Jackie Touw
April 2026 - The Sky That Got Away
About the Image(s)
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado September -2022
The sky that evening was unlike anything I'd ever seen - gold, amber, and violet exploding across the horizon. But looking back, the image has always bothered me. The foreground lacks a strong anchor, and without it, the composition feels flat. I convinced myself that the sky would carry the shot. It almost does - and that's the problem.
5 comments posted
Hi Jackie,
I think your assessment of your image is right on. One suggestion is to put some light on the big bush in the bottom left, which my help anchor the foreground. I attached a revised image to see if that would work for you.
Best regards,
Greg Posted: 04/11/2026 18:00:16
I think your assessment of your image is right on. One suggestion is to put some light on the big bush in the bottom left, which my help anchor the foreground. I attached a revised image to see if that would work for you.
Best regards,
Greg Posted: 04/11/2026 18:00:16
Hi Jacki, it would be hard to pass up the oppertunity to shoot a scene like this, especially presented in a panoramic format. I agree with Greg's suggestion - it sets the image up beautifully. A well?seen and well?captured moment. Posted: 04/12/2026 06:07:00
Hi Jackie,
Greetings my friend.
An amazing landscape captured from the Colorado Great Sand Dune National Park. The colors and the light is complementing each other. The Greg's version seems a bit upbit and appears better with pano frame.
Well done & thank you for sharing.
Cheers.
Kamal. Posted: 04/13/2026 03:10:34
Greetings my friend.
An amazing landscape captured from the Colorado Great Sand Dune National Park. The colors and the light is complementing each other. The Greg's version seems a bit upbit and appears better with pano frame.
Well done & thank you for sharing.
Cheers.
Kamal. Posted: 04/13/2026 03:10:34
Hi Jackie - WOW - that sky!! I too, agree with Greg's suggestion. One caution - I would be careful not to put too much light on that bush, especially on the viewer's side as the light is coming from the opposite direction. Another suggestion might be to crop from the bottom, enough to make the focus all about that gorgeous, dramatic sky. Posted: 04/13/2026 05:18:39
Hi Jackie. That definitely is a sky that can't be passed up. I'm not sure I like Greg's suggestion, since that bush really isn't something you would normally like to highlight. I tried Darcy's suggestion and I think that solves the problem, giving the tree silhouettes on the horizon the job on anchor. See what you think, as I also cropped a bit of each side to make it a more traditional pano aspect ratio. Posted: 04/17/2026 21:38:34