Gloomy Golden Gate

[Morkel Erasmus]

I have been traveling for the past 3 weeks and have now come home and am getting back into the swing of things.

This image was taken in the wonderful Golden Gate Highlands National Park in South Africa, an area that is home to the Maluti mountains which form part of the greater Drakensberg range and also forms the border with Lesotho. These mountains are particularly known for the iconic sandstone buttes and formations that abound here.

It was raining for the first 3 days of our 4-day stay. On this first morning I hiked up the mountain hoping the sun would break through for a moment...I was wrong. Still liked the "wet look" here and the detail I could capture of this stunning vista.

More to come with better light!! :bg3:

Techs:
Canon 7D with 10-22mm USM
f16 @ ISO-100
single exposure

[Robert Amoruso]

Morkel,

I like the inclusion of the diagonal in the FG and how it mimics the diagonal of the middle ground hill. Valley is well placed in the image and as a diagonal combined with the higher planes diagonals - all act as leading lines into the image. Well composed.

I could go either with with a crop on the sky though when doing it in the browser I was immediately convinced a crop is needed.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Morkel, this is very nice, the wet look is great. Agree with Robert on a little off the sky. Nicely done!

[Dave Mills]

Hi Morkel, good observations by Robert and agree on the crop on top. Thats the plight of a landscape photographer.... light. I like the way you handled the comp but this scene would look far more dramatic in the right light...

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
If the sun broke through.....this had huge potential! I do think it gives off a dreary mood.....but vecause of the light it just doesn't jump out at you. Hope you had a great trip!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for your comments folks! I do have a few with much better light from a slightly lower vantage point, but thought I'd start with this one and move my way "up" in terms of dramatic presentation :)

the crop from the top was a good idea...here it is

[Harshad Barve]

Excellent image Morkelbhai , nice colors too
TFS

[Rachel Hollander]

Morkel -repost works well. I'm looking forward to more images from your recent travels.

TFS,
Rachel

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks guys...