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Monument Valley
Monument Valley
ursula


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2006 (Advanced Editing V*)
Collection: 2006
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
Location: Arizona
Date: May 1, 2006
Aperture: F11
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/160
Galleries: Landscape, Travel
Date Uploaded: Jan 9, 2007

 NOTE: Changed the version of the picture at the last minute, have no time to update details, but they're almost the same as below.

Shot RAW, handheld. Converted in Photomatix, saved as TIFF.

Opened in PSCS3.
Rotated very slightly, and cropped to a 2:1 ratio.
Cloned out a little car in the distance, and a few sensor spots.
Worked in colour channels, using adjustment layers for curves for the three channels.
Added a 50% grey layer in soft light for burn, slightly burned cloud areas.
Adjusted colours using selective colours and hue/sat/lightness.
Applied NN to blue channel selection only.
Resized, sharpened with USM, saved for web.

Statistics
Place: 60 out of 712
Avg (all users): 6.7011
Avg (commenters): 8.0857
Avg (participants): 6.6462
Avg (non-participants): 6.8681
Views since voting: 1550
Views during voting: 557
Votes: 368
Comments: 39
Favorites: 3 (view)

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AuthorThread
 01/28/2007 12:05:06 AM
I can't believe this isn't in the top 10. I read through the comments for clues of something that dragged it down, but there aren't any. Maybe it's the 720 pixel limit; this is quite the shot and needs room to breathe! In any case, it's definitely one of the best I've seen in 2006.

Happy shooting in 2007--perhaps we'll find ourselves with an opportunity to shoot together sometime.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2007 07:42:30 AM
Oh Ursula! Unfortunately, I didn't get to this one in the voting! I am wild about perspective shots like this, and this one is so dramatic and beautiful! Wow!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/26/2007 07:38:08 AM
I thought this would have scored higher. Perhaps you should have sprayed water/glycerin on the rider for effect. :P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/25/2007 11:44:01 PM
Her turquoise dress does a great job of making her stand out and bringing even more interest to a wonderful shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/25/2007 03:41:40 AM
Magnificent.The blue skirt glows like a turquoise stone.
(I would love to visit one day.)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/24/2007 11:52:13 PM
come on, you've got to be kidding me. you couldn't get them to get a little closer to the edge for you? i mean, yeah, it's beautiful, but it could use just a bit more drama, dontcha think...

j/k. excellent shot, love the colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/24/2007 10:12:47 PM
Beautifully captured!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/23/2007 02:04:48 PM
The horse-rider makes the shot. Good range, looks like some haloing around the top of the mount that prevents a perfect score, but otherwise very grand. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/23/2007 05:53:53 AM
Excellent composition
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2007 05:33:57 PM
Haven't I seen this in a Post Card rack?
If not, it should be in one - great point of view!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/22/2007 02:26:57 PM
Excellent use of the rider and horse to give a sense of scale to the landscape.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2007 10:30:22 PM
Very pretty, I like the horse, great dof 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/21/2007 12:14:40 PM
Looks like a ribbon shot to me. Lovely.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/20/2007 02:35:51 PM
Very striking shot
Beautiful clear day
The size, placement and colour of the horse and rider is spot on.
Very sharp and nicely processed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2007 07:49:49 PM
Breathless scenery! Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2007 05:36:56 PM
Rich. Love these colors. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/18/2007 06:26:48 PM
Wonderful image. Great colors and just tremendous scale. Back to bump you up to 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/18/2007 01:22:39 PM
The sense of relative size captured by this photo is remarkable, as is the sharpness/clarity. This is one of a small handful of 10's. Wonderful work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/18/2007 12:26:35 PM
Can`t fault this one. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2007 06:35:36 PM
Nicely done, the woman on the horse definitely adds a sense of proportion to the shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2007 11:39:45 AM
A classic. The vista along with the POW of the woman's turquoise skirt really has the WOAH- show stopping quality we all love. The horse - just adds another dimension of terrific stuff. The lines of the canyon and bottoms of the clouds make for some interesting parallels. A stunner for sure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2007 08:35:40 AM
Awesome great tonal range 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2007 03:32:17 AM
9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2007 09:12:53 AM
great, excellent composition ... nice colors and details
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2007 05:49:11 AM
oh wow! I'd LOVE to take a ride there, too. what a beautiful and dramatic place!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2007 02:40:59 AM
Strong landscapre image here
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/15/2007 03:44:23 PM
A classic, lovely shot well done. Colors are very nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/15/2007 10:42:35 AM
Beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/15/2007 10:21:30 AM
I consider Monument Valley to be the most beautiful place on earth and you have one a wonderful job in capturing all of it's glory - 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/13/2007 03:56:10 PM
Spectacular scenery. Wonderful photograph.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/13/2007 11:18:33 AM
This is beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/13/2007 11:04:08 AM
It seems like I have seen this shot a hundred times before.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/13/2007 08:28:55 AM
You have a 10 from me :D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2007 09:41:14 PM
Great postcard image. Love the rider on the butte.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2007 09:12:11 PM
Simply beautiful. Wonderful composition and color (8)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2007 05:55:02 PM
postcard look to this, nice contrast, subject placement is good. A little over saturated perhaps, especially on the dress.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2007 03:21:46 PM
wow, I so have to go there 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2007 01:13:53 PM
Best: I remember this one...DOF is perfect.
Worst: I still like the National Geo version better, too contrasty in foreground, d/b in sky too obvious
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2007 12:57:37 AM
the horse and rider make this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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