Once upon a viewpoint dreamy. As Jimmy and I crested the hill that led to this Lake Powell overlook I was on the handsfree phone discussing some matter of import. I explained that I was driving up to the edge of a cliff. As the landscape in this image popped into view before me. I gasped and let out a cry, “Oh My Gawd! Holy Sh#t!!” Convinced I was about to fall to my death the reply “Should I call 911?” was answered with “No, OMG what a view!” It was hard to parse and describe in the English language. It was as if some watery Martain scene had just popped into existence.
Check out the video below of this very spot at Glen Canyon/Lake Powell remembering that one it was very windy and two the sun was very bright and washes out the color in the video. In person, the coloration of this image is very close to what you would see at dusk. What I couldn’t see at the time was that Page Arizona just a few Miles to the Southwest was going to cast a ton of light pollution on the crags below me. Even at night as I sat there it wasn’t apparent that there was any light at all on the rock faces below me.
The camera told a completely different story, however. Even with an in-camera light pollution filter that is very effective, the cliff faces shown with a neon yellow. I loved the photo in camera but I wasn’t certain I could deal with that level of intense light pollution. I managed to get it almost completely under control eventually, as a matter of fact, I added a bit back as it gave a very interesting bit of contrast.
If you look carefully, you can see little dots of light on the lake. These are not stars as the wind was still slightly breezy but the flashing lights of very distant boats. Apart from the stars, it was the only light you could perceive with your eyes. Distant disembodied blinking in what otherwise looked like a slightly luminescent outline of a lake.
I think I’m finally starting to get what I want with my images. I feel like I’m getting a handle on how to make images I’m proud to present to people as art. Art that shows a detailed scene and yet challenges the senses. I hope you will enjoy my evolution and journey to produce an ever better image to share with you, my friends. Clear skies and dark nights to us all.
EXIF 80 images stitched 8×10 ISO 8000 f1.4 85mm (double panorama shot together.)
***WARNING LOTS OF WIND NOISE***
