Storm Over Factory Butte

[heronwheels]

I recently returned from a 3 week motorcycle trip out west. Shortly before reaching Wyoming I dropped my camera on it's kit lens breaking the lens so I was left with only a 50mm prime and my telephoto (and a crappy P&S I picked up along the way). I'm not sure if this is a good image or if it just evokes strong emotions in me because I was a bit nervous at the time. This image was taken near Hanksville, UT facing Factory Butte, I was completely surrounded by these intense desert storms which is a bit crazy on a bike but I had to stop and get a photo of the intensity of the storm. This was taken with my 50mm prime lens...the white on the rock formation is a small ray of sun that quickly passed across the rock. Is there anything I could have done to improve this image? Does Factory Butte sticking out of the back of the white formation detract from the image? Also, this is before I started shooting RAW.



Link to larger version of the photo

EXIF Data

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T1i
Exposure Time: 1/200
Aperture: f/13
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 50mm

Thanks for any advice!!

[EOBeav]

Breaking that kit lens was probably a blessing in disguise. The 50 is a far better lens, and you'll become a better photographer with it.

About your photo: I don't know, there's not much here to grab me and pull me in. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at. Also, over all it could use a little more contrast. I do think it was a good decision to go B/W here with the clouds the way they are.

[heronwheels]

Thank you for your comments. I did take this image in color as well and it is quite boring (not much of the pretty red Utah rock near Hanksville - very blah). I wish I had been shooting in RAW at that point, I did play with the contrast a little but it started to look fake.

The 50mm 1.8 was a gift from my boyfriend a couple of months ago and it has taught me so much about photography...I really love that little lens!! It's amazing how it forces you to look for creative angles and to walk around to get interesting composition where the kit lens (standard zoom) doesn't.

[Sweetlifephoto]

I like the B&W and many of the elements. But like the previous poster, I am not sure what it is. The composition is really bunched up and busy in the center. Yes, I think moving to the right to create some separation between the white wall and the butte in the center would be less confusing and bunchy and make for a better composition. I would also boost the contrast a little with an S-curve adjustment to create more drama, especially in the sky.

[Doug Sundseth]

I pretty much agree with the previous critiques, but I wanted to mention that if you find yourself in Hanksville again you should really visit Goblin Valley State Park (about 20 miles north of metropolitan ( ) Hanksville (assuming you didn't this time).

Goblin Valley State Park - a set on Flickr

[heronwheels]

Originally Posted by Doug Sundseth

I pretty much agree with the previous critiques, but I wanted to mention that if you find yourself in Hanksville again you should really visit Goblin Valley State Park (about 20 miles north of metropolitan ( ) Hanksville (assuming you didn't this time).

Goblin Valley State Park - a set on Flickr

I was definitely planning on camping there the day I took this photo but the weather was so intense I opted for a motel in Green River instead (when I watched the news that night they reported cloud rotation in those clouds and had issued a tornado warning).

I'm heading out in my Jeep for a week or so in April and hope to spend some time hiking the San Rafael Swell (if I can find some dog friendly trails) and Temple Mt. so I'll probably camp there at that time, those hoodoos are so cool there!! I gotta find a way to move out west closer to Michigan

[milosh]

I also agree with the previous comments about the composition, but I was wondering what it would look like in colour. Perhaps that directly lit hill could be rendered yellow with a change of wb, and perhaps it could be much more dramatic and moody all together. Again, I'm just guessing because I'm not sure what's in the original photo.

[Krusty79]

I wasn't sure what I was looking at in this shot either. I saw that bright area and thought it was an ocean wave or something. Your eye is naturally drawn to the lightest area in an image, which is the sun-covered hill, even if you wanted the clouds to be the subject. So, it is not clear what you wanted to convey in this shot to me.