# Snowy Colorado Mountain in the Clouds



## cgipson1 (Jun 6, 2012)

Another shot from this past weekend. Off Highway 14 heading about an hour east of Walden Co. First time using Silver Efex Pro... comments definitely welcome






Snowy Colorado Mountain by CGipson Photography, on Flickr

Again.. looks better on Flickr!


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## TheKenTurner (Jun 6, 2012)

Great shot! I just find the forest to be a bit too dark 

-ken Turner


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## Ernicus (Jun 6, 2012)

I'm guessing the dark parts of the forrest are shadows from clouds,..i kinda like.  I do like the clouds, wonder if the snow can be a bit whiter.  Why does the edge of the mountains against the sky look fake-ish?  almost too finite, like a perfect line.  Did you select the sky and edit it  to bring out the clouds more?


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## unpopular (Jun 6, 2012)

ver, very, very nice. one of the best b/w i've seen since film.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 6, 2012)

TheKenTurner said:


> Great shot! I just find the forest to be a bit too dark
> 
> -ken Turner



I was questioning that too.. but with the variances in tone from the overhead clouds.. anything lighter started look fake to me. Might give it another go though....


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## cgipson1 (Jun 6, 2012)

Ernicus said:


> I'm guessing the dark parts of the forrest are shadows from clouds,..i kinda like.  I do like the clouds, wonder if the snow can be a bit whiter.  Why does the edge of the mountains against the sky look fake-ish?  almost too finite, like a perfect line.  Did you select the sky and edit it  to bring out the clouds more?



Yep.. dark parts are cloud cover!  I could lighten the snow a touch more.. just didn't want to blow it out. The edge of the ridges had the snow melted off.. that was one of the things I liked about this, was how defined the rock was against the clouds. You are right though.. it does look a bit fake. I might have oversharpened a hair too...


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## Blairg (Jun 6, 2012)

Great looking photo one day I will be able to do that


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## cgipson1 (Jun 6, 2012)

unpopular said:


> ver, very, very nice. one of the best b/w i've seen since film.



Unpopular... thank you! I really like this shot... and I think I am really going to like Silver Efex Pro! It makes the conversions much easier than PS does... better control and all!


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## cgipson1 (Jun 6, 2012)

Blairg said:


> Great looking photo one day I will be able to do that



Thanks! Just takes lots of practice, and some good lenses!


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## IByte (Jun 6, 2012)

Someone been playing around with those color filters. Very good plugin software.  I'm going to have to review the photo more.  It kind of reminds of a film negative before it's processed.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 6, 2012)

IByte said:


> Someone been playing around with those color filters. Very good plugin software.  I'm going to have to review the photo more.  It kind of reminds of a film negative before it's processed.



lol.. Busted!  Glad you like it!


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## unpopular (Jun 6, 2012)

I think I will stick to traditional methods. But this is a very impressive conversion nonetheless. Congrats on the image

RE the trees, I'd like to see a little more detail in some areas, but overall mean luminance should remain similar.


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## IByte (Jun 7, 2012)

unpopular said:
			
		

> I think I will stick to traditional methods. But this is a very impressive conversion nonetheless. Congrats on the image
> 
> RE the trees, I'd like to see a little more detail in some areas, but overall mean luminance should remain similar.



Good point on the trees.  The trees detail would made my eyes lead the way to the mountain top.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 7, 2012)

Unpopular and Ibyte... if you would like to download and edit the shot.. feel free to do so. I would like to see what you come up with . I could make the larger Flickr shot available if you prefer....


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## unpopular (Jun 7, 2012)

Can't do much with this version, you should know that. Post the original color version?

Computer is dead, but will be back in a few (several) hours.


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## IByte (Jun 7, 2012)

Sure I'll give it a shot later on Charlie.


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## spacefuzz (Jun 7, 2012)

really very nice, great with those clouds and the light patterns in the trees are the added touch. 

But I agree with some others that the FG appears dark, if you have luminosity layers you could try to play around with either bringing up the darks a tad, or even increasing the rim lighting on the trees which should have a similar effect of more dynamic range down there, more eye candy.  If you have NIK bundle you should be able to do something similar with Viveza if your careful with where you place your adjustment point. 

If you want me to play with it, feel free to PM me the flickr link.   Really a stunning shot.


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## Robin Usagani (Jun 7, 2012)

I hate the crop ratio .  It is a landscape.. do 2:1 width to height ratio or something.  You made it even narrower than your standard file.  I think i like it better if you just crop it just below the mountain showing just a little bit of the trees.  Keep the whole width, throw away most of the trees at the bottom.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 7, 2012)

spacefuzz said:


> really very nice, great with those clouds and the light patterns in the trees are the added touch.
> 
> But I agree with some others that the FG appears dark, if you have luminosity layers you could try to play around with either bringing up the darks a tad, or even increasing the rim lighting on the trees which should have a similar effect of more dynamic range down there, more eye candy.  If you have NIK bundle you should be able to do something similar with Viveza if your careful with where you place your adjustment point.
> 
> If you want me to play with it, feel free to PM me the flickr link.   Really a stunning shot.



Thanks! I will probably play with it some more tonight... will be interesting to see what every one comes up with. Didn't get the NIK bundle... just Silver. I might regret that down the road, lol!


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## cgipson1 (Jun 7, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> I hate the crop ratio .  It is a landscape.. do 2:1 width to height ratio or something.  You made it even narrower than your standard file.  I think i like it better if you just crop it just below the mountain showing just a little bit of the trees.  Keep the whole width, throw away most of the trees at the bottom.



Standard 11x14 crop... I didn't shoot it as a Pano, although that might be fun to play with. Appreciate the thoughts...


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## cgipson1 (Jun 7, 2012)

Lightened up a bit for C&C...  It really is much lighter and much  more detailed in PS here, than it is on TPF or Flickr, but I worked on  the FG a bit to see what you think...


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## cgipson1 (Jun 7, 2012)

Here is the crop as suggested by Robin (Schwettylens)


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## Majeed Badizadegan (Jun 7, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> Lightened up a bit for C&C...  It really is much lighter and much  more detailed in PS here, than it is on TPF or Flickr, but I worked on  the FG a bit to see what you think...
> 
> View attachment 10789


 

Better, may need to mask in a higher exposure (assuming you took one). Lots and lots of lost data/ detail in the trees. Hopefully you got more than one exposure, although the D800 should be fine to lift some more detail out of those shadows (to an extent). 


cgipson1 said:


> Here is the crop as suggested by Robin (Schwettylens)
> 
> View attachment 10790



Na, not feeling this one! The rolling hills and the shapes of the tree are very strong supporting elements.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 7, 2012)

Rotanimod said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Lightened up a bit for C&C...  It really is much lighter and much  more detailed in PS here, than it is on TPF or Flickr, but I worked on  the FG a bit to see what you think...
> ...



I actually did nine frame brackets, 2/3 stop between them. So I do have the exposures. BUT.. on my "calibrated" monitor...  the shot looks good... doesn't need lightening. I wish  you could see it! lol! So anything I do along those lines, is strictly for web viewing.  I am amazed by the detail in the photos.. the D800 is truly in a class of it's own.

Yes.. I prefer the 11x14 format also.....

Thanks for the comments!


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## Robin Usagani (Jun 7, 2012)

Rotanimod said:


> Na, not feeling this one! The rolling hills and the shapes of the tree are very strong supporting elements.



I mostly hate the crop ratio.  Include the trees or whatever.. I just like to see landscape photography wider.


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## Majeed Badizadegan (Jun 7, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> Rotanimod said:
> 
> 
> > cgipson1 said:
> ...



I'm jealous of your camera!


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## unpopular (Jun 7, 2012)

pay no attention to Schwetty. Fauxtographers just don't know. 

I agree, gipson. Keep the standard aspect ratio, the dark trees give the mountain life.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 8, 2012)

unpopular said:


> pay no attention to Schwetty. Fauxtographers just don't know.
> 
> I agree, gipson. Keep the standard aspect ratio, the dark trees give the mountain life.



Unpopular! Robin is just into panorama mode! And he does some nice ones!  

You can call me Charlie you know!


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## Robin Usagani (Jun 8, 2012)

Can I call you Chuck?


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## Robin Usagani (Jun 8, 2012)

unpopular said:


> pay no attention to Schwetty. Fauxtographers just don't know.
> 
> I agree, gipson. Keep the standard aspect ratio, the dark trees give the mountain life.



Both my suggestion and Charlie's crop are not standard (native file ratio) aspect ratio .


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## cgipson1 (Jun 8, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> Can I call you Chuck?



If you want to.. but I may not answer! lol! That was my dad... and he was an SOB!


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## cgipson1 (Jun 8, 2012)

Schwettylens said:


> unpopular said:
> 
> 
> > pay no attention to Schwetty. Fauxtographers just don't know.
> ...



True... I actually framed the shot to allow for the 11x14 crop.. but I may have some that were framed full frame. I will check just for you, Robin! lol!


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## LizardKing (Jun 8, 2012)

Great shot cgipson! Really nice... It reminded me a little bit of Ansel Adams' work hahaha... Just a bit though, y'know 

By the way, I just realize you're from Arvada... I used to go for work to Boulder from time to time and passed near Arvada several times. I even bought a guitar in the big music store you have there.
Lovely place to live.

Anyway, congratulations on the shot! Really nice!


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## cgipson1 (Jun 8, 2012)

LizardKing said:


> Great shot cgipson! Really nice... It reminded me a little bit of Ansel Adams' work hahaha... Just a bit though, y'know
> 
> By the way, I just realize you're from Arvada... I used to go for work to Boulder from time to time and passed near Arvada several times. I even bought a guitar in the big music store you have there.
> Lovely place to live.
> ...



Thank you... while some people don't like Ansel, I would say that is a BIG compliment (and  some exaggeration also!) lol! If you ever make it up this way again... stop in!  Or maybe I should come to Buenos Aires... have always wanted to visit there!


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## LizardKing (Jun 9, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> LizardKing said:
> 
> 
> > Great shot cgipson! Really nice... It reminded me a little bit of Ansel Adams' work hahaha... Just a bit though, y'know
> ...



It's been a couple of years since the last trip and I'm on a different job now... but the area is really really nice, so I'd probably go there one of these years to take the time to travel around a little bit, which I couldn't do mcuh when traveled for work. Not sure why, maybe the nightlife, but most tourist really enjoy their visit to Buenos Aires so if you ever make the trip let me know.


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## cgipson1 (Jun 9, 2012)

LizardKing said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > LizardKing said:
> ...



Thanks.. you never know!


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