View allAll Photos Tagged kingofthehammers
Dialog on this area is with the previous image - Moon Rise over Johnson Valley.
Except for cropping to a 16X9 ratio, it is a full frame single exposure (with a polarizing filter) capture. Using a short telephoto perspective, the scene looks closer to real life (yes, it a little more compressed) verses a wider angle views. The problem is, you don't get a wider view as we see it. Panorama stitching is the answer, but I'm not setup for it "yet".
Post: Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, Color Efex Pro 4 (Lighten/Darken filter), Noiseless CK & Lightroom 5.
From a different point of view (and day) from "Detail, Johnson valley", I wanted to show that there is life in the desert. Small animals are hiding now, but not their footprints. Scrub plants put down roots in some imaginable places.
Image is from a single exposure and also utilizing a polarizing filter.
Post: Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, Nik Color Efex Pro 4 ( Darken/Lighten center filter - it's the only way I apply a vignette on images. It gives me maximum control.), Macphun Noiseless CK & Lightroom 5.
King of the Hammers #41 Check out the full series for off road racing, playing around and landscapes.
Was just playing around with a few iPhone shots after using the D810. The only pano that was taken was this one. Thought I would add it to the full collection from the King of the Hammers series. It just gives a different perspective to the area versus using a DSLR supper wide lens - minus spending big bucks for a fully loaded pano rig. Converting to monochrome gave the image more life, in lieu of the boring yellow/orange land and normal sky.
Post: Luminar & Lightroom 5.
King of the Hammers #34
Full dialog on the event is with the first images in the series.
Rough trail & speed = airborne
Post: Luminar & Lightroom 5
An overlooked image from Feb. 2014.
As mentioned in the dialog on the last image, I'm deleting a lot of unused old images. This one had the possibilities for story telling and a good composition. So, I played around with it for awhile after cropping (to 16X9 ratio) off the bottom half and using this part of the scene to work over.
Post: Luminar, Nik Color Efex Pro 4 & Lightroom 5.
King of the Hammers - #2
This is one way to find a spot for a possible landscape image of the valley. It was found by accident. While on our way back to Hammer Town after a long day, we saw a narrow, steep path going up the hill and decided to check it out. Net result was a posted Landscape from several taken - Greater Johnson Valley, and this image.
Single exposure, plus also using a polarizing filter.
Post: Nik Viveza 2, Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Macphun Noiseless CK & Lightroom 5.
King of the Hammers - #5
See "King of the hammers Week" #1 & "Moon Rise Over Johnson Valley" for dialog on the full series.
While off looking for photo opportunities, we ran into the BBC's Top Gear host Jason Berger and his crew, who were filming for a future episode on off road racing. According to one of the crew members, it's suppose to air in June or July. Just 3-images will be uploaded to give the viewer a quick look behind the scenes.
King of the Hammers - #6
See "Filming #1" for info on series.
Trust me, there was multiple runs to this rock area. Trying to get to the right spot and for various shots.
King of the Hammers #37
Similar to a couple of others in this location, just felt like putting it in - lots of dust/sand & closer. The hills and mountains in the background is an off road playground & sandbox.
Post: Luminar & Lightroom 5
King of the Hammers #28
Thought I would throw a curve ball and go monochrome. The "car" was mostly white anyway, besides the image looked better this way than in color. I did put a lot of time in processing this image, knowing that it is distend to be printed/framed & hung with some similar images.
For the viewers from monochrome, B&W etc. groups, this is part of a series of images from the "King of the Hammers" annual off road race, down in Johnson Valley, Mojave Desert. The first few images, in the series, are your traditional monochrome landscapes of the area.
King of the Hammers #23
Feb. 10th - Ultra 4's. A dialog on this class is with the first image of the entire series "Moon Rising over Johnson Valley". In a nut shell, must be 4-wheel drive & "Unlimited". In other words, if it's 4-wheel drive, can craw up major rocky ravines and run 100 mph+ over the desert floor, bring it on. They come in various sizes, shapes and major HP. This is one of the new "Cab Forward" designs.
King of the Hammers #21
Feb. 9th - Every Man Challenge. The rocky riven that I wrote about in image #19 is behind me. They had to stop to change the tire - 3 wheels don't cut it for rock crawling.
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
Means Dry Lake area in Johnson Valley Mojave Desert, CA
Home of the "King of the Hammers" off road yearly event.
Another forgotten image that needed new life. It looked like crap in color, so black and white to the rescue again. Normally I like using Nik Silver Efex 2 for B&W, however it just wasn't looking right to me. So as a test, off it went to Photomatix Pro single image HDR B&W. Don't remember what preset was used to start with, but after a few adjustments their and in Lightroom 5, this is what I ended up with. The biggest difference was how the Jeep turned out. It's dark green in color and had no life in it until using Photomatix. The rocks also took on a "shine" instead of being dull. There is some banding in the dark area in the sky that showed up in photostream - it's not in the original.
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
King of the Hammers - #16
See "Moon Rise..." for info on the series from the week long "King of the Hammers" event.
Just a bunch of friends having fun rock crawling, in the OHV rec. area called Johnson Valley. It's just the calm before the storm when the pro's take on bigger rocks than these.
Means Dry Lake area in Johnson Valley Mojave Desert, CA
Home of various off road events held several times during the year. My images are from the "King of the Hammers" end of the season final event. Practice and qualifying for all classes takes a few days, then the major event at the end of the week. 160+ miles, 3-laps with a course changes, terrain and elevation variables tossed in - plus a time limit . Hammer town (upper center left) grows from 0 to between 30K - 40K people in one week, then we all disperse. This is an international event that is broadcasted live world wide. Described as "The most grueling one day race on the planet", is not a joke. Very few finish (less than 20%) in the approximate 14hr. time limit. Most break down, but a few will tough it out, and finish in the wee hours of the morning. The Pro level is like NASCAR Sprint Cup on steroids, and is taken just as seriously by the teams and sponsors. For those that are interested, you can go on line and look up "King of The Hammers", for more information.
All images (see album) were processed with various software to vary the look and feel that they convey. Some were done more than one way, just to play around and try new things. Photomatix Pro, Nik Software & Lightroom 5 are the only software that I use. I do not have, or use, Photoshop. Thank you for stopping by and looking at my images. All images in the series are single exposure.
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
King of the Hammers #8
Many of of the spectators who came to the "King of the Hammers" event, also came to enjoy this vast OHV (off highway vehicle) recreation area. That also includes going where few people dare with their store bought vehicles. Nope, only specially equipped Jeeps, trucks etc., built at home or in a shop, dare take on this type of terrain. Of course all of that sand on the rocky mass doesn't help either. Keep going to see what happens next and next etc.
King of the hammers #40
A dialog in the last image, I said "it" was the last image on the series. Forgot about this one - Hammer Town. Population 0 to 60K+ to 0 in two weeks. Want to find your RV, a tracking GPS is the only way, unless you have one hell of a memory. Image #1 shows the one we used, pinning the location of the RV.
The Every Man Challenge race was going on, and very little wind today. From a photographers point of view, it was a bitch to shoot in - think trash can for a lot of shots.
Thanks again for viewing/committing the images in this series. There is another Album for years 2014/5 on this event. Very different style and type of photos back then.
King of the Hammer #32
See "Moon Rise...." (first image in the series) for full dialog on the event.
This event was televised world wide, using choppers and drones. A couple of previous images had them charging and tossing sand. They were heading towards and up this hill.
Post: Luminar & Lightroom 5.
King of the Hammers is considered the toughest one-day off-road race in the world. It is the largest off-road race event in North America in terms of both competitors and spectators. It combines desert racing and rock crawling, and has expanded from one race to a series of 5 races held throughout the week that take place each February on BLM-manged public lands in Johnson Valley, California.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Dreon.
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Jason Carner in the Miller Welders Special. Chocolate Thunder climb section. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
King of the Hammers - #3
OK, here we go with the real action during the week long event - home built out for fun, all out racing & other stuff.
For full dialog on "King of the Hammers" go to image #1 or "Moon Rise over Johnson Valley".
The 7th was for qualifying in the 4400, 4500 & 4800 classes on the "Short Course ". Don't worry, they are built for this - landed just fine and kept on going.
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Chocolate Thunder climb section. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Parking lot. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
King of the Hammers is considered the toughest one-day off-road race in the world. It is the largest off-road race event in North America in terms of both competitors and spectators. It combines desert racing and rock crawling, and has expanded from one race to a series of 5 races held throughout the week that take place each February on BLM-manged public lands in Johnson Valley, California.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Dreon.
King of the Hammers is considered the toughest one-day off-road race in the world. It is the largest off-road race event in North America in terms of both competitors and spectators. It combines desert racing and rock crawling, and has expanded from one race to a series of 5 races held throughout the week that take place each February on BLM-manged public lands in Johnson Valley, California.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Dreon.
King Of The Hammers, 2012. Johnson Valley, California. Parking lot. Photography © Daniel Simon. www.danielsimon.com
King of the Hammers is considered the toughest one-day off-road race in the world. It is the largest off-road race event in North America in terms of both competitors and spectators. It combines desert racing and rock crawling, and has expanded from one race to a series of 5 races held throughout the week that take place each February on BLM-manged public lands in Johnson Valley, California.
Photo courtesy of Nicole Dreon.