#azimuth 110

[thorsenmark]

Under the Shade of a Tree With Sunlight Shining Down (Montezuma Castle National Monument) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking up at a nearby tree and then beyond to the skies and sun shining above. This was while walking to the main area and exhibits at the Montezuma Castle National Monument. When I noticed the sun shining down through the trees, I recalled a friend giving me some advice on creating and bringing out more of a starburst look with the sun by closing down on the camera lens aperture. To minimize blowing any highlights present while still being able to bring out the more shadowed areas underneath the trees, I decided to work an angle that used the tree leaves to mask some of the sun’s brightness. I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 4 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.

[thorsenmark]

A Sounds of a River Flowing By As I Savor My Time in the Mountains (Banff National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While at the Castle Mountain Viewpoint and taking in a view of an unnamed stream flowing into the Bow River. This is in Banff National Park at a bridge crossing before going on the Bow Valley Parkway. In composing this image, I focused on the stream flowing in front of me and I angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward to include some of the grassy meadow as a foreground interest. I felt that helped to add a layered look, from the meadow to the stream and river to the forest of evergreen trees, and finally the more distant ridges and peaks of the Massive Range.

[thorsenmark]

A Sounds of a River Flowing By As I Savor My Time in the Mountains (Banff National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While at the Castle Mountain Viewpoint and taking in a view of an unnamed stream flowing into the Bow River. This is in Banff National Park at a bridge crossing before going on the Bow Valley Parkway. In composing this image, I focused on the stream flowing in front of me and I angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward to include some of the grassy meadow as a foreground interest. I felt that helped to add a layered look, from the meadow to the stream and river to the forest of evergreen trees, and finally the more distant ridges and peaks of the Massive Range.

[thorsenmark]

It Isn’t Hard to Find Beautiful Places in the Bisti Badlands by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the east while taking in views across eroded and adobe formations present in this part of the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area. My thought on composing this image was to align myself so that I could bring out a grouping or alignment with the formations to my front. With this image, I focused on the ones to my immediate front that seemed to create almost a leading line.

[thorsenmark]

A View Across a Mountain Desert Landscape and Albuquerque to the Sandia Mountains (Petroglyph National Monument) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: From an overlook along the Volcanoes Trail with a view looking to the southeast across the volcanoes part of Petroglyph National Monument. My thought on composing this image was to capture a little above centered, leveled-on view, raising the horizon a little bit. I wanted to capture a sweeping view looking across this landscape with Albuquerque off in the distance. The mountains were the backdrop that would eventually drawn in the eyes for the image. The rest of the composition was the blue skies and clouds above the mountains. I felt the blue in the skies above were a color contrast to complement the earth-tones in the lower portion of the image.

[thorsenmark]

Life Along the Shoreline of Lake Superior by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking around and exploring the shoreline Grand Portage National Monument. The view extends to the waters of Grand Portage Bay (and Lake Superior beyond) with the namesake island in the image center. In composing this image, I chose keep a more or less leveled-on view with the horizon and lake. I liked the balance with that and overcast skies above, as well as using the boarded walkway and dock to lead a viewer into the image. On a side note, one can see the thin sliver of island very far off in the distance with Isle Royale and the national park there (above the dock area). Unfortunately because of weather over Lake Superior several days later, I was not able to visit that location. But in a few years!

[thorsenmark]

Happy Outdoors Holiday in Shenandoah National Park by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While taking in views and walking around the Rapidan Camp in Shenandoah National Park. The setting is looking to the southeast with as a creek flowed by through this forested national park setting.

[thorsenmark]

Wide-Angle, Panoramic Feel to Lassen Volcanic National Park by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the east-southeast while hiking along the Lassen Peak Trail. This is located in Lassen Volcanic National Park at an overlook along the trail and switchbacks. In composing this image, I chose to pull back on the focal length so that I could have a wider-angle view. Later in post production with DxO PhotoLab 8, I cropped some of the foreground and skies above for that panoramic setting in the image.