# My last $5 for the year. Where am I???



## Clark (Dec 31, 2014)

This is a game.
Give correct answer, and we donate $5.00 to the forum.

Sorry cnycharles, you are not allowed to participate. 


Name the place where I took this image.
One guess each.
Thirty hour time limit. It is 9:30am right now.






About the shot, it is two images merged.
I used bracketed exposure, tripod, remote trigger.
It is my first attempt at a composite. 
I, like you, can see the merge. But I'm not earning here

Good luck.


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 31, 2014)

Elephant Rock in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.


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## NYEric (Dec 31, 2014)

What an alien landscape !!


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 31, 2014)

I guess that's why all those alien UFOs like to visit...


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## Clark (Dec 31, 2014)

_Get your ass to Mars._

Scenes from Total Recall were shot at Valley of Fire.
We got there around 1:00pm the first day. Weather was extremely iffy. But those clouds could add plenty of punch to a photo. 
We stayed in the car, or very close to it, because of the threatening storm.
Never found Elephant Rock that day. And I think we left by 3:30 because the skies just opened up.

The next day we got the jump on it. Left LV an hour before sunrise, and while driving north on 15, we get shuffled into detour. Not many choices in that neck of the woods.
At the end of the detour, there is bottleneck of truckers. The detour is washed out. We had a narrow strip and went for it. The Chinese tour bus behind us didn't.
Finally we get to 15. And there is gas station(tribal) with rest stop. Well, Rt.15 was washed out like never before. I'm thinking this was Sept. 8th or 9th.

If we stayed at that park till dark, we may have been one of the 40+ rescues along 15. The locals swore the highway is never down for more than a couple of days. 
But I think it was closed for 9 days.

It was after 9:00am that we got to the park. Rocks looked like they were on fire because of the wetness.
This rock is easy to miss with the sweat rolling down ones head. It is right next to road.


Thank you for your participation Tyrone. I thought I was going to start the new year a winner. Lol.
Donation will be made in a moment.


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## Heather (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks as always, Clark and all the participants!


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 31, 2014)

Hi Clark, glad I could lighten your wallet little.

I hope to visit that part of the world one day soon. Thanks for all your photos. I'm learning about places I never knew existed. 

Happy new year!


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## Erythrone (Dec 31, 2014)

Wonderful picture BTW!


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## Clark (Dec 31, 2014)

Did you google "rocks that look like elephant"?

There is a photography book around here -
Photographing the Southwest by Laurent Martres
I think vol. 1 is the Utah book(my favorite).
$15 used off amazon.

Triple A (the roadside assistance company) has a great map of the region.
It is their Indian map. Shows everything. No way to get lost in car.
Let me know if you have a problem getting the map.

Happy New Year Tyrone.


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## Clark (Dec 31, 2014)

Thank you!
Happy New Year Lise!


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## Migrant13 (Dec 31, 2014)

Great photo! Definitely on the to visit list.


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## cnycharles (Dec 31, 2014)

Clark said:


> This is a game.
> Give correct answer, and we donate $5.00 to the forum.
> 
> Sorry cnycharles, you are not allowed to participate.



Hey!  



> Name the place where I took this image.
> One guess each.
> Thirty hour time limit. It is 9:30am right now.
> 
> ...



actually i can't see the merge, but i just fried some onions and there is some particulate matter interfering with normal operation - nice pic and merge 

I've seen the valley of fire in new mexico but haven't seen this yet. lots of volcanic stuff in arizona and new mexico


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## abax (Dec 31, 2014)

I can't see the merge, the photo is wonderful, the whole damn thing is
scary as hell. There must be a troll or something living in that cave-like
hole.


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## The Mutant (Jan 1, 2015)

That mountain range in the background + the sky looks like they might from another picture.

Never heard of this rock before, so it was educational.


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## Clark (Jan 1, 2015)

Mutant- it is two pics. But the same exact view.
Can't move the camera. One presets the settings, so I can squeeze off three or more shots without disturbing the position of camera.
This was a two shot composite. I meter for the rock. I already know the sky is 2-stops difference. Set the dial for 2-stops(this was a three shot setup. I throw one away).
Wait 10 seconds. Shoot. Wait 10 seconds. Shoot. Wait 10 seconds. Shoot.
It takes more than 2 seconds for the vibrations to go away.
I have remote trigger. Don't have to touch camera until I'm done.
So now I have 3 files of the same shot. Dark, average, and light. 
Dark- sky looks like I have sunglasses on, but the rock is way too dark.
average- Rock looks cool, but the sky is blown out.
light- just about everything is blown out, discard.

Open up in software and combine favorable exposures.
I have no problem admitting this took longer than expected for the first one.


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## The Mutant (Jan 1, 2015)

Clark said:


> Mutant- it is two pics. But the same exact view.
> Can't move the camera. One presets the settings, so I can squeeze off three or more shots without disturbing the position of camera.
> This was a two shot composite. I meter for the rock. I already know the sky is 2-stops difference. Set the dial for 2-stops(this was a three shot setup. I throw one away).
> Wait 10 seconds. Shoot. Wait 10 seconds. Shoot. Wait 10 seconds. Shoot.
> ...


So I was right while I was wrong? The sky and the rocks in the merged image *are* from different pictures/files with different exposure, even if it's the exact same view? Or? I honestly don't get it...  

I blame language barrier and no experience with this type of photographing/photo manipulation for my confusion. 



Oh, and Erythrone's Vanda falcata. :rollhappy:


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## Clark (Jan 1, 2015)

I have followed your posts. I am surprised you are bi lingual. If I didn't know any better, I thought you were from New Jersey. 



Focus on this.


The Mutant said:


> The sky and the rocks in the merged image *are* from different pictures/files with different exposure, even if it's the exact same view?



What I didn't do- shoot the rock on Monday. Then go shoot a cloudy Friday sky(from anyplace) and combine them.

I hope the above example can drive that nail home. And we both know, I'm still gonna call them Neos.


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## TyroneGenade (Jan 1, 2015)

Clark said:


> Did you google "rocks that look like elephant"?



No, Googled "rock arch" and then variations of state names, national park etc... Your previous posts were from Monument Valley and the Nevada/Arizona border so it was just a matter of time before I found the correct picture.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 1, 2015)

Combining different exposures is one of the oldest techniques in Photography. Early photographers had to do it because their film could not capture the range of tones in long tonal scale scenes. You did an excellent job. In fact, of all the photos I've seen on the web of this formation, yours is the best by far.


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## Clark (Jan 2, 2015)

The Mutant said:


> That mountain range in the background + the sky looks like they might from another picture.



Yes. You are right. That is where the seam is.
I got confused with the words "from another picture".

Sorry for the misunderstanding.
I owe you a beer.


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## Clark (Jan 2, 2015)

Dot, thank you much!

Happy New Year everyone!


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## The Mutant (Jan 2, 2015)

Clark said:


> I have followed your posts. I am surprised you are bi lingual. If I didn't know any better, I thought you were from New Jersey.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you heard me talk, there would be no doubt. My Swenglish is very strong. :rollhappy:

Haha! Yes, I think we managed to confuse each other. Thanks for the photo lesson, both from you and Dot. I didn't know you could do this or that it was widely practiced, but it's a great way to get excellent photos. 

If you hadn't written it was a merged photo, I would never had seen it. 

Oh, let's make that a cup of tea instead, yes?


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## Clark (Jan 2, 2015)

In stock I have-
honey
honey lemon
or (yawn) chamomile.


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## The Mutant (Jan 2, 2015)

Are you mocking chamomile tea? oke:

I'll save the unappreciated chamomile tea from you then.


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## Clark (Jan 3, 2015)

I actually like chamomile tea. But it is not strong enough to make me sleepy.


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## The Mutant (Jan 3, 2015)

Clark said:


> I actually like chamomile tea. But it is not strong enough to make me sleepy.


Oh, that's how you meant it. *facepalm*


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## Clark (Jan 4, 2015)

Mutant, there is a gadget that I left out. I used a polarizer filter for the camera lens.
It makes the sky more blue, and reduces glare.


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