jimcrotty

Sunset and dusk down farm lane in Greene County Ohio. July has been a

series of afternoon storms creating dramatic light at the end of the day.

Spring waterfall in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio on April 22 2013.

Bright, sunny day so I tried an angle where this section of the

waterfall was entirely in shadow.

I enjoyed positioning the Pueblo ruins as interesting foreground in this wide

landscape image captured in Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico,

last March. This is an HDR converted to black and white using Nik Silver

Efex Pro.

Thank you Jim. Much appreciated.

My favorite location for sunrises over the Ohio landscape, on a hilltop in

Hocking Hills. This was last October. The form of the bare branches

accentuate the dynamic of color and shape that is taking place in the sky.

An often-photographed subject in the garden, I can't resist a beautiful

sunflower. This one was in the process of fully opening-up. The folded-over

pedals attracted my eye for this composition.

Oftentimes the most beautiful light at sunset is found opposite of the

horizon where the sun is setting, especially when there's a dynamic of

cloud activity. This is why I enjoy photographing skyscapes at a coastal

location such as Hilton Head Island. Let me know what you think. This was

from an unplanned visit to the beach on Friday evening.

July is usually my least productive month when it comes to landscape

photography, particularly on a location such as Hilton Head Island,

South Carolina. However, this particular morning - July 13 - provided

that type of dynamic of clouds and light that I love to work with,

particularly with reflections at high tide.

I converted to black and white, using Silver Efex Pro, to place more

emphasis on what attracted my eye to this scene, the flow and shape.

HDR image, three exposures, of sunset over Skull Creek on Hilton Head

Island, May 28, 2012. I've learned to appreciate the dynamics in the sky at

sunset following, or on the edge, of tropical storm systems.

Revisiting an older image file (2009) and applying a black and white

conversion via Nik Silver Efex Pro. The original file was a three

exposure combination for HDR.

Yes, thank you for that crop, Larry, I like it.

Sunrise in late December 2011 @ beach on Hilton Head Island, South

Carolina. Image edited with adjustments using Nik Color Efex 4 and Viveza

2. Low tide worked well with providing reflection and texture.

The beauty of morning light on sunflower, from my back porch in Dayton,

Ohio. Oftentimes the best images are right outside the door.

Skyscape with storm clouds at sunset over Hilton Head Island, South

Carolina. Three exposure HDR converted to black and white using Nik

Silver Efex Pro.

Revisited this raw file and applied black and white conversion using Nik

Silver Efex Pro. Cedar Falls flows best from late winter through spring due

to steady periods of wet weather in Hocking Hills.

Beautiful morning in April on the beach @ Hilton Head Island, South

Carolina. Many opportunities for beautiful skyscapes at sunrise and sunset

in the Low Country area of South Carolina, with beach and marshland. One

of the few benefits of the hard sand are tidal pools providing reflections.

Early March @ Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. The ice formations

were gone but spring has to yet to arrive. Late winter rains provided

some of the best flow along the streams and in the waterfalls I've

seen in all the years I've visited and photographed this location.

With this image I wanted to accentuate the beauty of the curves from

the water flowing over the sandstone.

I'm often limited with opportunities for nature and landscape

photography in Ohio during January. However, the early winter evenings

do provide some of the best and most colorful sunsets, if only for

just a brief moment. I love photographing in the tall grass meadow of

a nearby metro park when I see the conditions coming together for a

dynamic sunset. HDR image of three raw exposures, each about two and

half stops apart.

I love the texture found in the big Sycamore leafs. This was found. Not

placed.

The following is one of the original exposures of this scene, used in the final HDR image -

 

Interesting critiques. The fact is that the sky has not been moved-in as another layer, from another area or separate image. Some adjustments were used in the foreground for contrast and sharpness, and noise was reduced in the sky, but the elements throughout this image were in fact true to the actual scene. The direction flight is unique duet the dynamics of varying types of clouds and setting sun.

The arrival of autumn in Ohio provides some of the best opportunities for

skyscapes at sunset. I like working with interesting foreground elements,

here using a historic barn near my home in Centerville. Three-exposure for

HDR enabled me to capture the color of the reflected sunlight in the upper

layer of clouds.

Beautiful and magical. The spirit in the light of this place is captured perfectly.

Meadow of goldenrod in October, at Sugarcreek MetroPark, and sunset

sky. Revisited this HDR image after noticing ghosting on the edges of the

clouds in the sky. Utilized one of the original exposures as a layer for the

sky. Also applied a local contrast enhancing plug-in - ALCE - on the

foreground, resulting in more definition and detail in the field of goldenrod.