I took the LOOONG way from Vegas to my parents house in SLO, CA and stopped through Death Valley... what a treat. I need to spend more time there some day.
This picture is inspiring a future trip.
Wow. A truly spectacular capture. I echo the comments on a super clean sunburst and great PP. Were you using a reverse Grad on this or just a normal Grad ND?
This laptop version is exceptional given that it was not done on your reference home station. I love how you captured the "star burst" so naturally and managed to keep everything exposure wise in check. As for the comp Death Valley is one of my favourite spots. Wonderful layers, textures and interesting bg sky.
Adam, I don't understand the term 'reverse grad' or normal grad. A graduated ND filter is graduated from one end to the other. That's it. You orient it anyway you like to enhance your exposure, but it's still a grad filter. Anyhow, I didn't use one!
Great shot! From one of my favourite places in the US
I love the lines and texture that make zabriskie so special, but the light and clouds you managed to capure make this one really special
I am beginning to develop a distinct sense of envy that almost verges on hatred that you can actually live in Santa Barbara and have such vistas so close to home
For the record a Reverse grad ND is actually clear on "top", solid in the middle and tapers off towards the opposite end. reversing a stock ND filter does not give a similar effect. I actually went out of my way to research these when I saw them being mentioned on here.
Living in Santa Barbara is not so great. Frankly, I don't like it here anymore. I did in the 70's when I arrived. It is so damn crowded and expensive and so chi-chi it makes me sick. Everything here is so fake. I never want to tell people where I live anymore, as they always say' Oh, you're so lucky. I wish I could live there'. Take my place, please.
The term reverse grad does not really describe the filter you mention. That would be more of a 'center weighted' filter or something like that. I guess it's just the terminology.
Nice shot Jeffrey, has great drama with nice light, patterns and lines, Hope I get something half that good next week.
I understand what you say about SB. Being a native Californian I had to leave. Even through I'm from the bay area its similar. I know SB well since one of my best friends grew up in Carpenteria and I traveled down there often to scuba dive. I watched it change through the 70's, 80's and 90's. Can't even image how bad it's now. Almost part of LA I figure