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Thread: Magical Mystical Tour: Slot Canyons

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Jay Gould's Avatar
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    Default Magical Mystical Tour: Slot Canyons

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    How appropriate: The Beatles - "Magical Mystical Tour" applied to the Slot Canyons.

    For the past couple of days I have had the pleasure to explore Lower Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona, with Jack Graham (http://www.jackgrahamphoto.com/), and his assistant Greg Duncan (http://www.grdphotos.com/).

    Jack runs a significant number of landscape workshops around the World; my first workshop with Jack was when I started photography in 2009. Recently there was a thread (http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ight=Workshops) regarding workshops.

    While, yes, I am a workshop junkie, as far as I am concerned, if you want to increase your knowledge exponentially there is simply no substitute for the ability to extract enormous amounts of information from knowledgeable experts in the shortest amount of time. And, when you are with the right professional, not only do they share their knowledge, they run their workshops in the best locations, they - not you - are responsible for all of the logistical arrangements.

    Of course you can visit slot canyons on your own; of course you can hire a knowledgeable local guide. However, when you go with someone who returns to the same area year after year, that professional, like Jack, develops a relationship with the guides and those that manage the area and you get a level of treatment that you would not otherwise receive if you were on your own.

    On the knowledge side, to prepare for this shoot, I looked at a lot of images of various slot canyons on the net. None of the images brought home to me two very important rules Jack stressed about shooting in the canyons - perhaps I am too new at photography; these might be obvious to you: 1) do not include any sky in your images - you are shooting the magic inside the slots; and 2) absolutely minimize including any area where the sun is directly lighting the walls - try to only capture reflected light. The exception to #2 is when you are shooting a shaft of sunlight, as depicted in the attached image; in this circumstance you simply try to minimize the blown areas. Thanks Jack! I have had a ball and the workshop doesn't even start until tomorrow.

    Why "Magical Mystical Tour"? Well, when you go down into the bowels of the earth through a very very narrow opening, and after navigating down and around numerous sharp turns, you find yourself in a narrow area with - for the most part - very bland colors in the tans and browns. There is definitely a hint of color in the sandstone; you know/have the feeling that there are reds and yellows and purples to be found.

    Then, at least I do, you setup your tripod and holding your camera you walk around looking for your chosen composition. I turn on live view assist me. My LCD on the 5D3 is set to Neutral/Contrast -4 as I was advised during a incredible 4-day private session with Chas Glatzer. Basically, I am trying to tone done the jpg as much as possible so that it represents what the RAW is going to look like.


    WOW!! In the slots the first time I turned on Live View I was blown away! The colors are amazing; the potential strength of the palette for someone who wants to play with saturation knows no bounds.

    I first processed this image in a very strong saturated manner ; then I again processed holding back the colors as much as I would allow myself to hold back colors!

    I am going to do this with each of the slot images and post each over time. Looking forward to taking you on my Magical Mystical Tour of the slot canyons.

    Camera: 5D3
    Capture date/time: 17 Apr 2012
    Light condition: Filtered Sun
    Lens: 24-105
    Focal length: 65
    Distance:
    Flash/Comp: no
    ISO: 200
    Exp Prog: Manual
    Speed: 3.2, 8, 15 sec sec
    Aperture: f/22
    Exp Comp:
    Metering: Evaluative
    WB: Auto
    AF Drive: One shot
    Tripod: yes
    Filter: SR Color Intensifier
    Crop: minimal
    Images Changes: stuff I didn't like removed!

    Processed in LR4.1, CS5, NIK CEP4

    All C&Cs gratefully appreciated!


    PS: The jpg colors are definitely stronger than how the images appears on my monitor in CS5 with a ProPhoto RGB color space.
    Last edited by Jay Gould; 04-18-2012 at 05:02 PM.
    Cheers, Jay

    My Digital Art - "Nature Interpreted" - can now be view at http://www.luvntravlnphotography.com

    "Nature Interpreted" - Photography begins with your mind and eyes, and ends with an image representing your vision and your reality of the captured scene; photography exceeds the camera sensor's limitations. Capturing and Processing landscapes and seascapes allows me to express my vision and reality of Nature.

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    Hi Jay, Love the pastel colors and the shaft of light if this were mine I would tone down the the bright yellow on the sandstone on the right side of the image since I find it competing with the shaft of light for attention.
    Don Lacy
    You don't take a photograph, you make it - Ansel Adams
    There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs - Ansel Adams
    http://www.witnessnature.net/
    https://500px.com/lacy

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    Well done. I wouldn't change a thing.

    This is a location that is on my list..

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Jay - I like the depth of this. Nicely done.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Angelika Schauf
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    Great photo, looks like a sculpture.

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    This is soooo good, mate. Love the graphical quality of the curves, the play of light and the insane colours. Was it really that 'purple' on the LHS rocks?
    I might just increase sharpening a bit more as presented...

    I am looking forward to more from this iconic location.
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Love the colours and curves Jay.. well done and I look forward to more..

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    Landscapes Moderator Andrew McLachlan's Avatar
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    Very nicely composed Jay. I love it! I do wonder if you might want to tone down the brightest spot on the sandstone on the right side just below center...my eye keeps going there.

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    Jay, I agree with all the positive comments above. One of these days I will get to this location. Only suggestion I have is that I, too, think it needs a bit of sharpening. I'll bet it is tack sharp in print but the jpeg compression has softened it a bit.

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    Okay , not much to add but .........AWESOME..........these canyons are so on my BUCKET list , you have made me greeeeen ! Top class shot !!

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    Lifetime Member Jay Gould's Avatar
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    Thank you everyone for the kind comments. In a couple of weeks the offending sun spot will be removed - you know I have no hesitation to remove anything "Nature Interpreted" - and another round of sharpening will be applied. RP coming up!!
    Cheers, Jay

    My Digital Art - "Nature Interpreted" - can now be view at http://www.luvntravlnphotography.com

    "Nature Interpreted" - Photography begins with your mind and eyes, and ends with an image representing your vision and your reality of the captured scene; photography exceeds the camera sensor's limitations. Capturing and Processing landscapes and seascapes allows me to express my vision and reality of Nature.

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    Lifetime Member Jay Gould's Avatar
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    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    The vote was to remove some hot spots and to give it a bit of sharpening; this is also color corrected.

    Back to you guys!
    Cheers, Jay

    My Digital Art - "Nature Interpreted" - can now be view at http://www.luvntravlnphotography.com

    "Nature Interpreted" - Photography begins with your mind and eyes, and ends with an image representing your vision and your reality of the captured scene; photography exceeds the camera sensor's limitations. Capturing and Processing landscapes and seascapes allows me to express my vision and reality of Nature.

  13. #13
    Landscapes Moderator Andrew McLachlan's Avatar
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    Hi Jay, awesome repost...I think you took it up a notch and then some One of my new favorites of yours!

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