Brad Becker
October 2025 - Ascent
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About the Image(s)
This image started as a blending of two late night images taken during the "Northern Lights" that happened a couple years ago, Being the dedicated photographer I am I headed to the hills at 2:30 am to capture the lights and only saw a dark foggy sky. I liked the atmospheric conditions and made the best of them. After blending two different angles together and then working with vibrance I added a bird to imply a story.
7 comments posted
-- and an enchanting story it is, Brad, with the calm hopeful mood! I think that your nighttime efforts ended up with something more rare and precious than the Northern Lights, especially Orig .1 is a treasure of its own. - I just love the luminous mist that blends in pastel colors into the starry sky, and the clever way you used the depths of field to create a three-dimensional scene to walk into. Posted: 10/16/2025 04:40:14
Kirsti, Thank you. I did feel disappointed by the lack of northern lights but was pleased with the atmospheric lighting I found. I have to admit at 3 in the morning I almost expected to see a ghost. Posted: 10/19/2025 22:37:23
So well put together, Brad. You really did make the best of the foggy images that night. The image has that moody feel drawing in the viewer. The bird adds a thoughtful subject leaping into the frame. Looking at your original, the bird is closer to the ground and I wonder if that would be a more realistic placement? But, I also like the way the bird's head is placed against the horizon. Well done! Posted: 10/17/2025 11:11:21
Matt, Thanks for your feedback. I did explore various positions and chose it a little higher up as it suggested something hopeful to me. Posted: 10/19/2025 22:38:24
I love your landscape in this image, Brad. The fog is so soft, and I love the way it dissipates as the stars are revealed. The coloring is magnificent. The horizontal lines of the bushes and the fence give me such a feeling of peace. There's a great feeling of depth and layers in the setting. I think having the color fade out towards the foreground enhances the feeling of depth.
I understand why you added the bird but for me its energy seems out of sync with this incredibly peaceful scene. I wish it was an owl sitting on a stump, or maybe a cow or horse with its head tilted inquisitively towards the hill. Just a thought.
Posted: 10/17/2025 17:42:41
I understand why you added the bird but for me its energy seems out of sync with this incredibly peaceful scene. I wish it was an owl sitting on a stump, or maybe a cow or horse with its head tilted inquisitively towards the hill. Just a thought.
Posted: 10/17/2025 17:42:41
Peggy, Yes, I thought about using an owl. I only have one image of an owl in my collection, and it didn't work. Ultimately I settled on this bird as it suggested a feel of hope, even though it is a bit out of place (although the sand hill cranes do frequent this part of the world, just not at 3 am. Posted: 10/19/2025 22:40:42
Hi Brad,
Your blending is always admirable. I love the feeling in this image, with the sparkling stars in the sky and the foggy atmosphere on the ground. The colour gradation and the different layers of vegetation are beautifully complemented by the bird and its position. The dynamic pose of the bird contrasts nicely with the calm night ambiance. Posted: 10/21/2025 13:45:14
Your blending is always admirable. I love the feeling in this image, with the sparkling stars in the sky and the foggy atmosphere on the ground. The colour gradation and the different layers of vegetation are beautifully complemented by the bird and its position. The dynamic pose of the bird contrasts nicely with the calm night ambiance. Posted: 10/21/2025 13:45:14