Nature Rd. 2 - Powerful Motion: "Still Running Against the Wind"

**cheekygeek** · 07-01-2014, 07:14 AM - **1 Like**

Greetings everyone. It was an honor to have my original image selected in Round One. Thanks to all those who nominated and voted!

When I saw that a 2nd image was needed for a Round 2 of the contest, I was somewhat disappointed but I decided to be patient and see if I didn't have another image that I wanted to submit by the time the deadline neared. (I could surely put a K-3 to good use!) I'm glad I was patient.

This past Friday was a severe weather day in my "neck of the woods" (Nebraska) and so I went out on a little Pentax-fueled photo chase that took me down across northwest Kansas and then back up across southwest Nebraska and home again (to Kearney). This image was one of the last ones taken that day:

As I neared home I was coming out from under the canopy of a rapidly expanding, boiling, gust front (caused when a storm system goes "outflow dominant"). I was amazed at the sky, but since I was traveling on the interstate and the land around me was rather flat and boring (and included 4 lanes of interestate traffic) I really didn't see a great photo. Just then, I spotted this working windmill. I quickly parked on the shoulder of the interstate and ran across the 4 lanes of interstate (and a median between the east and west lanes), climbed over a barbed wire fence and captured some images before the wall of precipitation coming behind me hit.

Click to view LARGER:

Click to view LARGER.

I hate over-processed images, and this one could have easily been overdone - but here is the original out-of-camera JPEG for comparison. Hopefully you will agree that a light touch was used to enhance the image. I purposely left the powerpole in the lower right to give a sense of scale and to show how low the gust front was to the ground, without showing the ground. The image is not a monochrome, but rather a "low color" color image. It was well after 9 PM local time when this image was taken and darkness was rapidly approaching.

I uploaded this image to Flickr last night, and it has been Flickr "Explored" as of this morning!

PS... this is a working windmill, which is getting to be more and more uncommon, even in Nebraska. The central shaft which goes up & down in the wind is still connected to a pump and there was an overflowing stock tank of water at the base of the windmill. For reasons I can't explain, that makes the image mean just a little more to me.

Thanks for looking! Comments and criticism welcome in equal measure.

Last edited by cheekygeek; 07-08-2014 at 08:33 AM. Reason: Replaced with 1200 pixel wide image, per PM instructions

checco · 07-03-2014, 02:19 AM

Very great clouds! Very impact and dark suggestion, though I would have framed a little even terrain, so I find it bare.

siropdecitron · 07-03-2014, 12:59 PM

Love the atmosphere!!

TwoDaveM · 07-11-2014, 12:42 AM

I'm not so familiar with boiling clouds that produce lightning and thunder in Nebraska, but I know what to look for in The Great Basin, and pretty certain I wouldn't be standing too close to that windmill.

Well done, is it an Aermotor?

**cheekygeek** · 07-14-2014, 09:53 AM

Thanks for the comment. I'm not sure of the brand of windmill... I think the logo may have long worn off the tail.

vallihall · 07-21-2014, 07:10 AM

Very great clouds! Very impact and dark suggestion Love the atmosphere

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/174-pentax-k-3-photo-contest/266973-natur...#ixzz387001QUX

**cheekygeek** · 07-21-2014, 09:54 AM

Thank you, vallihall! I'm happy to have made it through to Round 3! Thanks to all who looked & voted.

07-01-2014, 07:14 AM - 1 Like	#1
cheekygeek Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kearney, Nebraska USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,261	Rd. 2 - Powerful Motion: "Still Running Against the Wind" Lens: Sigma EX 10-20mm f4-5.6 DG Camera: Pentax K-5 II Greetings everyone. It was an honor to have my original image selected in Round One. Thanks to all those who nominated and voted! When I saw that a 2nd image was needed for a Round 2 of the contest, I was somewhat disappointed but I decided to be patient and see if I didn't have another image that I wanted to submit by the time the deadline neared. (I could surely put a K-3 to good use!) I'm glad I was patient. This past Friday was a severe weather day in my "neck of the woods" (Nebraska) and so I went out on a little Pentax-fueled photo chase that took me down across northwest Kansas and then back up across southwest Nebraska and home again (to Kearney). This image was one of the last ones taken that day: As I neared home I was coming out from under the canopy of a rapidly expanding, boiling, gust front (caused when a storm system goes "outflow dominant"). I was amazed at the sky, but since I was traveling on the interstate and the land around me was rather flat and boring (and included 4 lanes of interestate traffic) I really didn't see a great photo. Just then, I spotted this working windmill. I quickly parked on the shoulder of the interstate and ran across the 4 lanes of interstate (and a median between the east and west lanes), climbed over a barbed wire fence and captured some images before the wall of precipitation coming behind me hit. Click to view LARGER: Click to view LARGER. I hate over-processed images, and this one could have easily been overdone - but here is the original out-of-camera JPEG for comparison. Hopefully you will agree that a light touch was used to enhance the image. I purposely left the powerpole in the lower right to give a sense of scale and to show how low the gust front was to the ground, without showing the ground. The image is not a monochrome, but rather a "low color" color image. It was well after 9 PM local time when this image was taken and darkness was rapidly approaching. I uploaded this image to Flickr last night, and it has been Flickr "Explored" as of this morning! PS... this is a working windmill, which is getting to be more and more uncommon, even in Nebraska. The central shaft which goes up & down in the wind is still connected to a pump and there was an overflowing stock tank of water at the base of the windmill. For reasons I can't explain, that makes the image mean just a little more to me. Thanks for looking! Comments and criticism welcome in equal measure. Last edited by cheekygeek; 07-08-2014 at 08:33 AM. Reason: Replaced with 1200 pixel wide image, per PM instructions

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07-03-2014, 02:19 AM	#2
checco New Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Mogliano Veneto Posts: 8	Very great clouds! Very impact and dark suggestion, though I would have framed a little even terrain, so I find it bare.

07-03-2014, 12:59 PM	#3
siropdecitron New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 18	Love the atmosphere!!

07-11-2014, 12:42 AM	#4
TwoDaveM New Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Oregon Posts: 19	I'm not so familiar with boiling clouds that produce lightning and thunder in Nebraska, but I know what to look for in The Great Basin, and pretty certain I wouldn't be standing too close to that windmill. Well done, is it an Aermotor?

07-14-2014, 09:53 AM	#5
cheekygeek Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kearney, Nebraska USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,261 Original Poster	Thanks for the comment. I'm not sure of the brand of windmill... I think the logo may have long worn off the tail.

07-21-2014, 07:10 AM	#6
vallihall New Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: san Miguel de salinaas alicante Photos: Gallery Posts: 15	Very great clouds! Very impact and dark suggestion Love the atmosphere Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/174-pentax-k-3-photo-contest/266973-natur...#ixzz387001QUX

07-21-2014, 09:54 AM	#7
cheekygeek Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kearney, Nebraska USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,261 Original Poster	Thank you, vallihall! I'm happy to have made it through to Round 3! Thanks to all who looked & voted.