Racing Rocks

kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
edited January 18, 2011 in Landscapes
At the Racetrack in Death Valley, of course. From my trip in December with fellow Dgrinner jdryan. :thumb
The good news is that we had great light. The bad news is that recent rains had evidently obliterated most of the tracks, with the exception of this first one.

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Comments

  • rontront Registered Users Posts: 1,473 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2011
    Very nice Joel!! Great colors and compositions!!

    Ron
    "The question is not what you look at, but what you see". Henry David Thoreau

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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2011
    Joel.. great shots. I've always wanted to shoot there but have never gotten around to it. Too bad about the rain, although the first shot is very nice. Great comp there.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • anwmn1anwmn1 Registered Users Posts: 3,469 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2011
    Really like the first two Joel. thumb.gif

    So where did we go wrong on the first trip out there? ne_nau.gif
    "The Journey of life is as much in oneself as the roads one travels"


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  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2011
    #2! Touch of drama in the comp aided by rake of clouds and high contrast lighting, strong perspective pull to centre, very satisfying detail, not too technicolourised. iloveyou.gif

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

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  • TreyHoffTreyHoff Registered Users Posts: 388 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2011
    Really nice series. I really like everything about no. 2; composition, color, detail of the lakebed, crisp horizon, great clouds. Well done.
    www.treyhoffphotography.com
  • christinamaechristinamae Registered Users Posts: 484 Major grins
    edited January 13, 2011
    Outstanding series! #3 is my pick out of the group. I'd love to shoot there someday.
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited January 14, 2011
    Some of the best racetrack shots I have seen. clap.gifclapclap.gif
    Dan
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  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 14, 2011
    ront wrote: »
    Very nice Joel!! Great colors and compositions!!

    Ron
    Thanks very much, Ron. thumb.gif
    anonymouscuban wrote: »
    Joel.. great shots. I've always wanted to shoot there but have never gotten around to it. Too bad about the rain, although the first shot is very nice. Great comp there.
    Thanks, Alex. The 'track seems to change every day from what I can tell. I was just happy to have the clouds. It'll be there waiting for you when you're ready.
    anwmn1 wrote: »
    Really like the first two Joel. thumb.gif

    So where did we go wrong on the first trip out there? ne_nau.gif
    Thanks, Aaron.
    I was actually pretty happy with the shots I got there last time. ne_nau.gif

    You looked like you were having fun. mwink.gif We'll have to do a reshoot.
    IMG_4373_4_5.jpg
    NeilL wrote: »
    #2! Touch of drama in the comp aided by rake of clouds and high contrast lighting, strong perspective pull to centre, very satisfying detail, not too technicolourised. iloveyou.gif

    Neil
    Thanks, Neil! That was one of my later shots that I processed. I was first drawn to the sunset photos because of their wild colors. It's interesting to hear that you call them "technicolourised", because if anything they are desaturated. There was a marked red-cast over the shots which I color corrected some. But other than that, there's certainly no colorization going on there. The sunset was unbelievable.
    TreyHoff wrote: »
    Really nice series. I really like everything about no. 2; composition, color, detail of the lakebed, crisp horizon, great clouds. Well done.
    Thanks, Trey. That one seems to be a favorite. I appreciate your feedback on it.
    christinamae wrote: »
    Outstanding series! #3 is my pick out of the group. I'd love to shoot there someday.
    Thanks, Christina. Thank goodness somebody likes one of the sunset shots. I was beginning to worry. :uhoh
    dlplumer wrote: »
    Some of the best racetrack shots I have seen. clap.gifclapclap.gif
    Hey Dan, thanks. That's pretty high praise indeed. wings.gifthumb.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel
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  • Doug SolisDoug Solis Registered Users Posts: 1,190 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2011
    Great set. I'd like to say I've got to get there someday but I heard the final trek out there is pretty tough even in 4wd?
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 15, 2011
    Doug Solis wrote: »
    Great set. I'd like to say I've got to get there someday but I heard the final trek out there is pretty tough even in 4wd?

    Thanks, Doug! 'Fraid you got some bad data. The road is a piece of cake. While it certainly was rougher a few years ago on a previous trip, even then 4WD was never necessary. Today, it's fairly well graded the entire way. The biggest danger would be from sharp rocks causing a flat tire. So a full-size spare in good condition is highly recommended. A service call down that lonely road would probably cost hundreds of dollars. I'm pretty sure even a standard 2WD passenger could make it, but the addition clearance of an SUV would probably be safer.
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  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2011
    Jole,

    Nice images. I didn't think the road in was a piece of cake. Lots of wash board beat the truck, knocked the DVD player off the headliner, removed two bolts from the drive shaft, loosened a third and kept the speed down. Also not sure both kidneys still function.

    Looking forward to going back though.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • bryanj87bryanj87 Registered Users Posts: 859 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2011
    Man these are great! # 3 is really awesome.
    bjbphotos.com | nepg
  • fionalornephotographyfionalornephotography Registered Users Posts: 20 Big grins
    edited January 16, 2011
    Doug Solis wrote: »
    Great set. I'd like to say I've got to get there someday but I heard the final trek out there is pretty tough even in 4wd?

    I took my Ford Focus through Death Valley in 2008 and didn't have a problem with any part of the trek (except the price of gas on either end of DV - $6 for regular unleaded!). YMMV based on time of year/season/etc.
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  • Roaddog 52Roaddog 52 Registered Users Posts: 309 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2011
    A superb set of images, with some really great light. Somday I hope to get there.

    Phil
    I don't know where I'm goin, but I'm goin anyway.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 16, 2011
    Sam wrote: »
    Jole,

    Nice images. I didn't think the road in was a piece of cake. Lots of wash board beat the truck, knocked the DVD player off the headliner, removed two bolts from the drive shaft, loosened a third and kept the speed down. Also not sure both kidneys still function.

    Looking forward to going back though.

    Sam
    Laughing.gif! Thanks, Sam. Yeah, long dirt roads like this can rattle a car and driver to pieces, no doubt!
    bryanj87 wrote: »
    Man these are great! # 3 is really awesome.
    Hey Bryan, thanks so much. Glad to hear I got another vote for one of the sunset shots. I was getting worried there.
    fionalornephotography wrote: »
    I took my Ford Focus through Death Valley in 2008 and didn't have a problem with any part of the trek (except the price of gas on either end of DV - $6 for regular unleaded!). YMMV based on time of year/season/etc.
    Yup, but the funny thing is you can buy gas at Stovepipe Wells for $3.50, as they're not part of the cartel that owns the stations in Furnace Creek and Panamint Springs. Just a little secret that jdryan discovered later in the week.
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  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited January 16, 2011
    Roaddog 52 wrote: »
    A superb set of images, with some really great light. Somday I hope to get there.

    Phil
    Thanks, Phil! Much appreciated. It's well worth the effort to get out there.
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • Mike JMike J Registered Users Posts: 1,029 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2011
    Nice set. Really like #2 and #4.
    Mike J

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  • jdryan3jdryan3 Registered Users Posts: 1,353 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2011
    Great shots Joel! And I can vouch that #4 is truly how it looked. What was most amazing was the length of time we had to shoot them. Often you have only a minute or so as the sun sets, but we had probably a good 5+ minutes and the sky kept getting more and more saturated.
    "Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to. Oh well."
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  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2011
    Doug Solis wrote: »
    Great set. I'd like to say I've got to get there someday but I heard the final trek out there is pretty tough even in 4wd?

    The road (in general) is actually quite good, it's been improved lately. A vehicle with clearance will help, 4wd not necessary. Spare tire is necessary :)
    Andy

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  • CodyBoxerCodyBoxer Registered Users Posts: 39 Big grins
    edited January 17, 2011
    The look of the sky and mountains in #3 really catches my eye. Very nice series.
  • canghuixucanghuixu Registered Users Posts: 238 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2011
    Wow, beautiful. I love Death Valley but haven't ever made it out to the racetrack. Hope I can get out there sometime.
  • Allan FGAllan FG Registered Users Posts: 492 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2011
    I really like the second one, the rock kinda looks like a nose.
    www.allanleahyphoto.com
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