Nature created this artwork of rock and icicles. Drops of water drip from the limestone platform, starting their long, hazardous journey. The falling drops dynamize the composition, balancing it thanks to their situation within the frame. Numerous photos were taken until I got the ideal position of the drops in each segment. The increase in ISO made it easier to use a high exposure speed which allowed the drops to be captured more sharply.

Processed in batches in Lightroom, corrections of color and contrasts. Edited in Photoshop bringing the files together in a panorama using “photomerge” with perspective correction.

SIERRA SEGURA

Panoráma 6 photos, Full frame, 105mm, F:10, 1/2000 s, 1600 ISO, polarizer

For snow tunnels from this perspective I recommend applying the rule of thirds; one third earth and water and two thirds snow. In this case I’m missing a bit; after taking several images to put them together in a panorama I dropped the camera in the water. I had to search for it in the water for several minutes. When I took it out it already had water and bubbles inside the screen display. After drying it, I turned it on after a few days, and it worked again as if nothing had happened, probably because the mineral content in the melt water is quite low.

Processed in Camera Raw, corrections of color and contrasts. Edited in Photoshop, “photomerge” to join the five images, perspective correction using “warp”.

Sierra Nevada

Pano 5 photos, Camera APS-C, 10 mm, F:11, 1/6 s, 100 ISO, polarizer, 2 umbrellas

Balance between black and white where flow and resistance come together in harmony, as if they were the “Yin and Yang” that they somehow are. The lines bring great dynamism to the scene, the mound with the curved lines is of great importance. Its location in the area of “the thirds” also balances the whole.

Processed in Camera Raw, first color and contrast adjustments. Edited in Photoshop, “photomerge” to join the three images, adjustment of perspective with “warp”, recovery of details in the whites using “levels” and “lights/shades”, removal of the dominant blue in “selective correction”.

Sierra de Segura

Panorama of 3 photos, Full frame, 62 mm, F:14,  1/160 s, 100 ISO, polarizer

Here is another landscape reflecting the meeting of humans and nature, with its open field and trees, white and pink, suns and shadows. Once again we have the task of creating a selection of balance and harmony, looking for the right moment in terms of light and shadows, as well as where to start and finish the setting, “cutting” the trees, as little as possible.

Processed in Camera Raw, first corrections of color and contrast. Edited in Photoshop, “photomerge” to join the two images, correction of colors; “separating” the pinks from the whites, cropping the image for the book size and using the “Blow Up” plug-in to increase the focus and resolution of the file for the format of this publication.

Las Alpujarras

Panorama of 2 photos, Full frame, 60mm, F:16, 1/20 s, 125 ISO, polarizer

A scene that inspired in me a sense of balance and harmony  between humanity and nature, the different colors of the earth, pink and white almond blossoms and also the confluence of the hills, the ploughed furrows and the patches of Mediterranean forest. The difficult thing is to decide where the photo begins and ends. I tried to avoid to “cut” the trees at the edges more than necessary.

Processed in Camera Raw, first color and contrast adjustments. Edited in Photoshop, adjusting colors with a local selection, separating the pinks from the whites since the sensor of my camera confused them.

Las Alpujarras

Camera APS-C, 46 mm, F:9, 1/60 s, 100 ISO s, polarizer

Grains grew after heavy autumn rains, creating a surprising panorama for one of the driest places in Europe. Cabo de Gata is, apart from being a beautiful, natural volcanic area, a place of great ethnographic value generated by the people of the area in their struggle to survive the harsh conditions of the terrain. They gave the landscape a bucolic touch, almost zen, with their farms and houses with flat roofs, terraces, palm trees, agaves and prickly pears, windmills and cisterns.

Processed in Camera Raw. Edited in Photoshop, mounting the panoramic file by using “photomerge”, moderate croppings and perspective adjustment, cloning electricity lines, with the “clone stamp” tool.

Cabo de Gata

Panorama of 4 photos, Full frame, 55mm, f:11, 1/450 s, 200 ISO, polarizer

An emblematic place in the middle of a storm, with colors, shapes, textures and agitated waters evoking the volcanic past of this place. When looking for the ideal composition it is interesting to try to shoot with different exposure times to find the desired texture of the water. In my case I had suffered a fall and couldn’t use one of my hands. I needed the other both to hang on to the rock and to keep my equipment safe from the big waves. As the ergonomics of my camera do not allow me to change the ISO without using both hands, I could only use a relatively slow speed.

Processed in Camera Raw, contrast corrections, retrieving details in shadows, applying a slight gradient. Edited in Photoshop, adjusting the last settings, moderate cropping.

Cabo de Gata

Full frame, 24 mm F:11, 2 s, 200 ISO, polarizer.

The rock flows with its peculiar forms in a place of fragile beauty; it looks like the ridges of a huge dinosaur. A light with warm and pink tones, a less evident beauty but more subtle than the contrasting light of the sunset, became visible during the “alpine glow” after sunset. When composing, I included a counterweight element in the foreground, in contrast to the downward flow of the rocks.

Processed in Camera Raw, contrast corrections, retrieving details in the shadows. Edited in Photoshop, smoothing contrasts and recovering details in both dark and light areas with “levels” and “shadows/highlights”. Cropping, perspective adjustment and slight tilting of the frame to minimize the presence of an annoying track at the background.

Desierto de Tabernas

Full frame, 42 mm, F:14, 0,8 s, 100 ISO, polarizer

As if it were a tsunami of a well-known Japanese work of art, a great imaginary wave rises over an illusory sea, carved in stone by the rise and fall of the waves. At the time of composing I included some small stones to indicate the size of the setting. Since they are very small, they enhance the wave in its greatness. The somewhat zenithal point of view has also contributed to create depth and height in the shot.

Processed in Camera Raw, first corrections of lights and contrasts and color. Edited in Photoshop, adjusting the composition with a slight trimming and selective corrections of colors and lights, with “color balance” and “selective correction” to separate the wave from its background.

Costa cantábrica

Full frame, 44 mm, F:16, 1/5 s, 100 ISO, polarizer

Here a beautiful set of lines tinged by the reflection of the last sun rays on a nearby stone with a striking golden color. I chose to use the polarizer, but at a minimum intensity, to maintain the reflection on the water and simplify the image, emphasizing the textures of the currents. The floating foam at the top reveals some clue about the size of the whole.

Processed in Camera Raw, slight contrast and color corrections. Edited in Photoshop, cropping the image, smoothing the dominating yellow and highlighting the non-yellow elements of the composition with “selective correction”.

Río Tinto

Full Frame, 400 mm f:29, 200 ISO y 1/5 s, polarizer