Utah Red Rocks

UtahRedRocks    along the Colorado River           June 28, 2017

Panoramic Shots Challenge

I have been playing these Gurushot's challenges for some time.  A couple times, I have encountered the same/similar challenges.  Since I am getting close to the Guru level (144635 points, with 150,000 needed) I am anxious to complete the goal.  There have been numerous changes on the system and many more photographers in the challenge.  All this, I am getting tired of the challenges.  Some of the requirements for "Guru" I achieved early, not sure I could get those acheivements these days.  So, I am looking forward to finished the system.

This week, I achieved (for the second time, with the same photos) "All-Star" level for my collection of Panoramic photos.  Here are my entrees...

MonumentValpan3t           Monument Valley 2

MechanicsCorral    Ruins of the Mechanics Corral at Fort Union, NM

MonumentValPan4t      Monumnet Valley

NeedlesPano              Needles section of Canyonlands National Park

Striking Compositions Challenge

Was not sure my photos would reach "All-Star" level in Gurushots "Striking Compositions Challenge".  With a day left in the challenge, my group of photos reached that level.  My selections are shown below.  As usual, photo files can be ordered by clicking on the "download" button beneath the photo.

AshlandOreDock             Now dismantled ore dock in Ashland, WI

TheWindow                Monument Valley Tribal Park, AZ/UT

ManyGlacierView                   Glacier National Park, MT

TetonBikeView                     Grand Teton Mountains view from the park's bicycle trail

Big Nature Challenge

Another Gugrushots collection has reached "All-Star" level.  This time in the "Big Nature Challenge:.  My entrees are below.  As usual, click on the "download" to get a photo file of the photo.

TheWindow      Monument Valley Tribal Park, AZ/UT

GrandCanyonS           South Rim of the Grank Canyon near Yampapa Point

Kodacrome      Kodachrome State Park, UT

PhotographingtheSplendor         Grand Teton National Patk, WY

On Two Wheels Challenge

It should be no surprise, with all of the photos of my bicycles on bike trails, my group of 4 photos reached the "All-Star" level in the Gurushots "On Two Wheels" Challenge.  Here ate the photos I submitted.  You can purchase a photo file of the photo by clicking on the "download" button.

TunnelD         Tunnel D on the Mickelson Trail in South Dakota

BikingtotTunnel2      Fog rolls out of tunnel 2 on the Elroy-Sparta State Trail in Wisconsin

BikeTrick      Somersault on a bicycle at exhibition by the Twin Cities Fun Factory at Cuyuna Mountain Bike Festival

ColoradoCrossing          Artistic reditoion of a photo of my road bike on the bridge across the Colorado River near Moab, Utah

Human Impact Challenge

Another of my photo collections have reached the "All-Star" ranking in Gurushots.  These are my selections in the "Human Impact Challenge".

Bingham Mine new Salt Lake City, UT   (BinghamMine)

Four Presidents - Mt. Rushmore Monument    (4Presidents)

Mine Ruins - Along the Alpine Loop near Animas Forks, CO.    (MineRuins)

Hoover Dam, Lake Meade,  Nevada/Arizona  (HooverDam)

WINNER - Gurushots - Raw Talent

This photo "The Window" I took in Monument Valley Tribal Park won as the top vote-getter in Gurushots Raw Talent Challenge.  the challenge was for photos as they came of ouf the camera, no post processing.


Canon EOS Rebel T1i with stock lens   f/6.3 at 1/80 sec    Program Mode  55.0mm  ISO 100

Road Less Traveled "All-Star" Collection

Another of my photo collections have reached the "All-Star" level in the Gurushots photography challenge.  The challenge is photos that depict the "Road Lass Traveled".  Below are my entrees.

MainStreetAmerica    Grayscale photo of Route 66 in Southern California

GrandWashRoad    Capital Reef National Park

RoadofGods     Road through Valley of the Gods, near Mexican Hat, Utah

BurrowsPark     Along Colorado's Alpine Loop Back Country Byway

My "All-Star" Photos

I have been participating some photography contests.  The "contests" are part of the Gurushots competition.  http://gurushots.com  The competition sets a "theme" for your photos.  This group was "Panoramics Challenge".  This was the first time my selection group hit the "All-Star" level.  Here are my entrees. 

MonumenValPan4t  -  Monument Valley Tribal ParkPark  -  Arizona/Utah

MonumentValPan3t  -   Monument Valley Tribal Park  -  Arizona/Utah

MechanicsCorralPano   Fort Union National Monument  -  New Mexico

NeedlesPano  -  Needles section of Canyonlands National Park  -  Utah

SanRafaelSwellBW

View of the San Rafael Swell along I-70 in Utah    January 28, 2015

Canon EOS 60D with Tamron 18-200mm lens   f/7.1 at 1/200 sec   Program Mode  28.0mm  ISO 100   Three bracketed exposures (+2.0, 0.0, -2.0 EV)   Processed from RAW and converted to grayscale by Photomatix Essentials 4 

CutonSanRafaelSwell

I-70 in Utah cut in the San Rafael Swell       January 28, 2015

Canon EOS 60D with Tamron 18-200mm lens   f/9.0 at 1/200 sec   Aperture Priority  18.0mm  ISO 100   Three bracketed exposures (+2.0, 0.0, -2.0 EV) Processed from RAW  by Photomatix Essentials 4 

Arches Lean

Entrance to Arches National Park.  Rode the road bike to this point from downtown Moab.  October 14, 2012

Canon PowerShot S95  f/5.6 at 1/640 sec   6.0mm  ISO 100  Three bracketed exposures (+2.33, 0.33, -1.67 EV) Processed from RAW by HDR Darkroom Pro 2.  Stylized by Topaz Glow

Twin Rocks

Twin Rocks formation near Blanding, UT   June 20, 2009

Canon EOS Rebel T1i with Canon 18-55mmIS lens  f/7.1 at 1/100 sec  Program Mode  43.0mm   ISO 100     Processed from RAW and tone balanced by HDR Darkroom 2 Pro and finished with Photoshop Elements 11 

The Window BW

"The Window" in Monument Valley Utah/Arizona    June 21, 2009

Canon EOS Rebel T1i with Canon 18-55IS lens  f/6.3 at 1/80 sec  Program Mode  55.0mm   ISO 100     Processed from RAW and tone balanced by HDR Darkroom 2 Pro.  Converted to grayscale and finished with Photoshop Elements 11 

Valley of Gods BW

Valley of the Gods near Mexican Hat, Utah    June 20, 2009

Canon EOS Rebel T1i with Canon 18-55IS lens  f/5.6 at 1/80 sec  Program Mode  33.0mm   ISO 100     Processed from RAW and tone balanced by HDR Darkroom 2 Pro.  Converted to grayscale and finished with Photoshop Elements 11 

SE Utah Formation

This SE Utah red rock formation is viewed from the Valley of the Gods scenic road near Mexican Hat, UT    June 20, 2009

Canon EOS Digital Rebel with Canon EF 75-300 (1.6 cf) lens  f/5.6 at 1/318 sec  205.0mm  ISO 200   Processed from RAW and tone balanced by HDR Darkroom 2 Pro. Further enhancement in Photoshop Elements 11

Mexican Hat

"Mexican Hat" rock formation for which the town of Mexican Hat, UT is named.  June 20, 2009

Canon EOS Digital Rebel with Canon EF 75-300 (1.6 cf) lens  f/8.0 at 1/501 sec  105.0mm  ISO 200   Processed from RAW and tone balanced by HDR Darkroom 2 Pro. Further enhancement in Photoshop Elements 11

Newspaper Rock

There are several "Newspaper Rock" sites.  This one is along the road to the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park, Utah.  10/16/12

Canon EOS Rebel T1i  f/8.0 at 1/20 sec  Aperture Priority  18.0mm  ISO 100  Three bracketed exposures (+2.0, 0.0, -2.0 EV) processed from camera RAW with HDR Darkroom Pro.  Further processing with PhotoShop Elements 9

Valley of the Gods

The Valley of the Gods is located near Mexican Hat, in SE Utah.  A short drive from its better known cousin Monument Valley.  The valley is accessed with a 17 mile gravel road between Utah 261 and US 163.  While you are on the area, stop by Goosenecks State Park just out of Mexican Hat at the junction of Utah routes 261 and 361.  Top it all up, when I was in the area in 2009, both Goosenecks and Valley of the Gods are free!  6/20/2009

Canon EOS Digital T1i   f/6.3 at 1/100 sec   35.0mm   ISO 100   Processed from camera RAW by Adobe Camera Raw and PhotoShop Elements 9.

 Canon EOS Digital T1i   f/8 at 1/100 sec   47.0mm   ISO 100   Processed from camera RAW by Adobe Camera Raw and PhotoShop Elements 9.  Converted to grayscale with Topaz Labs B&W Effects.

Goosenecks

Goosenecks State Park near Mexican Hat, Utah   6/20/09

Canon EOS Digital T1i   f/5.6 at 1/100 sec   18.0mm   ISO 100   Processed from camera RAW and tonemapped by Photomatix Essentials 3.  Further refinements by PhotoShop Elements 9