Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

Slot canyons such as Antelope Canyon in Arizona can be a fun subject for we photographers, and although I enjoy shooting these sites, I wanted to go for a composition that was not the typical "shaft of sunlight" that I have seen many times before. On my last trip into the Southwest, I hired a guide to take me into a canyon new to me, Canyon X. The shot presented here is from that outing.

The image is presented with a mockup of the matting and frame approach I intend for the final print.

Have at it! :D

Canyon X

(Download)

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Its got it all my man superb color expert technique in taking and processing. The diagonal leading line will have the poetically inclined along with fresh users of the "Cliches for Dummies" book positively orgasmic. Be interesting to see what the light at the end of the tunnel effect reminds em of.
To my untrained permanently bloodshot eyes its perfect fella.

Now a straight talking request. You are a Pro or as near as damn it. I think all should be encouraged to post and I wish more with your skills would post regularly as a lot can be learnt from guys like you. But I do not see you commenting on other images? Your eye your experience and knowledge would be of great value,of that Im convinced. In effect you do not need a total hack like me massaging your ego when you post your superb work but a few words of wisdom and gentle advice on the second rate garbage I put up for criticism would help me a great deal as it would many others
Before you answer the excuse of no time will not be listened too nor will the wish not to offend anyone. I do it daily and live to tell the tale.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Jim, as is often the case with your submissions , serious lessons in the role and creative potential of matting / franing are to be learned. In this case I especially appreciate that the matting emphasizes the crucial role that second...amd third...and greater generations of bounced tones of illumination play in defining the eroded edges of the fine sedimentary laminations...even on the most deeply shadowed surfaces. Perhap more than I've ever experienced in any other slot canyo image i am consciously struck by the total,absence of a straight line and of a flat plane. For a graphic artist /draughtsman to render such a scene would be a doctoral dissertation on use of "French Curves". This in an image easy to be involved in for a long time.
the paramount role of the diagonal in this composition has been mention but without, I fear, sufficient serious acknowledgment of its strong role here.
Your management of dynamic range and tonal spectrum is astounding...truly admirable.
Thanks for the tutilage.

Dave

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Excellent composition and capture. Beautiful post processing. I like the "digital framing" as well.
I certainly approve of this idea for large print & framing.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Wow! Absolutely gorgeous. Great flow of the image lower left to upper right, wonderful texture and color. I immediately see a bird with a glowing object in its beak. I would have to name it Raven Steals The Sun and sell it for more millions than Peter Lik's Ghost, it is a better image with far more magic in it, and the magic is native. The ghost in Lik's photo looks concocted.

I would probably try to get the blue dot out of the sunburst, but you may want it there and it is your image! (Maybe is is a duck with a diamond instead of Raven).

Good framing/matte choices also.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Good Heavens, Minniev,
Now I can't look at it without seeing "Raven Steals the Sun".
Amazing!!
Yes...I've been back to admire this one more than a few times.

Dave