Pentax WR on National Geographic

RonakG · 05-11-2013, 10:15 PM - **3 Likes**

Shelf Cloud Picture -- Weather Wallpaper -- National Geographic Photo of the Day

Quote:

This Month in Photo of the Day: The Stories Behind Your Shots

The day began as any other storm-chasing day in the Canadian Prairies. My girlfriend and I followed this particular storm from its birth and observed as it formed this gorgeous shelf structure eight hours later, at the end of the day. The photo was taken just southeast of Fillmore, Saskatchewan, along Highway 33. I used my Pentax K200D camera with f/5.6, 1/200-second exposure and a basic 55mm lens to capture this unforgettable moment. —Gunjan Sinha

Heie · 05-11-2013, 11:28 PM

Incredible scenery - I can only imagine having been there in person. Very jealous. But there's just one thing.

The tilted horizon is just killing me.

-Heie

abmj · 05-12-2013, 02:16 AM

Originally posted by Heie

... The tilted horizon is just killing me. ...

I've gotta admit. It is nit-picky but, me too.

top-quark · 05-12-2013, 02:50 AM

There's some uncorrected distortion as well. Or are telegraph poles erected at an angle in Canada? Ooh, aren't we bitchy?

**Kerrowdown** · 05-12-2013, 03:10 AM

Originally posted by top-quark

telegraph poles erected at an angle in Canada

Aye, they always lean them into the prevailing wind, because it makes them more resistant to toppling.

**geomez** · 05-12-2013, 03:50 AM

Tilted horizon aside, I think the composition - road, cloud, and electrical poles - works very well.

Heie · 05-12-2013, 04:03 AM

Originally posted by geomez

Tilted horizon aside, I think the composition - road, cloud, and electrical poles - works very well.

Oh I agree completely. The framing using the poles and the road leading directly into the storm is just great. I can't see how the composition could have been improved.

That said, and this is just my personal opinion - it would be a far more impressive image if attention to the small details had been followed. This image has tremendous potential, but nonetheless falls short of it.

Again, that's just my own personal criticism of an otherwise excellent capture. Again, I'm very jealous of what it must have been like to see it in person, especially once you factor in the adrenaline of chasing the storm and the environmental factors (rain, winds, lightning, etc) happening around you.

-Heie

**geomez** · 05-12-2013, 04:16 AM

I agree.

Na Horuk · 05-12-2013, 04:19 AM

Its a great photo, but I thought it was a wider angle than 55mm. Really cool moment the photographer captured, though, and the camera performed amazingly, too, capturing all that detail and all those stunning colours

Kozlok · 05-12-2013, 05:22 AM

What's that crap about a "basic" 55? Every Pentax 55 I know of is amazing. If I called my SuperTak 55 basic, I think she'd leave me.

**ismaelg** · 05-12-2013, 05:37 AM

Amazing sight captured!
I think when it says "a basic 55mm lens" it means the kit's 18-55. That is definitely a wide(er) angle shot.

tclausen · 05-12-2013, 05:46 AM

Originally posted by Kozlok

What's that crap about a "basic" 55? Every Pentax 55 I know of is amazing. If I called my SuperTak 55 basic, I think she'd leave me.

Oh, just use your basic 31mm Ltd instead, then

jrforman · 05-12-2013, 06:21 AM - **4 Likes**

The comments on this picture remind me of the cartoon where two very overweight guys, in speedos, are standing at the beach. A beautiful girl walks by in a bikini. One of the guys looks at the other and says, "you know, she could stand to loose a pound or two." Just saying, you know.

CRPhoto · 05-12-2013, 07:15 AM

Wow impressive picture! A bit scary too!

normhead · 05-12-2013, 07:19 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by jrforman

The comments on this picture remind me of the cartoon where two very overweight guys, in speedos, are standing at the beach. A beautiful girl walks by in a bikini. One of the guys looks at the other and says, "you know, she could stand to loose a pound or two." Just saying, you know.

Exactly... the horizon is level only over water. Talking about a horizon line on the rolling hills of the prairies ignores the fact that the apparent horizon may be sloped.

Discussing the lens distortion of a wide angle lens, well you could correct the distortion and still not like the picture as much. The fact that it's there in no way means that the image is in some way incorrect or less pleasing.

As everyone who's worked a trade knows, fixing something often ruins something else. An assumption that something could be better doesn't mean it could be, it just means someone thinks it could be. It's possible that the photographer levelled the horizon and changed it back in PP, because something else didn't work when the image was rotated.

Technically deconstructing images doesn't necessarily lead to better images. Sometimes, the way you originally framed an image works best, especially if it was hand held.

People saying they can't appreciate an image because of this or that need to understand what they are saying. They are saying " I can't appreciate the image." That in no way means others can't or shouldn't, and is possibly a reflection of the viewer and possibly a reflection on the image, and possibly means nothing at all, just a statement of personal taste, with no value other than saying "hey look at me, I'm here, looking at this picture and felt I had to say something, OK I'll stop nattering now."

05-11-2013, 10:15 PM - 3 Likes	#1
RonakG Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 603	Pentax WR on National Geographic Shelf Cloud Picture -- Weather Wallpaper -- National Geographic Photo of the Day Quote: This Month in Photo of the Day: The Stories Behind Your Shots The day began as any other storm-chasing day in the Canadian Prairies. My girlfriend and I followed this particular storm from its birth and observed as it formed this gorgeous shelf structure eight hours later, at the end of the day. The photo was taken just southeast of Fillmore, Saskatchewan, along Highway 33. I used my Pentax K200D camera with f/5.6, 1/200-second exposure and a basic 55mm lens to capture this unforgettable moment. —Gunjan Sinha

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05-11-2013, 11:28 PM	#2
Heie Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 968	Incredible scenery - I can only imagine having been there in person. Very jealous. But there's just one thing. The tilted horizon is just killing me. -Heie

05-12-2013, 02:16 AM	#3
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	Originally posted by Heie ... The tilted horizon is just killing me. ... I've gotta admit. It is nit-picky but, me too.

05-12-2013, 02:50 AM	#4
top-quark Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Aylesbury, Bucks Photos: Albums Posts: 492	There's some uncorrected distortion as well. Or are telegraph poles erected at an angle in Canada? Ooh, aren't we bitchy?

05-12-2013, 03:10 AM	#5
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,818	Originally posted by top-quark telegraph poles erected at an angle in Canada Aye, they always lean them into the prevailing wind, because it makes them more resistant to toppling.

05-12-2013, 03:50 AM	#6
geomez Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,760	Tilted horizon aside, I think the composition - road, cloud, and electrical poles - works very well.

05-12-2013, 04:03 AM	#7
Heie Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 968	Originally posted by geomez Tilted horizon aside, I think the composition - road, cloud, and electrical poles - works very well. Oh I agree completely. The framing using the poles and the road leading directly into the storm is just great. I can't see how the composition could have been improved. That said, and this is just my personal opinion - it would be a far more impressive image if attention to the small details had been followed. This image has tremendous potential, but nonetheless falls short of it. Again, that's just my own personal criticism of an otherwise excellent capture. Again, I'm very jealous of what it must have been like to see it in person, especially once you factor in the adrenaline of chasing the storm and the environmental factors (rain, winds, lightning, etc) happening around you. -Heie

05-12-2013, 04:16 AM	#8
geomez Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,760	I agree.

05-12-2013, 04:19 AM	#9
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Its a great photo, but I thought it was a wider angle than 55mm. Really cool moment the photographer captured, though, and the camera performed amazingly, too, capturing all that detail and all those stunning colours

05-12-2013, 05:22 AM	#10
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	What's that crap about a "basic" 55? Every Pentax 55 I know of is amazing. If I called my SuperTak 55 basic, I think she'd leave me.

05-12-2013, 05:37 AM	#11
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	Amazing sight captured! I think when it says "a basic 55mm lens" it means the kit's 18-55. That is definitely a wide(er) angle shot.

05-12-2013, 05:46 AM	#12
tclausen Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,397	Originally posted by Kozlok What's that crap about a "basic" 55? Every Pentax 55 I know of is amazing. If I called my SuperTak 55 basic, I think she'd leave me. Oh, just use your basic 31mm Ltd instead, then

05-12-2013, 06:21 AM - 4 Likes	#13
jrforman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 202	The comments on this picture remind me of the cartoon where two very overweight guys, in speedos, are standing at the beach. A beautiful girl walks by in a bikini. One of the guys looks at the other and says, "you know, she could stand to loose a pound or two." Just saying, you know.

05-12-2013, 07:15 AM	#14
CRPhoto Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 260	Wow impressive picture! A bit scary too!

05-12-2013, 07:19 AM - 1 Like	#15
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by jrforman The comments on this picture remind me of the cartoon where two very overweight guys, in speedos, are standing at the beach. A beautiful girl walks by in a bikini. One of the guys looks at the other and says, "you know, she could stand to loose a pound or two." Just saying, you know. Exactly... the horizon is level only over water. Talking about a horizon line on the rolling hills of the prairies ignores the fact that the apparent horizon may be sloped. Discussing the lens distortion of a wide angle lens, well you could correct the distortion and still not like the picture as much. The fact that it's there in no way means that the image is in some way incorrect or less pleasing. As everyone who's worked a trade knows, fixing something often ruins something else. An assumption that something could be better doesn't mean it could be, it just means someone thinks it could be. It's possible that the photographer levelled the horizon and changed it back in PP, because something else didn't work when the image was rotated. Technically deconstructing images doesn't necessarily lead to better images. Sometimes, the way you originally framed an image works best, especially if it was hand held. People saying they can't appreciate an image because of this or that need to understand what they are saying. They are saying " I can't appreciate the image." That in no way means others can't or shouldn't, and is possibly a reflection of the viewer and possibly a reflection on the image, and possibly means nothing at all, just a statement of personal taste, with no value other than saying "hey look at me, I'm here, looking at this picture and felt I had to say something, OK I'll stop nattering now."