"Foxtail Galaxy"

I've tried to shoot these backlit grass scenes over the years, but could never get the right impression of how I saw it or how I remembered it. I arrived at Carrizo Plain in the dark. The Temblor Range looked as if covered in low hugging clouds. As I neared the mountains, I realized it was not clouds, but a healthy dusting of fresh snow. This was a rare occurrence. Maybe only once or twice a season would these mountains be dusted white to the base. What was rare was that I would happen to be there on a morning such as this. When I arrived in the valley, it also was white with snow. Tried as I might, I could find no wildflowers because of the deep snow. A wrong turn led me down an unpaved backroad. The grasses in this area had taken over, choking out any potential for blooms. The grasses were coated in a frozen sheen of frost. The fog had lifted enough to create a backlit scenario with specular highlights, yet not so intense to create flare in the lens. The trick to get the look I remembered was to blend a 4 frame focus stack in PhotoShop, essentially focusing from near to far over four frames so the depth of field would be rendered infinite across the scene, very much how the human eye would perceive it. The Larger preview is the only way to view this intricate slice of our natural world. We can look up at the milky way galaxy and be amazed at it's immensity, yet right at our feet are immense realities that often get overlooked!

This scene can only be rightfully interpreted by employing the Larger

preview. Thanks for your assessments!!

Mark, the large view is simply superb.  Great texture, the water on the grasses adds so much, and even the variation within the sea of grasses (some dark areas, some light areas) adds to the composition.  The backlighting is perfect for this, and your focus stacking did exceptionally well.  Very nicely done.

Simply terrific image.  Things are still cold here and I envy your environment the landscapes you sumbit are so full of life and beauty although rather rather monotone in color pallette is still full of vibrance and life, light and shadow.  Another masterwork on your part my friend.  Take good care, rek.

Thanks Stephen and Richard! It's nice to hear from two of my favorite artists here on PNet, especially when they offer favoring comments. You see, I knew full well that this gem would pull lower than good scores (it's averaging 4.75 at this time). I've come to find a certain amount of predictability when it comes to which of my images will score well and which will not. For a short while, I actually cared enough to avoid posting the lower scoring images. Anymore, I just don't give a spit. My conclusion is that the majority of raters don't really know what's good and what's not, much like the masses don't have a clue about what's good music and what's not. Turn on the FM dial and you will hear what is considered good music, especially current POP. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy some of that music, just like I enjoy many of the images that get higher ratings. But I also have a treasure trove of music that most have never heard that I consider to be true art, not just popular music. Even if they did hear it, they wouldn't get it. There's a quote that goes something like this: "Give a person a camera and in one month you will have a skilled photographer. Give a person a flute and in one month you will have a person who owns a flute". I suspect that PNet is a community of camera owners, but to be politically correct, we are a community of photo artists. I'm not being politically correct when I consider the two of you photo artists. For the record, I can't play the flute. My guitar and piano, however, is fair to good!

Mark....  I'm continually amazed by your ability to drive down some forsaken road, visualize a composition and then be able to, by blending, stacking, and probably some secret mumbo jumbo, present that same view to us.  Only someone who has attempted to take similar scenes recognizes the technical difficulties and the artistry required to just portray these scenes... well, as seen.

My preamble is to note that wet sparkly grass, itself a common sight, can be presented beautifully; not by severe manipulation, saturation and lens theatrics, but by just presenting it in it's own natural light.  A lesson that Nature in all of it's glory does not need our improvements, just a media for presentation.   And my oh my do you ever present well...  Thanks for sharing with us... Mike

Thanks Mike!! Truth be known, this particular morning was mostly frustrating. I had great opportunities, and this scene was not considered one of those opps. This was just me trying, once again, to make this work. The frustration lies in the fact that I had very rare conditions available to me and I came away with almost nothing. Part of learning I guess. My credo has always been: It's easy to take a great picture of some exotic location such as Yosemite Valley or the Wave or the rugged Oregon Coast. Just getting there should be considered the challenge. Once there, just point and shoot and you will receive praise. Truthfully, I feel more competent with these images that come from almost nothing. I don't get much praise, but the praise I receive comes from those I truly respect!!

Hey, the fiddlenecks in the back are wondering why they didn't get a mention?!?

Technically incredible image perfectly rendered.  I have no idea how you do some of this stacking stuff but the results are impeccable.

I know what you mean with regard to getting good photos from gorgeous places... it always seems like that is much more than half the battle in the landscape forums.  That, and getting up before dawn... or in a blizzard.  It's why great shots like this, of somewhat ordinary scenery, are to be savored and appreciated.  (BTW, I helped push the rating up to a "5" so stop whining ;-)

Mark, I love scenes like this ,but know that many others on PN do not. I helped push the rating up, too. I like the way the different kind(s) ofgrass heads in the top of the image add texture.

Thanks Dave and Adrienne! I'm done whining now! Very kind of you to help the ratings but, well shucks, you didn't have to! Anyway, I'm getting visits from my friends and that means more than ratings for sure!!

Very Cool! Nature's abstract at its best...Lefty

 

Thanks Ray! I'm getting excited for you! Yosemite, here you come!!

Nice one Mark

The large view does indeed bring things to life and does your vision justice.As already said ,its quite easy to pass these kind of scenes without seeing the potential so much credit for this one.

  It has a minimal dreamlike quality that trances you out a bit (well me at least).

The scoring system here has always been a bit of an issue. It seems to me that in order to get images seen they have to be put on the ratings board which is why we upload them in the first place. I dont think it would be so bad if we could rid ourselves of a few nasty individuals that get some kind of kick from marking down an image and then scuttle back to the stone they crawled from. I dont think it helps that ratings are kept anonymous. I know they didnt use to be and that then promoted a kind of mutual back slaping  high rating issue. Maybe the only way  to stop this altogether is if PN penalises individuals  who persistantly score 3's. But is that then telling people how to think?

Hmmm I dont know its a difficult one. i guess its a case of what comes around goes around and Karma is the only policeman on the block. These people know who they are and they know they are not very pleasant folk, they have to live with it you dont Mark.

Anyway nice work

All the very best regards Ferg

      

Thanks Fergus! I like that: "karma is the only policeman on the block". As John Lennon stated in a song; "Instant Karma's gonna get you"!