BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

False Kiva at Sunset - Canyonlands National Park, File # 1123950


I shoot a lot of images many of which never see the light of day. Most of the time during my workflow I load my images into my laptop and identify the captures that will get extra attention when I finally get back home on my main workstation. Mostly this process works like a champ. For reasons I can't explain I didn't finish the images I captured when I went to the Moab area this last summer. Remember that's the trip I shot my "star man" image, the one of me light painting myself while taking a long exposure to include the Milkyway. Well, I captured more than just those images. In fact I spent quite some time trying to first find then photography False Kiva. Here are the fruits of that labor.

What I want to write here is when I was out there, shooting these images, I was completely disappointed with the shoot. I was incredibly happy to actually reach the place. But, my internal vision of shooting setting sun with light painted indian ruins was not to be. Safety better the better part of me, I elected to make the trail back to my vehicle while there was still like to see. I missed my opportunity. Sometime later, perhaps when there is moon-light, I'll make this trip back.

When I got back home I completely forgot about these until just a couple weeks ago when reviewing my "Best of" images from 2011. Normally, I can process these fairly quickly to make the pano's and eventual HDR composites. Not this time. Because of the huge dynamic range, I had to learn a couple new techniques using Photoshop CS5 that allowed me to properly merge the light and dark image files I captured out there back in July.


ORIGINAL FULL SIZED IMAGE: http://www.tom-hill.biz/Galleries/Scenics/Utah/20957775_CZGg5B#!i=1717381864&k=KcRLqjS

sunset

False Kiva At Sunset #2 - Canyonlands National Park, File # 1123927


You see the dark and lighter portions are substantially different in terms of exposure. Unfortunately, a manual compositor like I am requires some decided patience to get the edges between light and dark just right. Well, I didn't have the patience meaning what I started in January wasn't finished until just now. In fact, if it weren't for some new tools in Photoshop CS5 I might never have finished these images. I'm happy I was able to.

That improvement in technology is always a factor in digital photography. I know some folks never look back at their images and continue to only work new technology on new images--i.e. never go backwards. I appreciate that perspective but sometimes you just have to like I did here. It's definitely more reasonable to go backwards when you hadn't really finished any versions previously--i.e. you're not repeating work. In my case, I really was waiting for technology to improve enough so I could finish these images. Makes me happy there's the constant march of progress in our photography world.

Just a couple observations about the trail to this location. This Kiva is located about 200 vertical feet below the lip of this plateau. Up behind me and to the left is the way to the top of the plateau. But, the path isn't straight. In fact, this cave looking feature isn't really a cave. It's merely a flat spot with an over-hang. The path out of here is to the right. It takes you below the lip of this flat part in front of me and towards the left to the steep, rocky (really loose rock) trail to the left. Even when you've made the climb back to the top of the edge of the plateau the trail is not tall that well marked back to the street. I, probably true to form, got slightly disoriented and hit the road a quarter mile away from my bike.

One of these years, I'm going to make it back here during the right conditions. First, it has to be the right temperature, not too hot or not too cool. The best time is likely the middle of fall instead of the summer--i.e. July--like I was here. Next, I need to be here with At least a half moon to make the trek out of here with the moons light to help. Since I'll likely want to capture right after sunset, that means a waxing moon. I'm guessing there are probably only two or three days a year that will meet all these requirements.

So many things to think about with photography other than just the picture taking parts. I guess that's a big reason why I love photography.

Cheers

Tom

Sunset