The Chocolate Drops +Edit

[AlanLichty]

I was playing around with restoring elderly captures that in this case are technically antiques since this one was shot 51 years ago in 1975. I made a bad decision to try shooting Agfachrome 64 slide film that summer since there have been some color shifts in the slides over the years before I finally scanned them. Properly resurrecting them has been challenging.

This scene is from the trail leading down into the Maze in Canyonlands looking out towards the formation known as The Chocolate Drops.

C&C always welcome.

Edit - added more blue to the sky as per Jim's suggestion. I think I like this better.

 

[Michael13]

Looks like you could easily get lost in the canyon bottoms if not for the distinct landmarks on the tops of the rims! Looks unbearably hot in this capture.

 

[JimFox]

Now that's a fun challenge Alan. And that's a fun location that not many people get out to. I wonder if selecting the sky and then using a slight cyan or blue filter just to get a little more blue out of the sky? Just a small amount as too much would look fake, but I think a little could tease a little life out of the sky.

 

[AlanLichty]

Looks like you could easily get lost in the canyon bottoms if not for the distinct landmarks on the tops of the rims! Looks unbearably hot in this capture.

Thanks Michael - Edward Abbey made a lot of noise about getting lost in the canyons but there is a simple path to consider in that the trailhead is downstream from everything else you see in this scene. No matter how deep you go into the side canyons you can always get back by observing the wash for the direction of the flow and head downstream. It can definitely get rather warm in mid summer around this place although it wasn't all that hot the day I took this. It's worth noting that my perception of hot was relative at the time and I had been living/working in Canyonlands for over a month when I visited the Maze.

 

[AlanLichty]

Now that's a fun challenge Alan. And that's a fun location that not many people get out to. I wonder if selecting the sky and then using a slight cyan or blue filter just to get a little more blue out of the sky? Just a small amount as too much would look fake, but I think a little could tease a little life out of the sky.

Thanks Jim - the Maze is a lot less remote than it used to be. Ben made it out there not long before he passed and had to make reservations months in advance to score a camp spot attesting to the fact that it's a popular destination these days.

I had actually added a fair amount of blue to the original in my post but went back to go even farther in a new edit above and I like this better. Nice suggestion.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

I like the edit with the sky more interesting. A place I haven't been to, looks interesting.

 

[AlanLichty]

I like the edit with the sky more interesting. A place I haven't been to, looks interesting.

Thanks Jameel - the sky was pretty washed out with the color shifts in the original slide but it did work out with the recovery. It's pretty far off the beaten path with high clearance 4WD strongly recommended along with carrying extra fuel. As of when Ben visited a few years back reservations are required.