Why Isn't It as Colorful in Person?
This is, of course, the Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park.
As I was joined by a small group of people attempting to capture some magic at sunset, here, a young mom, who clearly had endured a long day with her very young kids in tow asked me, "Why isn't it as colorful in person?"
I explained that the colors here typically pop during the height of the day, because of the way the mineral deposits catch the light, and that photographers in the evening rely on much longer shutter speeds to allow for the color to saturate their images. This example is a 9-image panorama with each image a minimum of 15 seconds in duration. The human eye simply won't pick up this much color at dusk.
The microbial mat is what brings out the most color in this, the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world. During the summer the mats are redder, in the winter they can be dark green. The steam and water in the center are blue because of its sterility caused by the extreme temperatures.
This is why I try to capture these images and share them with my friends, family, and as broad a distribution as possible...the camera catches what is there, but not easily seen. I find it a joy to see them and hope others do, too.
Why Isn't It as Colorful in Person?
This is, of course, the Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park.
As I was joined by a small group of people attempting to capture some magic at sunset, here, a young mom, who clearly had endured a long day with her very young kids in tow asked me, "Why isn't it as colorful in person?"
I explained that the colors here typically pop during the height of the day, because of the way the mineral deposits catch the light, and that photographers in the evening rely on much longer shutter speeds to allow for the color to saturate their images. This example is a 9-image panorama with each image a minimum of 15 seconds in duration. The human eye simply won't pick up this much color at dusk.
The microbial mat is what brings out the most color in this, the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world. During the summer the mats are redder, in the winter they can be dark green. The steam and water in the center are blue because of its sterility caused by the extreme temperatures.
This is why I try to capture these images and share them with my friends, family, and as broad a distribution as possible...the camera catches what is there, but not easily seen. I find it a joy to see them and hope others do, too.