09-01-10 – Waterscapes

CauseISaidSo, what’s the road like to Toroweap? I’ve always wanted to go there, and the opportunity may present itself next year. I assume you camped there?

Awesome shot.

Thanks much!

Alas, we did not camp there. I’d love to go back and do it, though. We stayed in a campground close to the north rim (near where the big fire was a couple years later, this was 2004) and drove there one day, spent a few hours, had lunch and drove back. Of all the places I want to go back to after getting a DSLR, that’s #1 or 2.

This was in July. The road wasn’t too bad. It’s about 60 miles, but it will take you at least two hours. There are places where you could go 45-50 (but not many), and there were LOTS of places that were pretty severe washboards and you’d beat yourself to near death doing 20-25.

I took it in a 4WD Suburban without any problem. Didn’t require 4WD at all just getting to Toroweap, but I did use it briefly going to the place nearby (I want to say it was called Vulcan’s Throne.) It was pretty dry when we did it, but I could see 4WD coming in handy if it was wet or muddy.

And finally, if the opportunity even comes near your neighborhood, grab it! We spent about 4-5 hours there and there was exactly one other car that showed up the entire time (and they left after about an hour). You can see and “feel” the Grand Canyon like you can’t anywhere else (that I’ve been) – no guard rails, no crowds, no donkey trails and their leavings. The only man-made items are an outhouse, a picnic table, and 9 primitive campfire rings. Plus I think it’s supposed to be one of the only places on public land on the north rim where you can clearly see the Colorado.

Zero Exponent‘s waterfall is amazing, but I so would have saved that for upcoming V,M, & Waterfalls (if it were mine–but I voted for it just the same–lovely shot. There’s tons of lovely shots this time.)

Thanks for the Kudos, ‘Cause.

Here’s a b-side I forgot about: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orionid/3348371690/
I didn’t know anything about shooting in raw, or much about post-processing other than curves and hue/sat back then, but I may try forcing some tonemapping in this one, just to see how it looks.

Also: Really good stuff in the b-sides to everyone. Glad I wasn’t the only one cringing as I x’d out some of the runners-up.

*sigh* the voters hate me. I know, I know, the competition is fierce this week. Actually, I knew I was screwed before I finished posting my pix. *sigh*

I’m too stubborn to quit, even if 18 of my last 30 contests have been below my av points/entry evar. Suck suck suck. =( Oh well, as Dori says: just keep swimming, just keep swimming…

*sigh* the voters hate me. I know, I know, the competition is fierce this week. Actually, I knew I was screwed before I finished posting my pix. *sigh*

I’m too stubborn to quit, even if 18 of my last 30 contests have been below my av points/entry evar. Suck suck suck. =( Oh well, as Dori says: just keep swimming, just keep swimming…

I’m with you on the low end of the votes. I will never figure out what the voters want. so I will just enter the Pictures I like and hope I catch the publics eye with one someday.

Do people not even look at the rules on the Main page?
Barret7sc Quote 2010-09-02 12:58:03 PM Vote
Fall Creek, Idaho
Does it count if my wife took the photo?

Its the second line for cripes sake

The term “landscape” doesn’t require a horizontally oriented image. It’s true that a lot of landscape paintings and photos happen to be horizontally oriented, but it’s not a requirement.

Per Wikipedia’s entry…et al.” .

True. And I didn’t rule out vertically orientated shots (I voted for many of them). But per Kestrana‘s:

For the inevitable question: landscape; (n.) 1. An expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view: a desert landscape. 2. A picture depicting an expanse of scenery.

My criteria emphasized on the ‘expanse of scenery’ aspect. I didn’t wikipedia the topic, or otherwise try to justify the multitude of ‘angles’ the theme could take (elsewise, I’d have selected different pictures.) An ocean is an expanse, indeed…but not very scenic, in my perception. I looked for background context, or at least foreground.

I’m just a lowly single voter, and gawd knows I may be/can be/often am wrong, but I tried to vote within what I perceived to be the theme, as stated here. If I’m wrong, then the voters will ‘say’ so. And indeed, for a number of shots in the top 10, I’m wrong. NBD. I was just sayin’, so to speak.