Chopper Bill Loc: East Tennessee

Thank you Mr. Bill, Blair Shaw Jr., and Jeff Davidson for your kind words.

Thank you Luen, your are right. I got up at 4:00AM, drove 100 miles, hiked a quarter mile in the dark only to find I was the third photographer there. Fortunately I was able to get a good spot anyway. Many of the others who showed up were very rude. After the sun passed above the horizon they left. I suggested to the other nice people that they should wait a minute. I shared my spot for the second picture with them.

Dr. Nikon, you nailed it. The contrast between the rising sun and the deep shadow on my side of the arch was extreme. The 14 stops of latitude on my D800 allowed me to expose for the highlights and then pump up the shadow detail to achieve that balance. Camera Raw in Photoshop is a tool I use on every photograph. I've been shooting Nikons since 1968 and set up my first darkroom in 1970. Digital is so much easier.

Here's one more I shot before walking very far away. I felt like I was on another planet.

Dr.Nikon Loc: Honolulu Hawaii

14 stops of latitude .., even though I went on to a D810 and then D850 ....there was something about my D800E that was special .., I should have kept it as a back up ....

DickC Loc: NE Washington state

Very nice photos, thanks for sharing!!