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Archive 2015 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Ben Horne
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

These photos were taken back in January on my annual trip to Death Valley. The day before was crazy with some intense dust storms, and a weird run in with a bunch of Road Scholars. On the morning I shot these photos, I didn't have a specific subject in mind, so I went for a morning drive as the storm was breaking. Eventually I found a subject, and had enough time to take some photos.

The first and second photo were taken maybe 15 minutes apart, and the third was taken the next morning. I left my camera in position overnight in hopes of a colorful sunrise. The color fizzled out, but I ran a long pre-dawn exposure anyway.

Please let me know your honest thoughts on these photos. What works? What doesn't? How do they make you feel?

Velvia 50 8x10 | unrecorded exposure @ f/45 | 2 Stop Grad ND

Delta 100 8x10 | 1/2 sec @ f/40 | Red Filter

Velvia 50 8x10 | ~15 minutes @ f/45 | 2 Stop Grad ND

Sep 01, 2015 at 05:46 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

1st and last for me with the nod to the last one. I like the brush color in both and the sky is pretty cool in both but a slight preference for the second.

Sep 01, 2015 at 06:15 PM

jord217
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

I'll have to go with #2 here as my favorite. The BW works really well with the lighting conditions going on. There's a perfect amount of contrast between the dark and light tones. I especially like how the clouds in front of the mountain really stand out more in the BW image. All 3 are strong though. You're video about the "Road Scholars" made me laugh and I wanted to give you a high five

I've run into them on the Oregon Coast and you're description of their clothing and hiking gear made me smile. You pretty much hit the nail on the head there. Keep up the good work Ben.

Jordan

Sep 01, 2015 at 07:01 PM

kemo681
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Ben,

All three are excellent but I echo Jordan's sediment here. As I am a B&W freak and #2 appears to have more drama for me.

Good to see you posting again,

Mike

Sep 01, 2015 at 08:26 PM

wlpelzmann
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

I'm with Ben, but have a slight preference for the first.
I really like the glowing, warm brush color.

Sep 01, 2015 at 09:04 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Hey Ben,

I am really liking the B&W of #2. The contrast and composition of that really work well together there.

Jim

Sep 01, 2015 at 09:09 PM

psharvic
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Ben, I really like that you have neat clouds in the 1st two. Both fine, photos. I almost always have a bias for the pano crops which for me would improve both.

Sep 01, 2015 at 09:25 PM

dalongfellow
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Ben: A little contrary opinion from my viewpoint. I prefer the first, followed by the third.

The first has an excellent color contrast between the blues on top and the orange/yellow/browns on the bottom. The white clouds and the white sand pull the whole composition together for me. The "V" of the brush in the foreground is a very strong element in all three images.

I'm a big B&W guy, but I don't feel your B&W version (#2) works as well as the color version. Obviously it doesn't have the color contrast of #1, but in addition, the filter has taken away the contrast of the smaller plants and the sand in the midground and without the overall color I lose a lot of the impact of the foreground "V".

Number 3 gets me back to the nice complementary colors, and I like how much detail you've pulled out of the foreground vegetation. I think the exposure balance of the third is excellent, and there is certainly more drama introduced by being able to see more details in the mountain.

Just my $0.02 (or less).

Dave

Sep 01, 2015 at 09:35 PM

IShootThings
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

I like the two color ones the best, especially that last one. The red and blue are great.

I'm hoping to make it out to DV toward the end of this year. Any tips/advice?

Sep 01, 2015 at 09:59 PM

ckcarr
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Well,

I'm not a big fan of black & white for the nice red Utah sandstone, but in a desert shot such as this, barren and desolate, it totally beats the color version. The B&W gives a better sense of timelessness and old picture books of the desert way back when.

So I vote black and white.

Nice images Ben!

Sep 01, 2015 at 10:04 PM

dswiger
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Ben, great set. I'm going with the B&W, then 3, 1.
Love the contrast/tonal range from Delta

Thanks for posting

Dan

Sep 01, 2015 at 10:16 PM

OregonSun
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Great set, my favorite is 1 for the extra layer of depth created by the cloud shadows and sun breaks at the foot of the mountains. I like the sky in the b&w but the red filter lightened the foreground grasses a little too much for me. The foreground in 3 is great as are the subtle colors in the sky and the peaceful feeling it evokes. The composition is simple yet effective and I love the film look in all three and the 'classic' 4x5 ratio. Thanks for sharing.

Heron

Sep 01, 2015 at 11:07 PM

roguecoolman
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Ben,

Love your work and videos. I like #1 for the cloud patterns. I have to say that all 3 lack something that I've found in all of your previous works, a focused subject. In all your previous photos It was apparent to me what the subjects were at first viewing and the details from film is always just butter. In this 3 shots, I find its lacking a proper subject. Is it the FG? clouds? mid ground seems ok. These are good solid photos, but I think I've come to expect more from your works, because you set the bar high on your photography. Just my thoughts.

Jason

Sep 01, 2015 at 11:15 PM

dakel
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

#1 for me - the contrast between the yellow in the foreground, and blue in the background, plus the subtle V between fore and midground, plus the clouds. Very nice.

Sep 02, 2015 at 12:11 AM

kurt765
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

#1 is my favorite. Absolutely lovely image Ben.

Sep 02, 2015 at 12:17 AM

mstrickland
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

First and second are my favorite. I think the third misses the boat in my opinion, purely for the lack of intense sunrise color.

I honestly prefer the color image over the black and white, though it's a tough choice between the two, as I feel they both have their merits. The texture really pops with the B&W, but the color contrast between the salt, the grasses, and the distant clearing storm just hits me like a train. Maybe it's because I know just how rare conditions like this are in DV.

I think my favorite part about the color image is just how many layers there really are. It keeps your eyes busy looking at the detail and light in the clouds, the mountains behind them, and all the layers in the foreground. Crazy cool.

Fantastic overall. I really love what you did here. I'd love to see this through a loupe on the light table...I can only imagine the detail you captured here.

Sep 02, 2015 at 10:46 AM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

I like this image, all three, Ben. The image itself is not spectacular, but the craftsmanship and execution certainly is.

Sep 02, 2015 at 11:48 AM

Chaz
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

Agree with Jeffrey about this specific scene.

That said, I continue to enjoy your exceptional work and valuable video reports.

Since you asked, the scene makes me feel isolated, slightly afraid and lonely.

Sep 02, 2015 at 12:27 PM

LSExplorer
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

I love all three of them with the B+W being my favorite. The contrast and details are so well presented Ben!

Sep 02, 2015 at 01:33 PM

lionking
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Death Valley Clearing Storm

So many opinions...
On one we can all agree, great work here Ben!

I actually prefer the 3rd and second, the 3rd has nice color an texture contrast FG to BG, very pleasant colors and gives a nice feeling, the second is all about drama, and it does it very well.

Andrey

Sep 02, 2015 at 04:29 PM

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