Snow in the misty valley
/forum/topic/69600/0

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lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States



This image is copyrighted by the owner






This image is copyrighted by the owner





Well, I went to Yosemite NP for the first time this last New Year's eve, and we were, unfortunately, not blessed with the best of weather. Still, in a place like Yosemite, even a cloudy day is unable to dampen the wonder the place exudes. As the great monoliths emerge from the white mists and reveal their titanic and forbidding faces, I found that the weather gave me a unique opportunity to do some near black and white work, with some splashes of color. Sandwiched between white mist and white snows, the trees acquire and interesting character as the only colored things really visible.

Hope you enjoy these first few pictures from my Yosemite series.

Arka C.


Tim ONeill
Registered: Feb 06, 2003
Total Posts: 16105
Country: United States

Arka,
Great shots! The contrast in #2 is remarkable. I look forward to the next installment.
Tim



karthik
Registered: Sep 03, 2003
Total Posts: 913
Country: United States

Very beautiful images Arka. Im with Tim on #2. the contrast is awesome.

Congrats!

Karthik



Rosemary R
Registered: Jan 08, 2004
Total Posts: 3166
Country: United States

BTW those trees were orange because their leaves were scorched in a control burn fire. I stood in that exact spot late in November when there was less snow. It's prettier with the coat of snow. Their burns are meant to reduce fire load (brush, etc.) shame they damaged this tree though. You can see it has lost a limb.



Mark Schapper
Registered: Sep 15, 2003
Total Posts: 6147
Country: Australia

Arka,

Both superb images.

Regards,
Mark



lvear
Registered: Dec 24, 2003
Total Posts: 2295
Country: United States

Thanks Arka - really enjoyed the pictures and look forward to more of Yosemite. #2 really grabbed my attention.



Kyle Yates
Registered: Mar 12, 2002
Total Posts: 5797
Country: United Kingdom

Love it -- well done

#2 would certainly take pride of place on one of my walls
Thanks for posting



Michael Marsh
Registered: Dec 11, 2003
Total Posts: 1843
Country: United States

Arka,

Lovely photos,
I like #1 . There are like 3 layers to it. The sticks in the snow give it depth for the fist layer, then you have the green trees, then the mountain.

mike



jack gilbert
Registered: May 30, 2003
Total Posts: 1094
Country: United Kingdom

No 2 is something again that splash of colour is wonderful.
Jack



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Tim - Thanks for your kind words. I am processing these images slowly, and I hope to go back up there soon, before the snow melts, but perhaps when the weather is a little... well... different.

Karthik - Thanks for looking. I know you have visited Yosemite NP recently, as you are fortunate enough to live near the park. Let me know if you ever want to meet up out there.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Hi Rosemary,

Thanks so much for that bit of background. I was wondering what had become of this sad old tree, as it was literally falling apart out there, looking very lonely and forlorn. Now I know some of its history.

Thanks for stopping by!

Arka C.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Mark - Thanks for your comments. Always appreciated
.
Laura - I'm glad you enjoyed these. I look to post some more this week, as I post process them.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Kyle - Thanks so much for your generous comments.I am quite honored that I have posted something here that you would consider a wall hanger. I have been debating whether I should or shouldn't print that one large, but in light of your comments, maybe I should be asking how large I should be printing it instead. So thanks again for your encouragement.

Mike - Thanks for posting. I am always appreciative or your thoughtful perspectives on my images, as you often reveal things to me that I myself missed in the post-processing. Those twigs in the snow were, initially, distracting for me, and I considered not working with this RAW file at all. I am glad that you found some purpose for them in the photo; in retrospect, they are quite important toward establishing that depth that you are talking about. Thanks for commenting!

Arka C.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Hi Jack!

Thanks for looking. I found the color in #2 quite striking myself, both before capturing the image and after post processing the final result. I was a little worried as to whether I was able to isolate it well enough, but there the mists played a crucial role in reducing the colors and contrast from some of the background.

Thanks again for your comments!

Arka C.



Adrian Cray
Registered: Mar 14, 2002
Total Posts: 9005
Country: United Kingdom

Both are delicate , delightful and atmospheric images , Arka . Both convey a strong impression of cold desolation , thankfully relieved by those splashes of green and russet . Nicely captured and presented .



Larry55
Registered: Nov 02, 2003
Total Posts: 6816
Country: United States

Arka: I really like the first one! Wow, it is so subtle and so nicely balanced. I agree that either of these should be wallhangers. Keep them coming, man. GREAT stuff.



Jeffrey
Registered: Nov 12, 2002
Total Posts: 7913
Country: United States

Very nice, Arka. They are color and B&W all in one image! Wonderful work.



Sunny Sra
Registered: Sep 16, 2002
Total Posts: 18435
Country: United States

Arka,
Man, nice set of images. I've yet to make it to Yosemite when its SNOWed. Nice work bud.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Adrian - Thanks for your comments. Having grown up in snowy climes myself, I find myself often missing it around this time of year, living in Southern California. Yosemite was a great chance for me to experience the snow in a beautiful place, and so I was pretty excited about trying to convey that wonderment through photography.

Larry - Thanks for your encouragement. It's always a lift to get a compliment from you.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Jeffrey - You know, when I first came into the park, I was a little dismayed by the weather, but then I ended up coming to the quick realization that the entire park was basically a black and white with selective saturation of colors. I kind of went with that theme, and I tried to make some lemons out of lemonade here, though I must admit, Yosemite is hard pressed to give you anything but the finest of lemons to work with. Glad you like these, and thanks for commenting.

Arka C.



lordarka
Registered: Jun 13, 2003
Total Posts: 9880
Country: United States

Hi Sunny,

Thanks for the comments! I loe Yosemite in the snow, though I will admit that these images represent my first time in Yosemite. However, I DID plan the trip to coincide with snowfall, so I could see the white stuff again and try my hand at photographiing it. Virgin snow lends such a simplicity and cleanliness to the foreground, and I love having it around to aid in composing landscapes. You owe it to yourself to try this wintry flavor of the park, if for no other reason than the fact there are far fewer people there in the cold season.

I am planning on perhaps going up there again in late February. If anyone wants to take a weekend up there, I would love to meet some more FM'er and learn from the real masters.

Arka C.



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