graytrekker wrote:
I am just back from 4 nights in Yellowstone. I had the bounty of a couple of nice sunsets. In particular, I have been trying to get a really nice one at Great Fountain Geyser. Apparently I am not alone. The night I wasn't there (at a different geyser), I was told there were about 3 dozen photographers with big cameras and heavy duty tripods all elbowing in for some space.
Anyway, there were only 6 of us the night I was there. Here I am amongst "pros" with big super megapixel Canons and D850s and tall, heavy tripods (almost needing a stool to look through their viewfinders), with fancy pano heads, etc. Me, with my 40 years old manual lenses on an oddball camera and a diminutive backpacking tripod. My whole kit cost less than their tripod! It was weird.
I have a very nice shot from about 20 years ago on a cheap point-shoot, so trying to improve on the quality oof that photo. More often than not, what starts out to look like a potentially good sunset ends up fading as the clouds seem to disappear about 10 min before the sun goes down.
Here are 2 - one just before sunset with the 20mm f2.8. This lens seem to give pretty good sun stars. Then the post-sunset with the 24mm f2.8 non-AI. Both taken with the Df. they feel a bit lopsided to me, with most of the color on the right. However, if you move to the left to more center the color, then you also get White Dome Geyser (off to the right) with a bunch of cars and headlights/taillights in the picture. So, it is what it is.
I'll have another chance this w/e. We are going back for the last w/e the Old Faithful Inn is open. Not sure what to expect. Up here (NW Montana), we are getting hit with an early winter storm. I had planned on heading to the east side of Glacier for the magnificent fall colors there - but they are expecting up to 4 feet of snow by Monday - there is already 21 " in the town of East Glacier by 6 pm tonight. I think that's a bit of a season ending event! I suspect this will also result in few people also in Yellowstone. So far weather forecast for next w/e looking optimistic.
More to come
Best wishes to all
Doug
Nice pics Doug.
The numbers might have bee due to a few photo tours on location?
I had a similar experience taking suset photos in Hong Kong with regard to high end kit. I felt like a poor neighbour with my litlle 50/2 and D610 mounted on a travel tripod. Apart form the obvious stability advantages a bigger tripod claims a larger working area due to it's wider footprint. Therefore more elbow room. I guess we are all seeking a good shot and so long as people are civil and courteous to each then each to his own.
If you wanted to then you could address the sky colour imbalance in post processing. The grad filter in LR has a 'range mask' that will do what you want. Another item to add to your list of things to check out!
You did say winter was on its way so perhaps you might have more indoor time
