Once Again, a photo from Utah, West

Photographer's Note

Once again the same moment from the Monument Valley. I wasn't fully satisfied with the previous one - I guess I exagerrated the noise reduction there.

Monument Valley provides perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty, sandy desert have been filmed and photographed countless times over the years for movies, adverts and holiday brochures. Because of this, the area may seem quite familiar, even on a first visit, but it is soon evident that the natural colours really are as bright and deep as those in all the pictures. The valley is not a valley in the conventional sense, but rather a wide flat, sometimes desolate landscape, interrupted by the crumbling formations rising hundreds of feet into the air, the last remnants of the sandstone layers that once covered the entire region.
- taken from wikipedia

zips, serenadanesi, greenpinkorange, kdien, besnard, Tasmaniac, zeca, darrasin, TheMystic, atus, bakes888, danos, seyyah81, Curious_Eye oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

cdmonson (5304) 2006-09-18 23:01

Hi Henryk:

I love the sharpness and the lighting in your picture, and the fact that you happened to take the picture when there was a rainbow just makes it that much better. Great job.

greenpinkorange (167) 2006-09-18 23:21

faboulous! rainbows are my favourite. U managed to capture such a clear rainbow. Kudos to you!
I like your composition and colours.
As much as it seems desolate, you managed to make this valley seem more alive than described. Great job.
Thanks for sharing,
Stephy

zips (1958) 2006-09-18 23:23

This is a classic photograph worthy of my friend Lou Deserio (google him). Lou studied with Ansel Adams.

It's so good I can't think of anything I could say....but it will be my first favorite photo.

Aloha, JB

zenskat (656) 2006-09-18 23:25

amazing light, nice composition. definitely worthy of my points.

francbois (480) 2006-09-18 23:47

Hi Henrik,
Just following the rainbow in its wonderful way of occurence, you managed to fill your shot with wonders that match each other the best way. Elements congregate here in a landscape where the momentum of Nature is overflowing its bounds, those of appearance.
Colors are incredibly praising the spectrum overlooking them. I've rarely fancied such compos... You may print it LIFEsize!!!
Thanks a great lot, regards F'

colinb (1592) 2006-09-18 23:52

Wow, amazing capture. Great shot. You caught a magical place at an unusually magical time.

Cormac (26565) 2006-09-19 0:02

Spectacular shot! The lighting in this is great, giving these rocks an even warmer colour. The composition is almost 3 dimensional, and of course the rainbow adds an ephemeral touch to these timeless rocks. Superb!

mingchiu (266) 2006-09-19 0:15

I noticed that you only used f 5.6 for this landscape. I would think that for a beautiful scene like this and where you have the luxury of an extra few seconds during the pictutre taking, an aperture stop down to f 22 with the combination of low shutter speed ( provided you used a tripod) would give this picture its full potential. It is a bit of a waste to use only f5.6 for this shot. I hope i am not sounding too harsh, but i must say that you have just missed the perfection of depth of field.

serenadanesi (944) 2006-09-19 1:13

Really a great picture. I do not need others words.
Serena

euryan (8442) 2006-09-19 1:25

This is my favorite of the three you have uploaded. The composition is clean and simple, with nice depth. I love the light and shadow contrasts on the closest mitten. Even the cars are interesting as they provide scale to this awesome vista. This is perfect in my opinion. Well done.
Regards,
Ryan
P.S. I'm still so jealous...grrrr ;-)

danielswalsh (13597) 2006-09-19 1:29

Superb stuff Henryk!

Excellent exposure, good sharpness and clarity. The fact that you captured a rainbow in the shot is the icing on the cake.
The far monument is the one in "Close Encounters"???

All the best,
- Dan

besnard (59196) 2006-09-19 1:45

Bonjour henryk
Trčs belle composition de ce lieu qui fait réver. Belle luminosité qui fait resortir la couleur ocre des pierres. J'ai posté une photo prise du męme endroit et celŕ me rappelle de bons souvenirs.
Merci pour le partage et bonne journée.
Nicole

akb (212) 2006-09-19 2:06 [Comment]

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DarkoG (8) 2006-09-19 2:42

Hi Henryk
This is good. Good compo with nice POV and fabulous light. Sky is also great and everything fit nicely.
Good work
Regards Darko

zeca (19762) 2006-09-19 3:03

What a beautiful picture! Simply magic!
Wonderful lights and colours and perfect use of framing. Great POV and DOF!
Congratulations!
Zeca

tam3rd (217) 2006-09-19 3:24

Perfect timing... just the right lighting, tones and a rainbow to highlight nature's beauty. Good work.

katyako (467) 2006-09-19 3:26

Hi, Henryk!
I like this shot very much. An interesting subject is photographed in unusual weather. Only road is surplus here. May be you should take it from a point where it woudn't be seen. Thank you for sharing!

Katya.

Tasmaniac (285) 2006-09-19 4:00

Photographed countless times over the years, but this still looks to be something very special indeed. Love the quality of the light and the bonus rainbow.

luisafonso (862) 2006-09-19 5:23

Amazing Henryk! The golden colors across the valley are just wonderful. The three standing giants are well placed across the frame giving an intense sense of depth to the whole scene. And then there are those deep dark clouds and the gorgeous rainbow. Isn't this perfection? I guess it is. Very good photo indeed!

jasmis (58653) 2006-09-19 6:07

Mocno nasycone zdjęcie egzotycznej okolicy. Dobra robota. Tęcza nie wszystkim musi się spodobać, ale jest silnym punktem kompozycji. Pozdrawiam. PS. Jesteś górnikiem? Napisz coś o tym.

darrasin (2860) 2006-09-19 12:26

Hello Henryk! Very well done. Sometimes it seems like every photo from this place is a winner, but this one is really fantastic. Your timing was perfect being there for the rainbow and also being ready to shoot it expertly. The color saturation is great, really warm but not over the top and the focus and sharpness are right on.

It's really all very good but I wonder if you thought about cloning out the cars in the background? Not that you need to, it's perfect as is since they are so far away. I just wonder if that thought crossed your mind at all?

Regards,
Doug

zokakelt (1157) 2006-09-19 20:05

Bravo, this is fantastic shot. Great sharpnes, nice compo and light.
Very well done.
Zoran

cherryripe (21033) 2006-09-20 6:20

Hi Henryk
Superb view of this amazing place. The light is incredible and you managed to get the rainbow in just the right place too. The first 2 rocks are so sharp. I like the added depth created by the road.
Regards
Nikki

TheMystic (916) 2006-09-21 1:14

Picturesque scene, caught at just the right moment...
Cheers
Otto

fallan (1860) 2006-09-21 17:12

Some people get all the luck. As good as the other photo is, I think I like this one better. The light on the rock in foreground is the clincher for me. I don't think you need to clone out the cars, but I would tone them down a bit to know some of the shine off. Sorry I can't give more than two points. This deserves three at least.

atus (15878) 2006-09-21 17:13

When I see photos of MV I'm pleased and sad at the same time. This because when I visited the US, I missed this fabulous place because of the storm called "Nora" over LV(!)which contributed to cancel my flight to the MV. The shot is fabulous with this fantastic light and the warm, very well saturated colours. You composed it very well with the rock in the fg., the dof is perfect and the rainbow is a special bonus of this great shot.
Tfs and best wishes!
Attila

Botie2 (119) 2006-09-22 11:58

Just beautiful Henryk. Breathtaking vista, beautiful lighting, perfect POV. Congratulations.

bakes888 (18499) 2006-09-27 18:14

Hi Henryk. Great landscape and you were there at the right time to capture the rainbow. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

Leilani (1385) 2007-01-10 19:50

This is an amazing photo. Great lighting and sharpness. Beautiful colours and a rainbow too! Congrats!

jmcl (14535) 2007-02-23 23:30

Henryk,

thought I would come go through your shots since we are both silly enough to be posting on a Friday night .. and this is so so so so wonderful .. wondrous .. it is almost so full of elements that it is hard to imagine what they would be like in combination .. but here they are.

the light .. the rainbow ... the place itself .. the storm .. just stunning ..and the way you managed it all with the composition and your control of the light .. just wondrous ..

take care.

John

danos (110407) 2007-03-25 10:51

Hi Henryk,
just impressive the rainbow in the sandy desert with this worm colours and light.Good compo with nice POV and fabulous sharpness. Sky is also great and everything fit nicely.Well done.
Regards,Danos

jonathan_hart (21276) 2007-05-06 19:56 [Comment]

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Murtaza (24) 2007-06-17 21:07

Amazing Shot

umbrellaphotos (1901) 2007-06-18 19:10

Henryk,

This is a remarkable photo. You captured a very unique moment is a very unique place. Nicely done!

Brian

lucinka (9976) 2007-06-19 11:38

Hello Henryk, I have no idea how I have found this photo of yours, however I am really glad I did. This is such a fantastic moment and you need to be really lucky to witness it, especially with camera in your hand. Very good choice of composition with rainbow ending up in the middle. TFS. Lucie

MichaelTrezzi (3374) 2007-07-05 23:19

Wow, Hendryk, excellent composition, colors and sharpness. Like the rainbow like extension to the pattern on the rock in front of the picture. Well done, Thanks for sharing. Rgds, Michael

filidor (56) 2008-01-29 5:49

Czesc Henryk. I must admit that it is no doubt whatever that it is wow project! I have seen many shots from this place but that is a breaking the moulds! You have just gone extra mile. Amazing shot on appropiate time and spot! That second monument looks like chimney! No words for that work. Regards. Maciej.

vmukherjee (614) 2008-11-13 22:49

Great shot!! It needed a bit of luck to get the rainbow at this time of the golden sunset! The colours, patterns are amazing. Thanks for sharing.

rgarrigus (0) 2008-11-13 22:54

Hi Henryk,

Wonderful moment and excellent image. Warm side-lighting is the very best for these monuments and that rainbow was fortunate to make this unique. Well done.

Cheers!

Bob G.

THAR (3877) 2009-04-20 7:50

Photo fabuleuse d'un endoit extraordinaire.C'est vraiment la Terre sacrée des Indiens...J'ai eu la chance de pouvoir y respirer sa poussičre mais revoir cet endroit me ravit ŕ chaque fois.

parks (163) 2010-05-17 11:25 [Comment]

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wojteczek (1194) 2010-06-13 12:22

Niesamowite zdjęcie i miejsce.

POZDRAWIAM

Homerhomer (4080) 2010-10-05 7:49

What a view!!! How often can one be in such a splendid place and get such a fantastic light, on top of that you created a wonderful composition with lines leading us throughout the whole image, wonderful.

Curious_Eye (1320) 2012-12-11 20:42

Hello Henryk,

A fantastic capture. The image is well-composed with the rock (old tree trunk?) in the FG and the huge rock formations in the BG. Great DOF, textures, highlights. I particularly like the rainbow coming out from the right corner and the ray of light with the clouds beneath it. It must have been an incredible evening.

Best wishes,
Izabela