Tufa Sunrise – Mono Lake CA

Tufa Sunrise. Mono Lake CA, Fall 2010, by Gavin Seim.

Gavin’s Journal Entry, 10/2010.

We camped overlooking Mono lake last night. I think it’s rather a bad name for a lake, but it’s no less beautiful for that. I got there early, before the light. But the stone sang when the rays of first dawn hit the limestone Tufa Towers that grace the these muddy banks.

I won’t try to explain how they’re formed (there is some info on the Mono Lake website) but I can say is that creation is indeed breathtaking. Now that I have time to stop and look at this sunrise, it seems even more so. This may be the only great image I took home from Mono Lake, but it’s just what I wanted and I’m really excited about it.

Release details: Prints available. Contact the gallery. Learn more about prices. Available prints…

[EXPAND SEE the details up close. Click to expand…]

These are not separately available images. They are detail cuts from the above work, to show the detail and most notible elements that will stand out in the finished print.

Tufa Sunrise - Detail1
The central display of Tufa Towers, revealed in a fleeting moment of morning light just as the sun crosses the horizon.

 

Tufa Sunrise - Detail2
Sharp from edge to edge. The rocks point to the snow capped mountains, revealing the coming Winter.
Tufa Sunrise - Detail3
The superb detail in the flowing grasses reflects the golden light and is spectacular, especially in larger sizes.
Tufa Sunrise - Detail4
The morning light shows a supporting cast of towers in various stages of illumination.

[/EXPAND]

 

For Photographers. How it was made…3 image panorama. Canon TS-e, 24mm. All frames 1/3 sec, f13.

The main thing here was the right light. It did not last long. . I did a simple process starting with my LR presets and then stitched the images in PS. That went seamlessly and I moved in to refining with some burning, dodging and single tone management for dynamic range. This in not a multi image HDR however. Just well lit single frames.

The processing was not that complex. I think what’s more notable is the scene itself, the light and the composition. It’s a stunning place. The light moves fast and while these towers are always amazing, timing matters. This is also a wide scene with lots of information. That was what I wanted, but can also make a mess if not managed so It’s something I’ve been thinking about of late. How to best a wide complex scene in a way that compliments the main subject.

Here I worked the edges and grasses to try to keep them from distracting the eye. While I can find things I could have done better, I think the composition and processing works. I’ll be critically analyzing this over the next few days, and perhaps refine it a little more, but in the end I think this is a winner.

Related Posts...

The exposure slider is screwing up your photos

The exposure slider is screwing up your photos

Blue is wreaking havoc in your photos an Here’s why…

Blue is wreaking havoc in your photos an Here’s why…

This makes your black and white better Instantly.

This makes your black and white better Instantly.

Fake photos are everywhere. You need to re-wire your process with Cinematic Technique.

Fake photos are everywhere. You need to re-wire your process with Cinematic Technique.

Tell me your thoughts....

Leave a Reply


Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

  1. Hi Gavin – beautiful image. Is it slightly tilted to the right or is that just my eyes?

    1. Thanks Michael. I’ve been thinking the same crop over the past couple days. I thought it was just right, but I may be a touch crooked. I’ll dome some analyzing and updated the crop to get it a touch more straight.

  2. Hey Gavin! Thanks for doing the podcast, I love listening to it, even when you’re “just talking.” This is a great shot, perfect timing on the light. By the way, just thought you should that B&H has once again robbed by bank account, after hearing you talk about the 24 ts-e, I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Anyways, just dropping a line to you to say thanks. Oh if you’re ever bored you, check out some of the photos from the cross country trip I took last August. http://www.philipcaseyblog.com/2010/08/page/2/

    Keep doing what you’re doing!

    1. Hey Philip. Thanks on both counts. I hear ya. I love the 24. I hear it’s about the sharpest lens money can buy. Some nice work on your site. Road trips are great aren’t they? Gav

  3. Thanks Lynette. Just to be clear though. They are all from the top image (Tufa Sunrise). The one’s in the expanding menu are just crops to show the detail… Gav

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

About the Author

Glad you're here.

I'm from WA State USA and started studying photography in 97. I started work as a pro (using that word loosely because I sucked) using film at age 16. I learned fast but was not as easy to find training then. Sometimes I beat my head against the wall until I figured stuff out.

As digital dawned I went all in and got to study with masters like Ken Whitmire. In 09 I founded the Pro Photo Show podcast. I started promoting tone-focused editing. When Lightroom arrived, I started developing tools to make editing and workflow better.

20 years of study and photography around the country earned me a Master of Photography (M.Photog) from PPA. I got to see my workshops and tools featured in publications across the industry. Once I even won the prestigious HotOne award for my "EXposed" light and tone workshop.

Wanting something calmer, I moved to Mexico in 2017. It's a land of magical light. I'm here now exploring light and trying to master my weak areas. I make videos of that for my Youtube channel, sharing what I learn. I hope you'll stick around and be part of Light Hunters Tribe... Gavin

Gavin Seim

>