Granite Slab

[Adhika Lie]

When I saw Diane's interpretation of the El Capitan a few months ago, I was left in awe of such unique interpretation of the iconic feature of the Yosemite National Park. I had the opportunity to visit the park with my folks last Memorial Day weekend and I really wanted to create something similar of my own. The result is not as beautiful as Diane's but I really like how this granite slab was lit up by the sun peeking through a storm that evening. This was taken at sunset from the infamous Yosemite's Tunnel View (duh!). Taking a leaf from Diane's book, this is probably a little bit abstract to some folks that are not familiar with this feature. I hope the light is interesting enough for anyone to appreciate the image.

This was shot at 200mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 100. Processed on LR with some local adjustment to increase some clarity, black and white with SEP and red filter. This shot is full frame (uncropped).

[Diane Miller]

Love the light and idea! This rock face is amazing, and the light you found and brought out adds to its grandeur, for me. I love how it gets darker at the bottom and would be tempted to try a subtle gradient burn on the left. The clouds add a nice balance, filling that space.

Happy to have been an inspiration, but that's not special -- I find so much inspiration is so many images in all the forums here! You have a special way of seeing things -- and I hope to keep seeing it for a long time!

[Adhika Lie]

Diane, thanks so much! The left gradient works really well. Thanks for suggesting that. Just to give a sense of scale, I found a couple climbers on the photo. For full size, you can download it here. The insets are 100% scree grab untouched raw file from LR.

[Don Railton]

Hi Adhika

Nice light on an awsome rock and its interesting to show the climbers for scale. Like the idea of the vinyette to keep eye on the face, but I think I would have liked to see the top of the face inside the vinyette..

DON

[Adhika Lie]

Don, thanks so much for appreciating the photo. The top of the El Capitan is dark not so much because of the vignette but more because of the shadows from the cloud. The red filter makes it even more contrasty in the B&W rendition; maybe a tad too heavy handed. I will try dodging that part a little bit to open up the shadows. Good suggestion; thanks, Don!

[dankearl]

A nice abstract. I would like more at the top, but really since most people would not know what
they were looking at, it works as an abstract anyway.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Lovely lighting and beautiful B&W conversion Adhika!...I too would like to see this one just a tad wider to include a smidge more on top as well...alternately you could crop a smidge off the top as well.

[Adhika Lie]

A nice abstract. I would like more at the top, but really since most people would not know what
they were looking at, it works as an abstract anyway.

Thanks, Dan! I was indeed aiming for something a little more abstract than the usual view from this vista point. I was really happy to see this light show when I arrived at location. I also realized that I should have gone a tad wider to get the top of the El Capitan in the frame but alas I was too fixated at the beautiful light on the granite face and only saw it when I processed the picture at home.

Lovely lighting and beautiful B&W conversion Adhika!...I too would like to see this one just a tad wider to include a smidge more on top as well...alternately you could crop a smidge off the top as well.

Good suggestion, Andrew. I have another frame that was shot at 125mm hoping to include some foreground in the shot. But I feel like it didn't really work out the way the cliffs end at the bottom. I feel like the diagonal lines from the FG and the foot of the El Capitan should end at one common point. In the end, I think I like your suggestion of cropping off the top a little bit so the ridge of the El Capitan kinda enters the frame from the line of third or even the median line. What do you think?

[Don Lacy]

Hi Adihka, I can see the minor comp suggestions but I still find the image as presented to be very strong and light upon the granite is sublime. In the short time you have been posting you have refined your skill and eye for composition and like Diane I look forward to what you will post in the future.

[Glennie Passier]

Adhika, You're getting around these forums like a man on fire! You are truly inspirational. As Don mentioned above, your skill and eye for composition makes my heart sing. Thanks for pointing out the climbers. I didn't realise that slab of rock was so big!

Well done!

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Adhika, I prefer the original image to the one shot at 125mm...although I do like the sliver of sky showing along the upper edge, but as you said the original does work better with the rock face ending on the bottom edge. Keep up the good work :)

[Diane Miller]

Just got back to this thread -- I love the light in the color version. And I think it would also translate to B/W well. I might tone down the highlights a bit to emphasize the softness of the light -- the Highlights slider in LR/ACR would bring out the perfect tonal balance, I think. I might go for a little more top and bottom in that view. If I don't have enough zoom to include what I want in one frame, I'll often shoot two overlapping frames and stitch them.

Amazing you could resolve climbers from Tunnel View. According to my Yosemite map, that's 2.75 miles away! Hang onto that lens!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Late to this one but really love the lines, gradients and tones here - good work in creating an abstract mono from this icon...

[Adhika Lie]

Thanks so much Morkel!