Dune Glow (Kalahari Sunset)

[Morkel Erasmus]

This image was also created in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa. It is a manual gradient mask blend of 3 exposures, all taken handheld from the car window (not allowed to get out of your vehicle in the park :().

Would love to have your feedback on this one...

Techs:
Canon 40D with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 100mm
f5.6 @ ISO-400
3 exposures bracketed, [-1,0,+1]
Gradient Mask Blend (CS3)

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Very pleasing composition Morkel and I like the mood you captured in this with the clouds just passing over the sun and the lovely DOF. Very warm and peaceful image. Thanks for sharing

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
To me the FG competes too muc with the sky colors and the sun....which are well placed and very nice....immediately I thought pano crop!....browser crop to about 1/2 inch below the bush underneath the sun.....really makes for nice lines and flow. Let's see how others feel!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for viewing and commenting Judy & Roman (faithful as ever :))

I like your idea Roman - the OP was already about 80% of the original image, but here is something akin to what you were suggesting...

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
The crop is exactly where I thought......and I really like it! Want to try another one?....maybe a little CC in the FG....either cyan or blue....this may deepen the shadow and color cast.....selective colors >neutrals>add black.....may also work...just on the grases.
Yeah....I'm a junkie to my faithful posters!

[Joe Senzatimore]

Love the colors and DOF. Great job of blending 3 handheld images ( if I read this right). I think the crop to pano works wonders on this one.

[Julie Kenward]

Morkel that pano crop is stunning! The color palette here really takes it over the top for me. I do wish there was a way to make some of the FG bushes as dark as the one at the far right of the frame. I think it would help create a stronger anchor to the image that way.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Roman, Jules & Joe...

@ Joe - yes I blended 3 handheld shots, the advantage of youth - a steady hand ;)

@ Roman - your suggestions applied...

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
tough to tell the difference between the 2......but I do like the pano!

[Morkel Erasmus]

yeah - I did apply CC with more cyan and blue, and also added blacks to neutral channel, but still could probably darken some more.

thanks for the advice, as always :)