#looking ne

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Canyon! (Grand Canyon National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: When I approached Mather Point for the first time during this day visit to Grand Canyon National Park, I found myself filled with many emotions, but grandeur and inspired would be at the top of the list. Later as I processed this image using DxO PhotoLab 4, I found another emotion as I was humming along to Roberta Flack's "the first time I ever I saw your face." I found both set of emotions describing the setting quite appropriate given the "grand" nature of this overlook in northern Arizona. So that's the feeling behind the image captured. For composing this image, I went with as wide of an angle as I could with this Nikkor lens I purchase a day prior in Flagstaff, while finding an opening that would allow me to bring out that grand and emotional feel. Some nearby trees were included to give a little bit of perspective to the more distant setting of the national park. I also angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward in order to bring the horizon up, create a more sweeping view, and bring out the eroded formations and prevent them from being flattened with a wide angle image. I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 4 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Canyon! (Grand Canyon National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: When I approached Mather Point for the first time during this day visit to Grand Canyon National Park, I found myself filled with many emotions, but grandeur and inspired would be at the top of the list. Later as I processed this image using DxO PhotoLab 4, I found another emotion as I was humming along to Roberta Flack's "the first time I ever I saw your face." I found both set of emotions describing the setting quite appropriate given the "grand" nature of this overlook in northern Arizona. So that's the feeling behind the image captured. For composing this image, I went with as wide of an angle as I could with this Nikkor lens I purchase a day prior in Flagstaff, while finding an opening that would allow me to bring out that grand and emotional feel. Some nearby trees were included to give a little bit of perspective to the more distant setting of the national park. I also angled my Nikon SLR camera slightly downward in order to bring the horizon up, create a more sweeping view, and bring out the eroded formations and prevent them from being flattened with a wide angle image. I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 4 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.

Mountain Peaks and Hillsides of Trees All Around (Big Bend National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: This was a view to the northeast while hiking back to the Chisos Basin after going to the South Rim earlier that morning. During the hike, one comes across rises and falls where one can seemingly see for miles an miles across the mountain peaks and valleys. This was a higher point where I just happen to be able to look other peaks of the Chisos Mountains like Casa Grande and Pulliam Peaks. I decided to include some of the nearby lush and vibrant greens of the nearby trees and bushes. For me, it felt like those mountain peaks where just beyond the rise to my front (which is just happened to feel like during the hike!). In the end, it was just one of the many beautiful and wild views of nature in Big Bend National Park that I've come across during my travels out to west Texas.

It Was Good Seeing Casa Grande Peak Again! (Big Bend National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A view looking to the northeast while hiking back to the Chisos Basin while hiking back from the South Rim. This was while on the Laguna Meadow Trail.