I've been semi-obsessed with this mountain. I've been photographing it over the last 5 winters from around this vantage point, trying to sync my timing with optimal seasonal light and atmospheric conditions. After nearly a dozen sunrises, I've only come away with a few images I'm happy with. The clouds that I pre-visualize continue to elude me. I captured this image earlier this month and while the clouds did not fully deliver, it is my favorite from this location.
Thanks. Yeah, I always tell my wife there are worse things I could obsess over.
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Jeffrey wrote:
Splendid! So you were there for that rare Alabama Hills snow recently? Is that a fog layer over the ground?
Thanks, Jeffery. I was up twice in December but missed the "sweet spots" for the two valley snow events.
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Sunny Sra wrote:
Dave,
Lovely view and colors. The layer of glowing fog at the bottom is fantastic
Thanks, Sunny. Yeah, I found out a bit later that the place to be for image making was lower down in the valley on this morning. Crazy low hanging clouds.
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I think clouds are a bit overrated. This image is excellent regardless of what the clouds are doing. The star of the show is the mountainscape and light on it. If there were some insane clouds and colors above the mountains, it would detract a bit from the feel I think.
Wonderful atmosphere, the fog in the valley really adds a lot to the image to hide the valley between the ridge and the mountain. That view from just below the Sherwin Sumit was also great two days ago when Mt. Tom was enveloped in clouds with the sun filtering through. Not nearly the same radiance as in your image but perhaps pleasing in a different way
If I may be so bold to suggest toning down some of the light (or just straight cropping) along the bottom edge of the frame? IMO the light there adds nothing to the image. The trees "reflect" the gaze very nicely towards the mountain, but that light band just below them works against the overall comp.
And I don't agree that the clouds are unimportant. If you had blue skies behind the mountain the texture and grandeur would not have been nearly as prominent.
Fred Amico wrote:
This is a beautiful image, Dave.
Thanks, Fred. Appreciate the comment.
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kmunroe wrote:
very nice image Dave
Thanks very much
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JohanEickmeyer wrote:
I think clouds are a bit overrated. This image is excellent regardless of what the clouds are doing. The star of the show is the mountainscape and light on it. If there were some insane clouds and colors above the mountains, it would detract a bit from the feel I think.
Thanks for the comments, Johan. Food for thought.
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GroovyGeek wrote:
Wonderful atmosphere, the fog in the valley really adds a lot to the image to hide the valley between the ridge and the mountain. That view from just below the Sherwin Sumit was also great two days ago when Mt. Tom was enveloped in clouds with the sun filtering through. Not nearly the same radiance as in your image but perhaps pleasing in a different way
If I may be so bold to suggest toning down some of the light (or just straight cropping) along the bottom edge of the frame? IMO the light there adds nothing to the image. The trees "reflect" the gaze very nicely towards the mountain, but that light band just below them works against the overall comp.
And I don't agree that the clouds are unimportant. If you had blue skies behind the mountain the texture and grandeur would not have been nearly as prominent....Show more →
Thanks for the thoughtful input, PP suggestions and links, Groovy. Beautiful images by the way.
