#azimuth 15

Navigating Chaco Culture National Historical Park by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the north-northeast while taking in views and walking around the ruins present in the Chetro Ketl area of Chaco Culture National Historical Park. My thought on composing this image was to align myself, so that I could capture a view that brought out most of the shapes and formations in patterns in the ruins, while using the skies and clouds above as a backdrop and color contrast to complement the earth-tones in the lower portion of the image.

Egg Hatchery by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking around and exploring the Bisti Badlands with a view looking to the north-northeast to some eroded formations present in this part of Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area. What I wanted to capture with this image was to align myself with the formations to my front and bring out a pattern or grouping. I angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward, so that I could bring out more of a sweeping view across this wilderness landscape.

Life in the Forest of Big Cypress National Preserve by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting extending to the north-northeast to a nearby forest of bald cypress trees along the roadside of the Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve. I wanted the trees at this location to stretch across the image from edge to edge, creating the illusion with the impact of less. I included some foreground interest of the freshwater, slough and marsh, as well as ensuring there were some blue skies beyond the trees as a backdrop. The rest was metering the image to not blow any of the highlights from the trees caught in sunlight while still being able to pull the more shadowed areas later in post-production.

Lassen Peak Beyond a Nearby Forest of Wildfire Affected Trees by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While at a roadside pullout along the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway (California State Route 89) in Lassen National Forest. The setting is with a view to the north-northeast with a wildfire damaged forest (Dixie Fire) and Lassen Peak from the national park as a distant backdrop. My thought on composition was to work the angles to first find a gap so that I could have more or less unobstructed view to the mountain peak off the distance. Another was to include as much of the tall trees to my front with some blue sky space around. I didn't want to have the tops of the trees cut off at the upper portion of the image. I felt having a wider angle view would bring out more of a sense of grandeur with this forest and mountain beauty.