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cavazbe

Dunes in the morning

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

settings

Aperture f/16 ISO 100 Shutter 1/15 Focal Length 32/1

upload_date

Apr, 2017

Views

1338

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+268

Awards

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+355

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+20

Absolute Masterpiece

+15

Top Choice

+12

Magnificent Capture

All Star

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Genius

Superior Skill

Virtuoso

Emotions

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo at Death Valley National Park in California while on a family vacation.

Time

While in Death Valley I went on a photo tour of the and got to go to some amazing places in the park. We met early in the morning to specifically catch the morning light and shadows on the dunes. (These dunes were where they filed parts of the original Star Wars movies, which made this even cooler. There was a bit of an early morning hike involved to get to the dunes, but it was well worth the effort. The photo was taken on December 13, 2015, at 7:11 AM.

Lighting

While I was hoping for a spectacular California desert sunrise, colorful sunrise was just not n the cards; however, the morning light was amazing. I remember golden light all over the place, highlight the S-curves on one side and shadows on the other. It was hard to compartmentalize the entire landscape into a single photo.

Equipment

I used a Canon 5D Mark III paired with the EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM.

Inspiration

As I mentioned earlier, I liked how the lights and shadows were playing on the sand dunes. The contrast between the gold sand and the blue sky provided for some great color contrast. What I was particularly amazed at was the diversity of the landscape and how quickly it changes from a few miles. This shot is literally a play on contrasts--light & shadow, hot & cold (tones), soaring heights & extreme lows.

Editing

Believe it or not, there wasn't much processing to be done to this photo. I was lucky enough with just the right conditions to get what I needed SOOC. Global and selective tonal and contrast adjustments were primarily used in processing the final image.

In my camera bag

When it comes to what I carry with me, I tend to be a packrat and I usually have more gear than I need. I've been trying to pare down my pack weight, but I usually fail miserably. Along with my camera (now a 5D mark IV) and the 24-70, I have the 16-35 f/2.8L USM II and the 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM II. Depending on hiking and what my shooting goals are, I'll pack the Really Right Stuff TVC-33 with the BH55 ballhead or the much more compact Really Right Stuff TQC and BH30. A polarizer, intervelometer, a roll of gaffer's tape (comes in really handy) and the Big and Little stopper are almosty always in my bag.

Feedback

Death Valley is quite an amazing place and so much diversity is packed within the area. In a few hours, you can be several hundred feet below sea level and then thousands of feet above sea level. One of the problems I ran into was trying to capture it all in photos My advice is to take the time to enjoy what is around you and put the camera down so you can take in the beauty of the area. Light plays such an important part in making these types of photos, especially at Death Valley. Also, don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try new things with your photography.

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cavazbe

cavazbe

Dunes in the morning

Behind The Lens

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