Ed Ogle
January 2025 - Morning Glory Arch
Original
About the Image(s)
f/5
0.8 second
ISO 12,800
EV +1.33
160mm
A sunset photo from Monument Valley made right at the very end of the day when the last vestige of the sunset was visible.
This is kind of an experimental photograph made under extreme conditions of light and dark. I did a whole bunch of post processing to the point that you might say it’s ‘over-cooked’.
? Adobe camera RAW noise reduction.
? Breaking the foreground, background and sky into individual layers and editing each individually.
I kind of like the result but also kind of don’t. What do you think and how would you edit it???
11 comments posted
That is an impressive rescue from what looks like a hopeless original image.
The stream and stream bed at the bottom show that the camera was level for the shot. Nonetheless, the rock formations and the clouds make the image feel tilted which I find a little disorienting.
I'd like it more if the colors of the rocks, sky, and clouds were closer to what I'd expect during a sunset. This image feels nicer to me with a substantial boost to the color saturation. Posted: 01/02/2025 15:19:14
The stream and stream bed at the bottom show that the camera was level for the shot. Nonetheless, the rock formations and the clouds make the image feel tilted which I find a little disorienting.
I'd like it more if the colors of the rocks, sky, and clouds were closer to what I'd expect during a sunset. This image feels nicer to me with a substantial boost to the color saturation. Posted: 01/02/2025 15:19:14
I'm surprised you called the original hopeless, it came out exactly as I wanted it. Yes the final version might be a little tilted, I'll look into that. Posted: 01/04/2025 05:20:52
Yes, you properly exposed so as not to blow the highlights, but it wasn't apparent that you could extract so much detail out of the shadows. At least, I can't using your posted original. Posted: 01/04/2025 15:12:34
Wow, a bit of vertigo with the clouds and rocks all in a tilt--a very active composition!
I'm interested in why you don't shoot one image for the sky exposed properly and one image with the rocks exposed properly and merge in Lightroom. Virtually no changes needed. Or shoot bracketed 3 or 5 shots and pick the ones that you want to merge. So easy, and no need to have to bring out the lights from super dark and create all the noise and then remove it.
Also in Camera Raw or Lightroom, you just choose the "Object" or "Sky" or paint the area in question (or use eye dropper for all color ranges for all foreground, etc) and make adjustments with sliders. I'm assuming you did this, but if not, I'm happy to Zoom with you and show you how it works and how very easy it is.
Thrilled you got to see such a beautiful arch! Great re-work and I love it! I'd name it "Tilt" or "Vertigo" or a similar name to highlight the craziness of it. Posted: 01/07/2025 16:57:27
I'm interested in why you don't shoot one image for the sky exposed properly and one image with the rocks exposed properly and merge in Lightroom. Virtually no changes needed. Or shoot bracketed 3 or 5 shots and pick the ones that you want to merge. So easy, and no need to have to bring out the lights from super dark and create all the noise and then remove it.
Also in Camera Raw or Lightroom, you just choose the "Object" or "Sky" or paint the area in question (or use eye dropper for all color ranges for all foreground, etc) and make adjustments with sliders. I'm assuming you did this, but if not, I'm happy to Zoom with you and show you how it works and how very easy it is.
Thrilled you got to see such a beautiful arch! Great re-work and I love it! I'd name it "Tilt" or "Vertigo" or a similar name to highlight the craziness of it. Posted: 01/07/2025 16:57:27
It's all one shot. This image pretty much used up all the dynamic range of my Canon R5. I basically set the exposure for the sky and brought up the shadows. It's easy to fix under espoused areas than to fix over exposed areas. Posted: 01/14/2025 20:55:03
This is truly impressive-both the original shot and the post-processing are well-executed. Considering the angle of sunlight, achieving the correct exposure is definitely challenging. The shadow recovery and overall processing maintain a perfect balance between the sky and the cave walls in the final image.
In a similar situation, if a tripod were available, I would opt for a lower ISO and underexpose by a stop. Posted: 01/12/2025 04:27:55
In a similar situation, if a tripod were available, I would opt for a lower ISO and underexpose by a stop. Posted: 01/12/2025 04:27:55
Thanks! It was a fun hike out to that arch. Posted: 01/14/2025 20:55:28
You did a wonderful post processing!! Was your original taken with fisheye lens? Posted: 01/15/2025 22:07:03
Actually, yes it was 8mm. I just noticed that I said 160mm in the description. That was a mistake. Posted: 01/17/2025 15:38:09
Wow, it is so challenge to take a photo with a high contrast between the inside and outside of the cave. I do not know Iso could go to 12800. I use sony A1 and I only accept the ISO 3000. Maybe I could try make it higher and use RAW noise reduction? I love this image very much, it always bring me fell how frail of human beings are when confronted with nature. Posted: 01/19/2025 05:13:48
Ed, the process journey from the original to edited version was complex for me.... but the beauty of the final outcome is awesome. I dont have much to add the comments of others. Posted: 01/22/2025 00:31:01