The Cloud Piercer Rests

[Octane]

All,

Sorry for so many posts on this sub-forum! I've got a bit of replying to do to my other threads and I promise not to post any more until they're dealt with.

Aoraki the Cloud Piercer (Mount Cook) imaged moments after the sun had set off the west coast of New Zealand. You can see the last light illuminating the top third of Aoraki.

I have never scampered up a mound or a hill composed of loose morraine as fast as I did this evening in the freezing cold to capture the last few rays of light bathing this almost mythical place.

Aoraki is the tallest mountain in New Zealand, standing about 3.8 km tall. I wish to climb it some day.

As per the norm, slightly higher resolution available here (http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/tcpr.html).

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
1.3s f/16.0 at 40.0mm iso400

Thank you for looking, and any comments, critique, etc.

H

[troypiggo]

Lovely composition and light. As usual.

I have a veeery minor nitpick. The cyans in the snow drew my attention immediately. They look too saturated or prominent, doesn't look natural? The FG yellows are pretty saturated too, but that's not as distracting for me.

PS - I hate critiquing your images, because I could never come close to being able to produce something like that.

[SkyViking]

Very nice image H, I love the composition and admire your determination to catch that special light.
I think the foreground looks perhaps a little too light, maybe it's too HDR'd? It's especially the bottom 1/3 of the image, almost seems illuminated by some ambient light whereas the rest of the landscape below the snow line is fairly dark. Apart from that it's just perfect :).

[Octane]

Hi guys,

This is what happens when you work on stuff with little sleep.

You are both indeed correct; I have screwed up two of my masks (curves and satch) and one of the resulting blend modes. I will fix these tonight and repost.

Also, Rolf, no HDR here! But, I get what you're saying.

Thanks!

H

[suma126]

nice location but think it is over cooked a little bit and the stream bugs me for some reason it doesn't look right.apart from that its good

[h0ughy]

Must have been an amazing sight H, and probably cold when you took it. its a nice view from there - LOL and i had my first and only Lamb pie up the road from there at the tea/roadhouse. Some memories and that was over 20 years ago. It does seem overcooked - but in a nice way, though the image is a pretty small (need bigger ones H to really get into them) to really get into the scenery and appreciate.

Skyviking here is a link to describe the HDR process for single images (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=162508)

[Octane]

Shane, cheers, mate. I made a boo boo with a couple of my layers, and, I will fix them up tonight. That's what happens when you process images whilst watching the Tour de France late at night with little sleep. : )

David, thanks. Yeah, it's such an incredible place. Re: overcooking, I will fix that tonight. Incorrect mask and the wrong blend mode screwed the image right up. Easy fix tonight. Pray tell, why was it the first and last lamb pie? And, yep, I only post small images online, large ones can be purchased (stock or print) if anyone so wishes. Small images protect my intellectual property. The detail on screen is nothing like what's in the print. For example, in this image (http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/rig.html), on screen you can't really tell, but, in print, you can see the individual hairs on my arms, and, that's just on an 18x12" print.

Also, re: the HDR link. With some of my images, where the exposure cannot be contained in the one image, this is essentially what I do -- I bracket my exposures, or create RAW blends from the one exposure. The only difference is, I don't let Photomatix dictate what should go where, I just do it myself with layers. It gives me so much more control.


Thanks, guys! I appreciate your honest and constructive feedback. It helps me to improve and grow as an imager.

H

[SkyViking]

Oh, a fellow TDF addict? :eyepop:Then I'm surprised you even maintained enough concentration to actually process your image, considering yesterday's drama :lol: Probably the best Tour in quite few years!

BTW isn't it HDR even if you create several exposures from a single raw? Or would you only call it HDR if you capture multiple frames to combine?

[suma126]

[QUOTE=Octane;616129]Shane, cheers, mate. I made a boo boo with a couple of my layers, and, I will fix them up tonight. That's what happens when you process images whilst watching the Tour de France late at night with little sleep. : )

David, thanks. Yeah, it's such an incredible place. Re: overcooking, I will fix that tonight. Incorrect mask and the wrong blend mode screwed the image right up. Easy fix tonight. Pray tell, why was it the first and last lamb pie? And, yep, I only post small images online, large ones can be purchased (stock or print) if anyone so wishes. Small images protect my intellectual property. The detail on screen is nothing like what's in the print. For example, in this image (http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/rig.html), on screen you can't really tell, but, in print, you can see the individual hairs on my arms, and, that's just on an 18x12" print.

Also, re: the HDR link. With some of my images, where the exposure cannot be contained in the one image, this is essentially what I do -- I bracket my exposures, or create RAW blends from the one exposure. The only difference is, I don't let Photomatix dictate what should go where, I just do it myself with layers. It gives me so much more control.


Thanks, guys! I appreciate your honest and constructive feedback. It helps me to improve and grow as an imager.

H[/QUOTE its good to make mistakes it help to make you better.as a cycles myself i cant help watching it too

[h0ughy]

well i was only there for an afternoon had to keep travelling, and havent been back since. For an island full of sheep i hardly saw any, let alone have a lamb roast dinner so this place when it was offering a pie i couldnt resist ;). the only time i saw a flock of sheep was leaving Christchurch airport - they were between the hangers?

Surely you could offer a 1280 pixel version to view, i know of some sites you view on where you cant right click or save:question:

[Octane]

lol @ sheep between the hangars. They're /everywhere/!

Problem with those right-click disabling sites is that all you have to do is right-click on the page -> view source, find the img src tag, copy and paste the URL of the image into a browser, and hit enter. There's the right-clickable image.

I'm working on my own site at the moment, and hope to have it completed soon. On there, will be slightly higher resolutions available for viewing. The goal is to sell prints; viewing images on a screen is balls. Someone else attested to the beauty of seeing the printed images from the David Malin Awards on display. Anyway, I'll work something out!

Cheers, again.

H

[troypiggo]

Please don't do that. By definition an HDR image cannot be created from a single exposure.

[Ric]

Hi H,

Love that self portrait.

How on Earth did you ever drag yourself away from that view?

I think I'd still be sitting there.

Cheers

[Octane]

Ric,

It was hard to peel myself away. But, I was going to Queenstown, and, there were was lots of nice food awaiting my arrival. ; )

H

[luigi]

Cooked to perfection I love my landscapes well done.
It's a stunning image, big applause from here!

[Octane]

Luis,

Thank you, mate.

I haven't had a chance to go back and fix the issue with the blues, but, will do so in the coming days.

Cheers.

H

[tims]

Great image, one of my favourites of your trip to NZ.
Wouldn't mind going to that spot one day myself - do you remember exactly where abouts you were when you shot it or the name of the stream in the photo?

cheers

Tim

[Octane]

Tim,

Apologies for the delayed reply. This was taken about a 10 minutes after crossing the second bridge along the Hooker Walk, from memory. If I'm not mistaken, the stream would be the Hooker River.

Cheers!

H

[Jen]

:eyepop: wow H looks like a painting :thumbsup: very nice i can see why its being entered into the competition :thumbsup: good luck H
xoxoxoxo

[shelltree]

Absolutely breathtaking capture H and good luck with the competition :)

[hotspur]

Well done Humayan!-I do hope you win!:thumbsup:

On the remote chance you do not,you will find that experience will

open doors for you!:thumbsup:

Regards and best wishes -Chris:thumbsup:

[astroron]

It certainly is a Stunner H, you deserve all the accolades you receive:thumbsup:

[Octane]

Jen,

As always, that's the aim -- to present an image like a painting. All in the light at that time of day. Cheers!



Shelley,

Thanks, girly!



Chris,

Thanks. I didn't proceed past shortlisting, but, that's a pretty good effort, I think. : )



Ron,

You're too kind. Thanks!



Thanks, all.

H

[hotspur]

Well done getting in the short listings,given the fact its a worldwide comp.You did very well indeed!It's a very fine image.

Like I said-do not be suprised if that fact alone open's many doors for you Humayan-as it should,your photography is amazing.

Recently-I took a image and it sort off became 'famous' and ended up making a reasonable amount in royalties etc,People soon pick up on things like that and your short listing will be no different.

People in our local area know all about that nasa apod image I took,and I was rather suprised to have people wanting to pay me to take photos of their children at formals etc.Most people I sort of knew,and I explained I was no pro photographer-I was happy to take their photo's in exchange for some basic batter-if they felt images were ok,as it turned they were happy.I even got invited to a corporate lunch to give a lecture on that image,how I took it,bla-bla,All I can say is the 'champagne and smoked salmon' lifestyles suits me well!

But a more advanced photographer like yourself well really go somewhere with that short listing-soon you not have time to post on IIS,you be 'in demand' Humayan! good luck

[Octane]

Thanks, Chris!

Congratulations on your success with your image, too. That's really great. : )

By the way, my colleague is the step-son in law of the guy who owned Eastern Australian Airlines (which he later sold to QANTAS). I showed my colleague your APOD, and, he in turn showed his step-father in law. He is in his 70s and would dearly like a print of your image as he used to fly those planes.

Please feel free to email me (octane2 AT optusnet DOT com DOT au) with sizing and prices so that I can pass the information on to him. That is, if you would like to sell a print! : )

Feel free to include any specific information about what plane it is as well as registration details, if that is OK. It'd be a really great sentimental piece for him.

If you need someone to do a professional print on archival paper, I might know someone who could do that. ; )

H

[hotspur]

Yeah,sure Humayan-happy to help out.

I will email you,when I get time.

Cheers Chris