Delicate Arch Sunset Seen Through My Fisheye

[Michael Pancier]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3300376750_b7a56a506b_o.jpg

Delicate Arch is the big enchilada in Arches National Park. It's been on my photo bucket list for years. It was a thrill just to see it. While I could have hoped for better skies last Thursday (Wed. had great puffy clouds, but proved to be a big tease for the rest of the weekend), I decided to try something different from the traditional shots that have been taken here.

So, I popped on my Canon 15mm Fisheye Lens and opted for a three image HDR. I wanted to try to capture the whole scene rather than emphasizing solely on the Arch. All I could say when I looked at the scene up there after that horrible hike up that slick rock .... was "this doesn't suck!" I'm really glad Artie had been posting a lot of fisheye pics in his bulletins since it prompted me to pick one up of my own. Of all the images I took in the Moab area, thus far, the fisheye experiments have been the ones I liked best.

I cropped out about 1/2 of the sky as it was simply blue sky into this pano mode.

EOS 5d Mark II
Canon 15mm Fisheye
f/16
3 image HDR
ISO 100

processed in photomatix pro; tweaked and edited in lightroom 2.2 and Adobe PS CS 4.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Michael....Nice comp and as stated a bit different. I like the inclusion of the bowl in this one and the light is beautiful.The inclusion of the rock in the lower right adds to it also. My only nit is I would have preferred the sun a little more to the left or a bit more space to the right. Good job!!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Michael,
As Dave mentioned....the fisheye did a nice job on the bowl and the rock acts as a nice base. I might come down a little tighter on the sky....no big deal if the sun ray is going out IMO....and this further accentuates the curve of the bowl....and wraps us back around to the sun. for no clouds...you did very well with a unique perspective as well. Very nicely done!

[Rene Quenneville]

Spectacular. Great job with composition and placement of the camera. Little details like the lower right anchor point, the mountain through the arch: very well done. The HDR effect is subtle but powerfull; skillfully rendered. Moving the sun to the left would have been ideal but you did not have much control on this one.

[Dennis "Curly" Buchner]

Very nicely done Michael, got the arch and fishbowl well composed. A real keeper for your trip.

[Roger Clark]

Hi Michael,
I really like this image. I would not change a thing. I like the sun off to the right so it doesn't dominate--a nice break from rule of thirds.

Plus you were sitting in my favorite spot at the arch ;-).

Were there many other people there?

OK, I would pump up the contrast and saturation on the red rocks, but maybe that is because I'm used to the many 4x5 velvia transparencies I have at this location. (By the way, the next time I go back, I'll not bring my 4x5, it will be my 5DII.)

Great job.

[John Blumenkamp]

Hi Michael... a really cool idea to use your fisheye to capture this encompassing scene. I like your crop from the top to make it more of a pano as well. Hope to see more.

[Robert Amoruso]

I think those above summed it up pretty well. Great move on the fisheye. I like mine the more I use it.

[Michael Pancier]

Hi Michael,
I really like this image. I would not change a thing. I like the sun off to the right so it doesn't dominate--a nice break from rule of thirds.

Plus you were sitting in my favorite spot at the arch ;-).

Were there many other people there?

OK, I would pump up the contrast and saturation on the red rocks, but maybe that is because I'm used to the many 4x5 velvia transparencies I have at this location. (By the way, the next time I go back, I'll not bring my 4x5, it will be my 5DII.)

Great job.


Roger, Bret Edge suggested the spot as it was his favorite location as well .There were only 4 serious photographers there that day. The rest for just folks taking snaps standing next to the arch during the best light where the few of us up above were saying "not now...."

BTW, with the quality of the 5d Mark II, I opted into not bringing my medium format 6x7 RF. I usually shot 1-2 rolls of chromes along with the digital. But I found it unnecessary especially given the added weight.