Both of these are very nice. You did a really nice job with the compositions. What time of day ate these? I plan on being out there on the 20th to shoot it, so any tips would be welcome.
Morning is the best time for this area. I was fortunate to have a day with lots of high light clouds which cut down on the glare and intense shadows that you would get on a clear day. By late afternoon you would get shadows from the nearby hills but you could also shoot close to sundown and have the wave completely in shadows. I will look forward to seeing your images of this area.
Feb 04, 2012 at 02:28 AM
David Leask Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
I like your composition with Gibraltar Rock.
As about morning being the best time... I think it also depends on a season, as if the sun is high enough over the hill on the south, it should be still good later in the afternoon. But it's not a good sunset location for sure.
Camperjim wrote:
Morning is the best time for this area. I was fortunate to have a day with lots of high light clouds which cut down on the glare and intense shadows that you would get on a clear day. By late afternoon you would get shadows from the nearby hills but you could also shoot close to sundown and have the wave completely in shadows. I will look forward to seeing your images of this area.
Hey Jim,
That's interesting. The few other write ups I have seen on that, seemed to indicate that they thought sunset was best, but from their shots, I actually didn't care that much for them, and wondered if morning wasn't a better time. Yours are much better with that morning angle of sun.
I will probably be there for both, but I am definitely going to make sure I am there for sunrise.
I've been to the fire wave around sunset in early November, and it definitely glows nicely about an hour before the sun goes behind the mountains. Shadows do play a part as well though.
I think next time if I can get there (I live in ireland!), I'll wait until after sunset for the afterglow in the sky...I have heard that park rangers come looking for people after sundown...anyone come across that?
I went there with a compass The orientation is SSW, there are obstructing structures on the east, it is more open to the southeast, and covers with its own shadow when light comes from the west unless sun is still pretty high. So, I figured that in a winter, the best time would be morning (not so sure about sunrise), and late afternoon starting 2 hours before sunset. In the summer it should be good both in sunrise and closer to sunset, but the steeper sun path will shorten the time for best light.
SSW orientation sounds correct. Don't forget about the hill to the west. You can see the shadow beyond the wave. A few minutes after my image above the shadow hit the wave. I decided to leave and return the next morning. Another photographer was just coming to shoot the wave in the shadows. To each his own.
I was at Valley of Fire SP in November. Did not walk out to the wave. Took gobs of photos, though. What a beautiful place!
Sadly, on the way home from Nevada we were involved in a bad car accident and we only just came home from rehab this past week. My husband was seriously injured. Only just today I am finally transferring my Valley of Fire pics over to my computer.
Cameras and lenses were damaged in the accident , but the CF cards still held the photos!
Thank you, Aleksandra. My husband is doing very well. His back was broken and had to have surgery, but he is able to move everything and is able to walk, thank God. He still has to wear a back brace for a few more weeks yet.
, but the CF cards still held the photos!