#azimuth 137

[thorsenmark]

Glacier National Park True by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the southeast while taking in views from a roadside pullout along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. This is in Glacier National Park. In composing this image, I took advantage of some higher ground I was located on and angled my Nikon SLR, camera slightly downward to create more of a sweeping view across this mountain valley. That would in turn bring the horizon a little higher into the image. I felt that would help create more of a sense of grandeur with the mountain peaks all around.

[thorsenmark]

Taking in Trees and Blue Skies Along the Blue Ridge Parkway by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the southeast and above while taking in views at a roadside pullout around the PunchBowl Mountain Overlook area along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I walked around until I found a view with the sun through the trees and some blue skies as a backdrop. I also closed down on the aperture to bring out more of a stardust look with the sun.

[thorsenmark]

Glacier National Park True by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the southeast while taking in views from a roadside pullout along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. This is in Glacier National Park. In composing this image, I took advantage of some higher ground I was located on and angled my Nikon SLR, camera slightly downward to create more of a sweeping view across this mountain valley. That would in turn bring the horizon a little higher into the image. I felt that would help create more of a sense of grandeur with the mountain peaks all around.

[thorsenmark]

The Rugged and Jagged Peaks of Mountains in the Alaska Range of Denali National Park & Preserve by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A view looking to the southeast while enjoying a bus ride to the North Face Lodge where a friend and I would be staying for a few days in the national park. This view is to an unnamed peak not too far before reaching the Polychrome Overlook. I did some initial post-processing work making adjustments to contrast, brightness and saturation while playing around as I learned how to work with DxO PhotoLabs 3 and then used the ClearView tool to reduce some of the haze present.

[thorsenmark]

It Was Time to Head Out and Explore Another National Park (Congaree National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: An appropriate thought as I headed out along the Boardwalk Loop Trail. It was something I’d seen in so many images over the past year since I’d read about this national park. There was definitely an excitement in the step! So that’s what I wanted to capture with this image. But the question was how to compose that? I tried a few different angles, but this one where angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward brought out that look with the boardwalk in going across and away, as if a leading line through the forest all around me. I later worked with control points and color control points in Capture NX2 to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted. I then added a Foliage and Darken/Lighten Center CEP filter to give that little bit extra for the final image.

[thorsenmark]

The Rugged and Jagged Peaks of Mountains in the Alaska Range of Denali National Park & Preserve by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A view looking to the southeast while enjoying a bus ride to the North Face Lodge where a friend and I would be staying for a few days in the national park. This view is to an unnamed peak not too far before reaching the Polychrome Overlook. I did some initial post-processing work making adjustments to contrast, brightness and saturation while playing around as I learned how to work with DxO PhotoLabs 3 and then used the ClearView tool to reduce some of the haze present.

[thorsenmark]

A Highway Cuts Across the Capitol Reef Landscape (Capitol Reef National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A different angled view while walking along the cliff walls on the Chimney Rock Loop. Here I found an angle that allow me to deliberately include Utah SR-24 as kind of a leading line across the varied and changing landscape of this national park. From my perspective up high or from those driving below, the towering cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold are an amazing sight to take in and savor!

[thorsenmark]

Standing on the Edge of the Waterpocket Fold of Capitol Reef National Park (Black & White) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: This was at an overlook point while walking along the Chimney Rock Loop where there was one heck of a view looking across the cliff walls of the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park. With some images, I decided to step forward and not include the nearby foreground wanting to capture that long view across the national park. Here though I included it as I felt it added to a layered, or step-like, view of the national park landscape. I later decided to try out this "Ansel Adams Look" I'd read about in Jason Odell's book on Capture NX2. The idea is to work with the LCH editor, making some adjustments, and then use a Black point and White point before converting to black & white. I found that brought out a tonal contrast not readily seen with the layers of rocks and light and shadows.