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Archive 2013 · Sunset on the Potomac

Evan Baines
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Sunset on the Potomac

Tonight I did some more exploration in the area of great falls. I found this spot on satellite imagery, and figured it'd be a good spot if I could get a decent sunset. Well, mother nature surely didn't disappoint tonight, so any failings of the image are DEFINITELY the fault of the photographer, as I couldn't have asked for a more picturesque sky.

Zeiss 21, 5D3. F/13, 1.3 sec exposure, ISO 100.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments.

http://evanbaines.com/fredmiranda/sunset.jpg

Sep 07, 2013 at 08:26 PM

stanparker
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Sunset on the Potomac

It's beautiful. Tell us your technique, ND filter, blend, whatever?

Sep 07, 2013 at 09:03 PM

Evan Baines
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Sunset on the Potomac

Thanks Stan!

Its VERY close to being within one frame's capability, although pushing the shadows that hard would make it grainy and recovering highlights strongly might clip a color. So I take one frame that's the "right" exposure, and then one bright frame and one dark frame. In lightroom, I make the "right" frame look as good as I can even if it means jacking the shadows or highlight recovery, and then I adjust the exposure on the bright and dark frames to match the look of the correct frame as closely as possible (IE the bright frame will clip out the sky, but I will lower the exposure so that the rocks match the right frame, and will adjust the shadows and exposure on the dark frame to match the normal frame as much as possible). Then I go into PS and create new layers, and brush in the bright and dark frames over the main exposure selectively.

Edited on Sep 07, 2013 at 09:26 PM · View previous versions

Sep 07, 2013 at 09:12 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Sunset on the Potomac

I really like this and your process is very interesting.

Sep 07, 2013 at 09:23 PM

kwilliam8
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Sunset on the Potomac

Evan, this is very, very good! The composition and exposure is great, and the colors are phenomenal. Fantastic!
Keith W.

Sep 07, 2013 at 11:23 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Sunset on the Potomac

Hey Evan,

What a cool spot you found, you did a nice job here. I am guessing you will be back there for more? It looks like an area with a lot of possibilities for compositions.

Jim

Sep 08, 2013 at 12:00 AM

Evan Baines
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Sunset on the Potomac

Thanks all! I'll definitely be back there, especially as its only about 15-20 minutes away.

So I'm not sure if this is "cheating," but I too another shot from a few minutes earlier with a less-impressive sky but when a heron had decided to pay a brief visit....

Just another little detail that sticks with my memory of the place, even if its compressing time a bit.

(a few other tweaks on processing as well as I move toward printing)

http://www.evanbaines.com/fredmiranda/sunset-4.jpg

Sep 08, 2013 at 08:33 AM

Evan Baines
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Sunset on the Potomac

So I've edited this and re-edited this (most recent in last post), and now I think I'm finally ready to move toward printing.

I would love any of you more experienced landscape shooters' thoughts on the most ideal print medium for this image!

Sep 10, 2013 at 08:15 PM

gilligan911
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Sunset on the Potomac

Can't help you with the print medium, but wanted to congratulate you on a stunning shot. I really like the composition with the water running away rather than (as usual) towards the viewer. Great sky as well.

cheers,
Glen.

Sep 10, 2013 at 08:29 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Sunset on the Potomac

cool scene, i might try to selectively warm the shadow regions a touch though (something like viveza 2 makes it trivial to do that, probably plenty of other ways though) and maybe make the sky slightly more bright compared to the shadow regions to balance the naturalness of the lighting a touch more

it is a really super awesome scene

Sep 10, 2013 at 09:16 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Sunset on the Potomac

the brighter sky in the edit seems more natural although the white water in the shadows seems awfully intense, it seems brighter than areas lit by the sun

Sep 10, 2013 at 09:17 PM

Evan Baines
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Sunset on the Potomac

Thanks for the input! Here are some tweaks based on your suggestions.... agree that it looks a bit more natural.

http://www.evanbaines.com/fredmiranda/sunset-5.jpg

Sep 10, 2013 at 09:59 PM

byebyefilm
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Sunset on the Potomac

Personally, I think a high gloss paper will make the clouds and reflections stand out better. Great shot. The heron makes a lot of difference IMO.

Sep 21, 2013 at 01:39 PM

Lightsearcher
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Sunset on the Potomac

Beautiful capture and the PP sound interesting.

Thank you for sharing.

Marcelo

Sep 21, 2013 at 09:48 PM


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