I just completed a Southern Utah workshop in October 2019. On the way back to California, my co-instructor, Ron Gaut, and I made a short drive through Capitol Reef National Park, although the incessant rain prevented us from entering the main canyons. We decided to exit through Torrey, UT, and take the highway up into the higher elevations of Boulder Mountain. As we climbed higher in elevation, we reached a wonderland of newly fallen snow. The views looking west into Capitol Reef were spectacular! Magnificent orange cliffs and domes of the waterpocket fold contrasted beautifully with the foreground coating of fresh snow.
As I was walking along the highway looking for potential photographic subjects to “reveal” themselves to me, I was instantly drawn to this small scene a short distance off the road. It was amazingly clean, so I spent maybe 15 or 20 minutes deciding how I would organize the elements in the photographic frame.
I knew that using a moderate telephoto would compress the scale and contribute to a more “painterly” quality. This would also keep the subject simple and uncluttered. However, isolating this small slice of the bigger picture, by using a telephoto at close range, meant that I had to deal with depth of field and wind. Fortunately, the wind cooperated and I only had to wait a minute or two between each of the four exposures I made for the focus stack.
The lens I used on my Sony A7R was a Minolta Rokkor 100mm lens (in manual mode). I made four exposures each at a different focus point, from near to far. The stacking software I used was Zerene Stacker, although it could also be done in Photoshop. Since it was late in the day and this subject was in a recessed, shaded part of the mountain, my exposures were fairly long, perhaps 1 second.
What are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!
I think one of the impactful features of this image is the simplicity. I have always loved careful, meticulous organizations of elements, and if there is a challenge presented to me, I’m up for the task! I get a great feeling of accomplishment after organizing the visual details
The other thing that I feel makes this a good photograph is the color palette. Anything juxtaposed against white or gray tends to have a profound effect on me. In the case of this image, it’s yellow against white.
If you could make this photo again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or differently?
Probably a sturdier tripod and warmer clothing! But other than that, I don’t think I would change a thing.
Lynn Radeka shared this photograph with the FRAMES Facebook Group.
Photographer
Lynn Radeka, Orange County, California, USA
Equipment and settings
Sony A7R with Minolta 100mm telephoto lens.
Exposure: approx. 1 second each of 4 focus-stacked exposures.
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