Losing track of space, a photo from Utah, West

Photographer's Note

On my recent trip to the National Parks of American Southwest I took couple of photographs that look really impressive in original but when reduced to the required by TE small size they become useless. I am not sure what is going on. I believe I know how to make a good looking small photo and yet those rocky landscapes turn quite often ugly. Having a good DOF sometimes makes the shot to lose the feeling of space.
Zion National Park is one of my favourites.
The fragment which is the most spectacular IMO is the Zion � Mount Carmel Highway (see the map). In this park in particular your feeling of space may be impaired. Rocks are sculpted in such an unexpected and unusual way that you are not sure anymore where is UP and where is DOWN.

I remember when I arrived here on my first trip to this area. We stopped somewhere along that road, we got out of the car and I said This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen!, and then couple of minutes later we stopped again, and I said No, this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen!, and the situation repeated itself couple of times� This time we were not that lucky, we had little time and arrived in the late afternoon when the sun was very low and many fantastic places were covered with dark shade. Yet our feelings about the park were quite similar.

Pablo25, AiresSantos, s_lush, danos, jafadabret, Vasa, jlbrthnn, Longroute, ChrisJ, Didi, raszid62, yeln, ikeharel, COSTANTINO has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

PixelTerror (0) 2010-01-25 2:00

HI Mariusz
I feel the wide angle at once here, good to vertical to amplify its effect on the foreground, nice image
Have a nice day JY

smarcell (19965) 2010-01-25 2:06

Hello Mariusz,

A very good pov, with tthe wide angle lens that allowed a large depth of field.
It returns the desolation (and beauty) of the place.
Regards Stefano

swiatopelk777 (0) 2010-01-25 2:10

Cze Mariusz!
Taki pion t ja rozumiem, robi wrazenie, scina z nog. Piekna ostrosc. Kolory ekstra. Efekt zaiste zajefajny i piorunujacy.
Pozdro!

pauloog (11751) 2010-01-25 2:54

Hello Mariusz,
An impressive sight ofthe almost barren landscape marked by erosion, or is a pattern of old dunes ?
Regards,
Paul

Pablo25 (3186) 2010-01-25 2:59

czesc Mariusz,
dobrze pokazane, niesamowita glebia ostrosci i uzycie szerokiego kata dalo swietny rezultat. Ciekawa sceneria, przez chwile nawet myslalem ze to gdzies z marsa:) Znakomita ostrosc i kolory.
pozdrawiam
Pawel

Dyerco (10185) 2010-01-25 5:35

Hi Mariusz
Great DOF and good use of the wide angle lens. Lots of detail in the FG including some small rocks. Plenty of leading lines. Even the con trails from the jets ar going in the same direction.
Phil

AiresSantos (56155) 2010-01-25 8:45

Hi Mariusz
Impressive texture in foreground
Great low POV and contrast between colours
Excellent depth and sharpness
Regards my dear friend
Aires

s_lush (16602) 2010-01-25 8:50

Hello Mariusz,
This place looks really picturesque and spectacular in your shot. The most attractive features are the texture of the surfaces and their colors. Both foreground and background are excellent. Perfectly good job!
Best regards,
Sergiy

emka (158172) 2010-01-25 11:58

Witaj, tez jechałam ta drogą, jest rzeczywiście fantastyczna. Tego widoku kt鏎y jest na zdjęciu nie pamietam i nie moge sie zorientowac jaka to jest skala. Ale wyglada to bardzo efektownie - czerwone skały kontrastuja z błekitnym niebem. mnie sam Zion przypominał nieco Doline Kościeliską, pomijając oczywiście kolor skał i ich wysokość. Milo wspominam Zion, był fajny hotel, kapalismy sie w basenie z widokiem na skały, a nieopodal za ogrodzeniem pasły sie wielkie jelenie, bizony i jakieś inne zwierzaki. Fantastyczne sa parki Utah, Szkoda, że juz tam raczej nie pojadę. Pozdrawiam

Małgorzata

janusz2054 (2) 2010-01-25 14:07

Witaj Mariusz
Bardzo ladne kolory skal jak i pieknie oddana ich struktura w pierwszym planie.Swietna kompozycja oraz kontrast pomiedzy niebem a mieniacymi sie w sloncu skalami.
Pozdrawiam
Janusz

sacimar (38173) 2010-01-25 14:55

Hi Mariusz,

interesting image, it's a good graphic picture, I like the texture and colors of the rock, good perspective, well seen,

Best regards

Sergio

Waylim (25436) 2010-01-25 23:56

Hi Mariusz,
Great use of the vertical format to give this image great depth. the texture of the wavy rock pathern is fantastically capture as always. Great details, excellent composition, good color and tone and well managed light. Another classic American Desert image.
Way

danos (110407) 2010-01-26 0:26

Good morning Mariusz,
exceptional the texture of the ground that really looks as to be sculptured.I like the way you have captured it as the way that you write your surprise at every stop with your car across the Zion National Park.Well done my friend.

Have a nice day,Danos

pajaran (115911) 2010-01-26 0:47

Dobar dan, kod nas je poceo sa -15 C stepeni.
Zona sumraka, kao na drugoj planeti, odlicne boje, dobra kompozicija, lepa fotografija, kakva li ce biti buducnost.
Prijatan dan, imajte lepo vreme, Paja.

Google.

Good day, we began to -15 C degrees.
The Twilight Zone, as well as the other planet, excellent color, good composition, beautiful fotografija, what will be the future.
Nice day, keep good time, Paja.

Fis2 (170779) 2010-01-26 14:10

Witaj Mariusz!
Bardzo intrygujace miejsce, ciekawie pokazane.
Podoba mi sie POV i kompozycja o kolorystyce nie wspomne...
Pozdrawiam
Krzysztof

delpeoples (60342) 2010-01-26 21:37

Hi Mariusz, aw wow, the testure and depth of this shot is really impressive. Everything is well-exposed (you make it look easier than it is) and the sharpness of the rocks particularly in the FG is wonderful. I love the effect of the 10-22mm lens, and what a place to use it in - you must have felt like a child in a candy shop! TFS and enjoy your day. Warm regards, Lisa

Graal (103040) 2010-01-26 23:29

Czesc,
kolejne niezwykle twory natury. Fajny pionowy kadr, gra swiatla i cieni no i te niesamowite barwy. Dobra robota.
Pozdr. Al.

jafadabret (56501) 2010-01-27 1:51

Bonjour Mariusz,
C'est l'avantage que procure la photo, les paysages nous semblent toujours plus dignes d'int廨皻. Ici c'est une beaut� � couper le souffle. J'aime le graphisme de la roche et ses belles couleurs.
Amicalement
Jacques

lousat (139286) 2010-01-27 1:53

Hi Mariusz...the place is very strange...but need a great photographer like you too to compose a fantastic perspective like that....incredible composition whit colors and sharpness at the top.My best compliments my great artist,have a nice day,Luciano

Urs (14082) 2010-01-27 4:07

Hi Mariusz

Your red rocks are fascinating, pulling the viewer to the BG, set against the deep blue sky. Excellent composition, very vibrant colors and high sharpness. Well done

Best regards
Urs

macjake (98456) 2010-01-27 4:55

Hi Mariusz
i agree with you for sure on the small TE size, sometimes makes our photos appear fuzzy and in poorer quality :(

as for this one, the textures are superb, the way they seem to stretch out vertically up the frame. That also creates depth.
the blue sky with its whispy clouds adds a nice touch.
Well taken and composed to maximize the elements.
Cheers
Craig

Silvio1953 (221627) 2010-01-27 6:41

Ciao Mariusz, fantastic perspective on wonderful landscape, splendid light and colors, great composition, very well done, ciao Silvio

Vasa (515) 2010-01-27 9:44

Nice, so good continuation in Utah. Bravo Mariusz, friend. This motif is really from the Moon.

Branko

jlbrthnn (76043) 2010-01-27 11:26

Good evening Mariusz,
The colors ocher of the rock are superb. The image made wonder about this spectacle almost enigmantic. An original, quite enlightened and clear good image. Cheer.
Have a good evening
Cordially
Jo螔

Leconte (5795) 2010-01-27 13:57

Hello Mariusz,

a fantastic landscape with bright colors, great sharpness and depth of field, beautiful composition,

best regards,
Val廨ie.

baba_flies (8829) 2010-01-28 4:58

Hello Mariusz! This is a great photo and your foreground is well chosen and tells earth history. The dimensions out here are just incredible and I find your detail speaks for the whole area. This is really cool, an excellent shot, LOVE it!!!! Enjoy your afternoon, Barbara.

Longroute (19600) 2010-01-28 11:31

I often arrive late for commenting a photo... I have a slow pace, but anyway I do arrive!
I know well what you say about photos which lose their appeal when reduced, this is true especially for landscapes photos which always had to be seen in a large format...
But anyway for me - having not seen the big version - this one is impressive enough. I think it does keep the sense of space and perspective thanks to those parallel lines in the rock. The only thing which is not clear is if it's a low pov (and so closer to the ground) or just the opposite. Those bushes at the left center could be just few cm high or some meters. But I.M.O. this doesn't disturb the general impact of the image which is rather positive and quite pleasurable thanks to your usual skill in producing a very clear and well composed photo.
TFS,
Donato

jemaflor (147156) 2010-01-28 11:36

Hi Mariusz,
Well managed the view of this landscape, good vertical format and impressive effect with the large fg, impressive mountains landscape.

ChrisJ (171822) 2010-01-28 23:00

Hi Mariusz

Astonishing textural details & patterns, in the red rock, with excellent sharpness & a superb low shooting angle. Have a good weekend!

Didi (61589) 2010-01-29 22:57

Hi Mariusz
We are able to appreciate the rock texture thanks to the presence of shades.
Again I suggest you to try a stitch with two vertical picture to give a larger view of this marvellous place.
Best regards

Rafer (0) 2010-02-19 4:51

Preciosa luz y color...saludos

JanD (0) 2010-02-19 6:44

Czolem Mariusz!
Imponujaca fotografia. Swietna kompozycja. Doskonaly kontrast i ostrosc tez zapierajaca dech.
Pozdrawiam.

raszid62 (18457) 2010-02-20 4:17

Cze嗆
Co za fantastyczne czerwone sk掖y, niczym z Marsa.
安ietnie pokazana ich struktura.
Kolosalna ostro嗆 i swietny pionowy kadr.
Pozdrawiam
Jozek

fabianoleite (13575) 2011-10-08 13:14

Wonderful desert lines, amazing, it has a Martian style. Indeed we are unable to tell how big everything is, and that is intriguing, which is a good point. Good work, congratulations!

ikeharel (113353) 2013-01-19 0:58

Hello mariusz,
This is the less known side of Zion-Park (as most photographers prefer the needles rocks), but it is a fine desert scene.
Red texture of soil, with erosion very notable "framed" by the wall shape rock on far side. A well chosen perspective, and fine daylight upon.
Best regards,
Ike

serp2000 (47063) 2016-05-29 11:07

Hello, dear Mariusz!
If Arizona is The Grand Canyon State, so Utah is Beehive State. I don't know about the bees here, but the local landscapes are great. Just no words, I really would like to visit Utah in future.
I like this excellent shot, perfect DoF, gorgeous graphic of the rock structure.
All the best wishes to you and your family!
Have a great new week!
Tomorrow morning I will meet Mike in my city. ;)
Serghei

COSTANTINO (116518) 2020-09-14 0:03

hello dear friend and have a nice day
is this a scenery from another planet???
is this a scenery from planet Mars???
it seems like this one...
i feel the wide angle at once here
regards
costantino