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Denali Fall Colors
by Mark ~ September 26th, 2009. Filed under: Destinations, landscape, nature photography, travels.
Denali Fall Color
For the past few years, it seems whenever I took a fall color trip – I was a bit early, or a bit late. The colors are always nice, but you miss that absolute peak time.
As I mentioned in my previous post, my Alaska trip started out in Cantwell – primarily for its closeness to Denali. (Thanks Doug). Since I have never been to Denali before, and certainly don’t know what it looks like week to week, I don’t know if this represents peak color or not. But man, if this isn’t peak, I think I would need to take some tranquilizers seeing it peak.
Denali National Park simply had some gorgeous scenery. It just wasn’t this particular view. Imagine spinning around 360 degrees and seeing this type of view.
We seemed to hit a good weather time as well. Temps in the 60s (deg. F) here, but this past week seems it is now hovering around freezing with snow starting.
This image is another 5 exposure blend, using Photomatix, some additional processing in Lightroom, and then to Photoshop for some adjustments with Luminosity Masks. I think the exposure blend combined with the luminosity masks added a lot of drama here – but certainly the clouds hugging the hillsides helped as well as the color of course. I was surprised by how many dust spots I had to clean out of the sky. I had just cleaned my camera’s sensor prior to this trip, and have come to the conclusion that Nikon’s sensor cleaning on the D700 isn’t worth much.
September 26th, 2009 at
Wow – that is stunning, Mark! I’d say you had pretty good luck with the timing this year!
I know what you mean about the dust – I swear my 5D Mk II’s sensor actually generates dust, or perhaps channels it from some tiny wormhole in a distant galaxy… :^D
- Jack
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September 26th, 2009 at
Fantastic work!
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September 27th, 2009 at
I remember when I got my 5D back in 2006 and thinking the same thing about the dust. I guess full-frame sensors are just asking for it, even today. Anyway, glad you got some great weather and fall color on your trip. Can’t wait to see more.
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September 27th, 2009 at
Wow. That is simply awe-inspiring. We were too early for the fall color on our trip. Be assured Canon’s sensor cleaning isn’t worth a dime either!
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September 27th, 2009 at
Wow…absolutely stunning! I know what you mean about missing fall colors, too. I found that (where I lived in Canada,) peak colors happened around my birthday in mid-Oct. However, one good wind before then would blow all of those pretty leaves off the trees. So many factors to consider in catching Autumn’s peak!
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September 27th, 2009 at
WOW!!! WOW!!! The colors are just fabulous, Mark. The five-image HDR composite is an absolute home run. And I would be remiss if I didn’t add that the composition is superb. Love the layers of color moving front to back.
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September 27th, 2009 at
Thanks all. I must admit this is one that I may print big. Seems only fitting for a scene like this.
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September 28th, 2009 at
Oooh color overload! WOW, that sure is a pretty sight! Seems like your timing was spot on.
Stupid question, but…how do I get my gravatar to show here?
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Mark Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at
Amber, I think it needs to be on gravatars.com, and thanks.
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September 28th, 2009 at
[...] Excerpt from: Graf Nature Photography | Notes from the woods » Denali Fall Colors [...]
September 28th, 2009 at
This is simply stunning! All those amazing colours just calls for eyes sensor overwarming:D Together with this wonderful landscape it calls for overwarming the “pleasure centre” in the brain
I think that we can hardly be more warmed up by those 3 images that you shown us so far so don’t wait longer and give us some more 
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Mark Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at
Thank you Tomas. I still have many more to edit and picking some favorites along the way.
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September 29th, 2009 at
You must have gotten in a special order for weather and color. Congratulations. Yes, if this isn’t the peak of color, how could anyone survive the peak? You continue to make HDR look better and better all the time. This photo has everything and then some and each element in exactly the right place and precisely the right proportion. Beautifully done. As always, I admire how you make this sort of thing look as though anyone could do it.
I am interested in the failure of so many sensor cleaning devices. I must be incredibly lucky with my Canons.
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Mark Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at
Thanks Anita. Maybe I wasn’t as careful with lens changes, which I was doing a lot – and that perhaps contributed. As far as the HDR blend – it really isn’t too difficult. I think the hard part is balancing too much vs. just right.
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September 30th, 2009 at
Fall colors indeed, striking image. Sorry to hear about the D700’s dust issues, a bit dissappointing. More work for you.
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Mark Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at
Thanks Paul.
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October 1st, 2009 at
Amazing shot..great processing
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Mark Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at
Thanks Howard.
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October 4th, 2009 at
Hey Mark,
Yep – that’s fall, alright!
The colors can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, I find. There was a couple of day this year when I simply pointed my camera at everything, the colors were so intense it just seemed like everything in sight should have been photographed .. still blows me away when I see it.
Great shot.
Cheers
Carl
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October 7th, 2009 at
Stunning work!! It looks like you really made the most of your time up there! I can’t wait to see more of your bears!!
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Mark Reply:
October 7th, 2009 at
Thanks Rebecca. The bear posts will start soon.
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October 8th, 2009 at
Stunning colors!
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