John Larson, FPSA, GMPSA
May 2025 - Escalante Layers
About the Image(s)
Last month I talked about the trip that Carolyn and I took to Las Vegas and then to the Utah Canyons. On this day we went to the Grand Escalante and explored the area around and near there. As the end of the day approached and the sun was going down, we came across this area that had these beautiful mountains with layers of several different colors. It was very attractive in color and with my cell phone image the layers were very striking.
Camera Settings:
Creation Date: 03/17/2025
Camera: Cell Phone Google Pixel 6a,
Shutter Speed: 1/3200, Aperture f/1.7, ISO 59,
Cell Phone Lens @ 1.9 m
Post processing:, Normal LR adjustments and straightening. Sharpening and denoise using Topaz Photo AI.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
6 comments posted
Here's another beautiful image taken with a cell phone. The image has repeating layers of pattern and beautiful colors. Posted: 05/10/2025 23:34:04
-The image might benefit from softer lighting to bring out more detail in the shaded areas.
Experimenting with a different angle or focal point could enhance the dramatic effect of the rock formations.
The vibrant reds, oranges, and pinks of the rock formations contrast sharply with the cool blue sky. This contrast makes the image more dynamic and visually appealing.
The subdued tones of the sparse vegetation add a neutral balance to the intense colors of the landscape.
Sunlight enhances the saturation of the colors, making them more vivid.
Shadows on the rock formations introduce variation in tone, adding a sense of depth and realism.
Posted: 05/13/2025 21:16:29
Experimenting with a different angle or focal point could enhance the dramatic effect of the rock formations.
The vibrant reds, oranges, and pinks of the rock formations contrast sharply with the cool blue sky. This contrast makes the image more dynamic and visually appealing.
The subdued tones of the sparse vegetation add a neutral balance to the intense colors of the landscape.
Sunlight enhances the saturation of the colors, making them more vivid.
Shadows on the rock formations introduce variation in tone, adding a sense of depth and realism.
Posted: 05/13/2025 21:16:29
The layers of rock are what stand out to me in this photo. I might crop out some of the foreground. Otherwise, your phone did a decent job of capturing the colorful Escalante. Posted: 05/17/2025 20:38:50
You have done a good job to capture all the variation in the rock formations at Grand Escalante. Good composition and focus. The multicolored layers are so incredible, but I might try to add some contrast to the lower left rock formation. Posted: 05/18/2025 18:23:26
Hi John - the rock is really beautiful, but I would crop out the bottom which is not so beautiful. That would also focus on the rock itself. I'd also increase the contrast to bring out more of the interesting rock. I went ahead and increase the contrast on my iPhone. I like how it brought out the rock formation, but it also increased the color of the sky too much. I would definitely fool around with the contrast on the rock though. Posted: 05/28/2025 15:20:35
My crop suggestion is a little different from Laurie's. I think cropping some on the left and the bottom balances the composition better. Posted: 05/28/2025 17:08:34