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was shot in the Needle Rock Recreation Area of the Tonto National Forest, AZ. I had recently moved to Arizona from California and decided if I was going to live in the desert then I truly wanted to be in the desert. This particular location was a short Jeep trip from the house on a Forest Service road.

Time

It was a Saturday afternoon late into the Arizona monsoon season. I had noticed a nice storm cell moving into the area from the Northeast, so I grabbed my gear and headed out to see what I could capture. As the storm made its way in the sun began its final decent casting a nice light on the desert floor.

Lighting

The lighting of this image was all mother nature. When I had first set-up, the area was very bright and washed out, but once the clouds moved further to the west blocking off the direct sun light I knew it was going to be something special. Since the storm was moving in from the northeast and there were minimal clouds off to the west it allowed the rain to be illuminated by the setting sun, even capturing a little rainbow in the process.

Equipment

This image was shot on a Nikon D4 using my very old but trusted Nikkor 24-120mm lens, mounted to a Manfrotto tripod to keep things stable.

Inspiration

I've had a passion for the desert and monsoonal storms ever since I can remember. As a young child I would spend evenings at my grandparents place in Nevada, just sitting and watch as the thunderstorms rolled in from Arizona over Lake Mead. The sound of thunder cracking overhead and the bright bolts of lightning moving across the sky were captivating. Now that I am living in Arizona I spend every chance I can out chasing storms during the summer months in hopes of capturing a magical moment; no two storms are ever the same which is part of the fascination and excitement.

Editing

All of my post-processing work is done in Lightroom. I always start with white balance and exposure adjustment before moving on to anything else. For this image I used graduated filters to develop the sky and foreground separately, reducing highlights in the sky and increasing them in the foreground. Once the image had the look I wanted, a radial filter was used to bring out the bright orange color in the rain from the setting sun. I always have a vision for how I want the final product to look before I start, it is a way of keeping myself focused through the process.

In my camera bag

My Nikon D4 is always in the bag and when I am taking a long trip I will throw my D1 in as well for back-up. I've had a Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 in my bag ever since I started shooting, it is just a great walking around lens that covers a wide range of shots. Over the last couple years I have added a few more lens to the bag, a Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8, Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8, Nikkor 85mm f/1.4, and a Sigma 150-500mm for catching a little wildlife. Extra batteries are a must when heading out, especially for long exposure shots or when shooting a time-lapse. I carry a few filters with me, 3 stop ND, and Circular Polarizer for capturing cloud movement during the day or nice lightning shots at night.

Feedback

Monsoonal storms are very unpredictable so it’s important to never get discouraged if things don't work out the way you planned. Some days you get great shots and others nothing at all. Spend time exploring different areas during the off season so you are well prepared and know where to go during a storm, the excitement of a chase can lead you to places that may be hard to get out off if you’re not prepared. Stay out of the rain, no sense in getting all your expensive gear wet, by the time the rain has hit you it’s time to move on to the next location. For great sunset shots of storms, position yourself south or east of the storm. When you shoot from the south you get great detail and color, when shooting from the east you can get very dramatic lighting through the rain as the sunsets; a lot depends on the amount of cloud cover. Best thing to do is get out and shoot and find what works for you.

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Desert Monsoon

Shot captured in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow doublebarrelimages

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