This isn't my usual subject, but last fall I visited the Blue Ridge Mountains and as I was making my last pass on the Blue Ridge Parkway I witnessed these beautiful cloud formations above the mountains right before sundown.

-- Donna P. Bollenbach (cassidy@icubed.net), November 06, 1999

Answers

First of all I should have said right AFTER sundown and secondly I was reminiscing and forgot to give any specifications. This was taken with my Nikon F90x, my Nikon 300 ED AF lens on Kodak E100SW film. For those who are more familiar with the Parkway, it was taken at the first overpass just south of Crabtree Falls (It was on the west side of the road). I had just emerged from hiking to the falls when I had to jump in my truck and stop at the first overpass to photograph sundown. Donna

-- Donna P. Bollenbach (cassidy@icubed.net), November 06, 1999.

The sky is attractive but the foreground sillhouete doesn't really have any interest, I would have included less of it. Something with a more broken outline e.g pine trees would work better, or you could find an area where a nd grad could be used so that some foreground detail (in shades of black and grey)is possible .

-- jason elswortth (jason.elsworth@xrtra.co.nz), November 06, 1999.

Very nice soft pastel colors in the sky, if it was mine I would crop about 1/4 in below the tree line on the right hand side, straight across to the left side, which leaves enough of the dark mountain and trees to lend emphasis to the sky. Pat

-- pat j. krentz (krentz@cci-29palms.com), November 06, 1999.

I agree with the cropping suggestions, but am a bit disturbed by the unattractive artefact along the skyline. It looks like excessive sharpening during the editing process?

-- Gordon Richardson (gordonr@iafrica.com), November 08, 1999.

Thanks for the comments on ths Sunset over Black Ridge Mountains. I agree that cropping out some of the silohetted mountains would emphasise the sky more. Gordon, with regards to the halo along the tree line, it is in the original and a true part of this scene. The sun was below the moutains at this point, but still bright enough to light up the clouds and rim light the slopes. Thanks again, Donna

-- Donna P. Bollenbach (cassidy@icubed.net), November 10, 1999.

The sky is fantastic! It could use some foreground interest, maybe a silhouetted pine tree or something. The edge effect from the diffraction of sunlight over the ridge is interesting.

-- Alan Davenport (w7apd@arrl.net), November 11, 1999.

A beautiful image. I agree that the image looks much better if U eliminate about 1/2 of the foreground. Bahman.

-- Bahman Farzad (exposeit-right@spotmetering.com), November 13, 1999.