For special access to VAST photos before they open to the public, click here to become a VAST Insider.
620 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Manhattan, New York City
Created from 105 individual exposures taken over many hours, "New York Transitions I" captures the dawn of a new day in New York City. I wanted to portray the magic of the skyline at both nighttime and daytime in a single image so I planned to create a VAST photo that transitioned from night to day as you move from left to right in the image. Furthermore, I wanted to create the photo at a special time when the city looked particularly radiant, so I waited for a snowstorm to gild the city in white...
Heavy clouds thick with snow blanketed the sky on an unusually cold morning. After reviewing the forecast for many inches of snow followed by a sudden clearing of the sky at night, I decided to prepare for a photoshoot of the city from the top of one of the tallest buildings between downtown Manhattan and the iconic Midtown Manhattan skyline.
As the day turned to night, the snow continued falling, coating the usually-dark rooftops of the city with a sheen of white powder. Then, in a matter of minutes, the snow ceased and the clouds whisked away to the east, leaving a perfectly clear sky. The moonlight sparkled off of the snow-covered buildings and the clear atmosphere provided amazing views for miles in every direction. The city stretched before me, filled with glowing windows, energetic arterial avenues, and Saturday-evening festivities.
Reveling in the scene, I began exposing the long-exposure images that make up the left-side nighttime portions of the final photo. The fervor of cars racing up the avenues into the heart of the city rendered a beautiful glow on the buildings. Over the course of two hours, I meticulously recorded every last high resolution detail of this nighttime winter wonderland using a long telephoto lens mounted on my Canon 5Ds which I rotated using an extremely precise gimbal.
The sky began to illuminate with the faint glow of the swiftly oncoming sunrise and so I started shooting the regions of the image to be used for the center and right sections of the final photo. The sky grew brighter with each passing minute, casting the entire city in a heavenly light. Complementing this were the typically-drab rooftops that were now now shining with their thick coats of bright white snow. A handful of cars meandered up 6th avenue, some early-risers strolled down the West Village's sidewalks, and plumes of steam danced from faraway rooftops. The storm had quieted some of the usual activity, so the city was even more peaceful than it normally is on a Sunday morning.
As sunrise transitioned to daytime, I wrapped up shooting the very far-right sections of the image and packed up my equipment. Then began the long process of stitching and blending the 105 raw images into a final polished VAST photo. No detail was left untouched during this arduous process that took me well over 100 hours due to the exceptionally high resolution of the photo's canvas.
It was time well spent because the clarity of the final VAST photo cannot be overstated. Buildings many miles away are clearly visible; tiny details such as people walking down the sidewalks are easily discernible; fascinating rooftop structures covered in snow drifts are revealed in striking resolution; facades of numerous architectural masterpieces such as the Empire State Building are exquisitely rendered; and the diverse characters of famous New York neighborhoods like the West Village, Chelsea, SoHo, and Gramercy can be palpably felt.
Details like these fill every nook of this VAST photo, nestled among the melodic rhythm of the city's iconic skyline transitioning from night to day.
Created from 105 individual exposures taken over many hours, "New York Transitions I" captures the dawn of a new day in New York City. I wanted to portray the magic of the skyline at both nighttime and daytime in a single image so I planned to create a VAST photo that transitioned from night to day as you move from left to right in the image. Furthermore, I wanted to create the photo at a special time when the city looked particularly radiant, so I waited for a snowstorm to gild the city in white...
Heavy clouds thick with snow blanketed the sky on an unusually cold morning. After reviewing the forecast for many inches of snow followed by a sudden clearing of the sky at night, I decided to prepare for a photoshoot of the city from the top of one of the tallest buildings between downtown Manhattan and the iconic Midtown Manhattan skyline.
As the day turned to night, the snow continued falling, coating the usually-dark rooftops of the city with a sheen of white powder. Then, in a matter of minutes, the snow ceased and the clouds whisked away to the east, leaving a perfectly clear sky. The moonlight sparkled off of the snow-covered buildings and the clear atmosphere provided amazing views for miles in every direction. The city stretched before me, filled with glowing windows, energetic arterial avenues, and Saturday-evening festivities.
Reveling in the scene, I began exposing the long-exposure images that make up the left-side nighttime portions of the final photo. The fervor of cars racing up the avenues into the heart of the city rendered a beautiful glow on the buildings. Over the course of two hours, I meticulously recorded every last high resolution detail of this nighttime winter wonderland using a long telephoto lens mounted on my Canon 5Ds which I rotated using an extremely precise gimbal.
The sky began to illuminate with the faint glow of the swiftly oncoming sunrise and so I started shooting the regions of the image to be used for the center and right sections of the final photo. The sky grew brighter with each passing minute, casting the entire city in a heavenly light. Complementing this were the typically-drab rooftops that were now now shining with their thick coats of bright white snow. A handful of cars meandered up 6th avenue, some early-risers strolled down the West Village's sidewalks, and plumes of steam danced from faraway rooftops. The storm had quieted some of the usual activity, so the city was even more peaceful than it normally is on a Sunday morning.
As sunrise transitioned to daytime, I wrapped up shooting the very far-right sections of the image and packed up my equipment. Then began the long process of stitching and blending the 105 raw images into a final polished VAST photo. No detail was left untouched during this arduous process that took me well over 100 hours due to the exceptionally high resolution of the photo's canvas.
It was time well spent because the clarity of the final VAST photo cannot be overstated. Buildings many miles away are clearly visible; tiny details such as people walking down the sidewalks are easily discernible; fascinating rooftop structures covered in snow drifts are revealed in striking resolution; facades of numerous architectural masterpieces such as the Empire State Building are exquisitely rendered; and the diverse characters of famous New York neighborhoods like the West Village, Chelsea, SoHo, and Gramercy can be palpably felt.
Details like these fill every nook of this VAST photo, nestled among the melodic rhythm of the city's iconic skyline transitioning from night to day.
946 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park might be my favorite place on planet Earth. Both for taking landscape photos, and for standing in awe of nature, traveling through the expansive wilderness of Yosemite is simply incredible. Living within close proximity to this natural wonder has made me very fortunate, and I have been able to travel here to take photographs on average around two times a year. I have been to Yosemite in every season, and have explored the major accessible attractions, as well as the deeper wilderness that you can only get to via multi-day hike.
The view of Half-Dome and the surrounding Yosemite Valley from the Glacier Point lookout is one that many visitors will be familiar with. Very few people however, have experienced it in the dramatic setting that I was fortunate enough to be in when I took this VAST photo. As sundown approached, most travelers have left and a thunderstorm was quickly approaching. I climbed down below the path to find the optimal place where no trees were in the way, and I waited for the moment when the clouds had perfectly crept into half of the frame. With the occasional lightning in the distance, and a slow increase of rain began to fall on my position, I quickly captured the 85 individual photographs that would make up this VAST photo.
Putting in the work to create such an ultra high resolution VAST photo of this stormy Yosemite sunset compared with an ordinary photo was very worth it. When viewed very large, you can see in incredible detail many of the famous Yosemite Valley attractions, such as Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, Half Dome, the valley floor and the Merced river running through it.
Yosemite National Park might be my favorite place on planet Earth. Both for taking landscape photos, and for standing in awe of nature, traveling through the expansive wilderness of Yosemite is simply incredible. Living within close proximity to this natural wonder has made me very fortunate, and I have been able to travel here to take photographs on average around two times a year. I have been to Yosemite in every season, and have explored the major accessible attractions, as well as the deeper wilderness that you can only get to via multi-day hike.
The view of Half-Dome and the surrounding Yosemite Valley from the Glacier Point lookout is one that many visitors will be familiar with. Very few people however, have experienced it in the dramatic setting that I was fortunate enough to be in when I took this VAST photo. As sundown approached, most travelers have left and a thunderstorm was quickly approaching. I climbed down below the path to find the optimal place where no trees were in the way, and I waited for the moment when the clouds had perfectly crept into half of the frame. With the occasional lightning in the distance, and a slow increase of rain began to fall on my position, I quickly captured the 85 individual photographs that would make up this VAST photo.
Putting in the work to create such an ultra high resolution VAST photo of this stormy Yosemite sunset compared with an ordinary photo was very worth it. When viewed very large, you can see in incredible detail many of the famous Yosemite Valley attractions, such as Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, Half Dome, the valley floor and the Merced river running through it.
180 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
All of my artwork is primarily influenced by nature and environmentalism. Through my work, my main goal is to create elaborate, photorealistic images that carry a message of conservation and sustainability. I want to give viewers a space of contemplation by depicting beautifully idealized scenes of the natural world.
This piece was created as a diptych featuring a highly stylized and patterned vision of the jungle canopy, with tropical plants, hibiscus flowers, and red macaws. I wanted to create a beautiful and captivating image that would also draw attention to these quickly vanishing natural habitats.
To create this image I photographed all of the imagery at a few botanical gardens, horticultural centers, public parks, and aviaries. Then I use a complex process of digital imaging in Adobe Photoshop to composite the imagery together. The final image is actually made up of more than 50 photographs meticulously pieced together. This process required a lot of effort building up the final seamless image, figuring out the lighting, shadows, color, and other effects to make it look realistic. Each image is carefully planned out and created as an intricately layered construction, which gives it such a hyper-real, illustrative quality.
"Canopy" has been featured in Vogue, Create Magazine, AIGA, and was a winner in the 'collage' category for the International Photography Awards.
All of my artwork is primarily influenced by nature and environmentalism. Through my work, my main goal is to create elaborate, photorealistic images that carry a message of conservation and sustainability. I want to give viewers a space of contemplation by depicting beautifully idealized scenes of the natural world.
This piece was created as a diptych featuring a highly stylized and patterned vision of the jungle canopy, with tropical plants, hibiscus flowers, and red macaws. I wanted to create a beautiful and captivating image that would also draw attention to these quickly vanishing natural habitats.
To create this image I photographed all of the imagery at a few botanical gardens, horticultural centers, public parks, and aviaries. Then I use a complex process of digital imaging in Adobe Photoshop to composite the imagery together. The final image is actually made up of more than 50 photographs meticulously pieced together. This process required a lot of effort building up the final seamless image, figuring out the lighting, shadows, color, and other effects to make it look realistic. Each image is carefully planned out and created as an intricately layered construction, which gives it such a hyper-real, illustrative quality.
"Canopy" has been featured in Vogue, Create Magazine, AIGA, and was a winner in the 'collage' category for the International Photography Awards.
296 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Signal Forbes, Chamonix Mont Blanc, France
The powerful peak of \"les drus\" captured above the sea of ice in Chamonix Mont Blanc. The mountain is all frosted after a storm.
The powerful peak of \"les drus\" captured above the sea of ice in Chamonix Mont Blanc. The mountain is all frosted after a storm.
245 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
The United States Capitol Building, home of the United States Congress and legislative branch of the federal government. With its distinctive neoclassical style architecture, it was originally completed in 1800. It has been expanded over time with the Capitol Dome, and completed in 1863 after being adorned by the Statue of Freedom that sits atop the dome. Arguably the most recognizable building in the United States, the Capitol Building attracts millions of visitors per year.
I've truly taken for granted growing up in Arlington, Virginia, a mere bridge crossing away from Washington, D.C. As my passion for travel has grown over the years, so has my appreciation for what I have at home, especially since moving into D.C. proper in 2015. Being local, I have the luxury to be picky about when and what I shoot in this tourist-friendly city.
After spending a day sightseeing with the kids downtown, I made a strategic stop by the U.S. Capitol Building to both enjoy the inspiring and architecturally impressive building with my children and to get a feel for the U.S. Capitol Police on duty. I could sense it would be a good sunset that cold winter day. Being Super Bowl Sunday, I thought it wouldn't be too crowded so I returned that evening with fingers crossed that the U.S. Capitol Police would allow me to use my tripod. I was fortunate that day with both the officers on duty and the sky, and I was able to capture a tighter shot of the building with a vibrant sunset.
Standing in front of the Capitol of the United States of America brings a mix of emotions, among those national pride as well as awe of the structure itself. I wanted to mix two elements to make this dynamic image. While winter can oftentimes bring overcast and gloomy days, it also can bring some of the most beautiful skies with bold red, pink, and orange colors. The opportunity to photograph the vibrant winter sunset along with the splendor of one of the most iconic buildings in the United States was the icing on the cake of a great day in Washington, D.C.
The United States Capitol Building, home of the United States Congress and legislative branch of the federal government. With its distinctive neoclassical style architecture, it was originally completed in 1800. It has been expanded over time with the Capitol Dome, and completed in 1863 after being adorned by the Statue of Freedom that sits atop the dome. Arguably the most recognizable building in the United States, the Capitol Building attracts millions of visitors per year.
I've truly taken for granted growing up in Arlington, Virginia, a mere bridge crossing away from Washington, D.C. As my passion for travel has grown over the years, so has my appreciation for what I have at home, especially since moving into D.C. proper in 2015. Being local, I have the luxury to be picky about when and what I shoot in this tourist-friendly city.
After spending a day sightseeing with the kids downtown, I made a strategic stop by the U.S. Capitol Building to both enjoy the inspiring and architecturally impressive building with my children and to get a feel for the U.S. Capitol Police on duty. I could sense it would be a good sunset that cold winter day. Being Super Bowl Sunday, I thought it wouldn't be too crowded so I returned that evening with fingers crossed that the U.S. Capitol Police would allow me to use my tripod. I was fortunate that day with both the officers on duty and the sky, and I was able to capture a tighter shot of the building with a vibrant sunset.
Standing in front of the Capitol of the United States of America brings a mix of emotions, among those national pride as well as awe of the structure itself. I wanted to mix two elements to make this dynamic image. While winter can oftentimes bring overcast and gloomy days, it also can bring some of the most beautiful skies with bold red, pink, and orange colors. The opportunity to photograph the vibrant winter sunset along with the splendor of one of the most iconic buildings in the United States was the icing on the cake of a great day in Washington, D.C.
602 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Midtown Manhattan, New York City
Over 160 hours in the making, "A New York Dream" is the culmination of a monumental undertaking that took more than a year to complete.
I wanted to create an extremely high resolution photographic artwork that captured the vibrant energy our city continually bursts forth with - a seemingly chaotic energy that nevertheless has structure, order, and rhythm.
To do this, I first needed to find a location from which to gather source material for the skyline. After hours researching and scouting locations, I found a perfect place on a rooftop in Queens. This elevated vantage point provided an unobstructed view of the entire undulating Midtown Manhattan skyline.
A few weeks later on New Years Eve, my assistant and I ascended to the empty rooftop. A thick blanket of low-hanging clouds, aglow with the city lights, hugged the skyline. It was beautifully tranquil. We began exposing the 189 individual images that would eventually comprise this VAST photo. Each image was only a small section of the overall scene, but together the ensemble represented a full visual catalog of the scene that lay before us. We wrapped up shooting around 2am and disassembled our equipment amid a light sprinkling of rain.
Upon returning home, I carefully color-graded each individual exposure and began creating a unified visual construct around which to build the final creation. Over the course of 2017, I slowly and painstakingly warped, stitched, and masked layer after layer of city skyline to build on top of one another in the composite image. My goal was to try to retain the natural feel of the skyline (with relative geographic locations of buildings as intact as possible) while simultaneously creating a visual aesthetic that was balanced and pleasingly rhythmic.
A stunning 9,563 megapixels of image data were used to create the final 602-megapixel VAST photo. This unprecedented volume of image data (9.6 billion pixels!) has resulted in an incredibly sharp image that can be enlarged to dozens of square feet and still remain perfectly sharp to the naked eye. Hidden treasures fill the details of the scene: American flags proudly waving in the breeze, New Years Eve parties lighting up windows, architectural flourishes adorning impressive buildings, and more. Crowning the top of the VAST photo is the Empire State Building, keeping watch over the city beneath her.
One year after the origination of my idea for this VAST photo, I'm finally proud to share it with you. I hope it elicits some of the captivating New York energy I worked so hard to capture in it.
"A New York Dream" has been featured in My Modern Met. Read more about it in the article here.
Over 160 hours in the making, "A New York Dream" is the culmination of a monumental undertaking that took more than a year to complete.
I wanted to create an extremely high resolution photographic artwork that captured the vibrant energy our city continually bursts forth with - a seemingly chaotic energy that nevertheless has structure, order, and rhythm.
To do this, I first needed to find a location from which to gather source material for the skyline. After hours researching and scouting locations, I found a perfect place on a rooftop in Queens. This elevated vantage point provided an unobstructed view of the entire undulating Midtown Manhattan skyline.
A few weeks later on New Years Eve, my assistant and I ascended to the empty rooftop. A thick blanket of low-hanging clouds, aglow with the city lights, hugged the skyline. It was beautifully tranquil. We began exposing the 189 individual images that would eventually comprise this VAST photo. Each image was only a small section of the overall scene, but together the ensemble represented a full visual catalog of the scene that lay before us. We wrapped up shooting around 2am and disassembled our equipment amid a light sprinkling of rain.
Upon returning home, I carefully color-graded each individual exposure and began creating a unified visual construct around which to build the final creation. Over the course of 2017, I slowly and painstakingly warped, stitched, and masked layer after layer of city skyline to build on top of one another in the composite image. My goal was to try to retain the natural feel of the skyline (with relative geographic locations of buildings as intact as possible) while simultaneously creating a visual aesthetic that was balanced and pleasingly rhythmic.
A stunning 9,563 megapixels of image data were used to create the final 602-megapixel VAST photo. This unprecedented volume of image data (9.6 billion pixels!) has resulted in an incredibly sharp image that can be enlarged to dozens of square feet and still remain perfectly sharp to the naked eye. Hidden treasures fill the details of the scene: American flags proudly waving in the breeze, New Years Eve parties lighting up windows, architectural flourishes adorning impressive buildings, and more. Crowning the top of the VAST photo is the Empire State Building, keeping watch over the city beneath her.
One year after the origination of my idea for this VAST photo, I'm finally proud to share it with you. I hope it elicits some of the captivating New York energy I worked so hard to capture in it.
"A New York Dream" has been featured in My Modern Met. Read more about it in the article here.
165 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
344 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
New York Botanical Garden, New York City
357 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Eastern Bays, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand
494 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada
6,410 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Midtown Manhattan, New York City
1,696 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Manhattan, New York City
Dan Piech's "Concrete Canvas" series captures the accidental beauty that serendipitously occurs when the concrete beneath New Yorkers' feet is inadvertently graced by spilled paint, fallen debris, expanding cracks, chemical stains, and other delightful visual elements. An avid runner, Piech has spent over three years traversing every single Manhattan street in search of these overlooked "artworks" that have become part of the fabric of the city.
As the founder of the VAST artist collective, Piech uses advanced imaging techniques and equipment to create unprecedented gigapixel-quality photographs that capture every intricate detail of these ephemeral designs. The exceptionally high resolution photographs are then printed in large formats, resulting in impeccably precise physical replicas of the walkways.
Each Concrete Canvas piece embodies the unique soul of New York and challenges us to find beauty in the overlooked, the accidental, the minuscule, and the transient.
Dan Piech's "Concrete Canvas" series captures the accidental beauty that serendipitously occurs when the concrete beneath New Yorkers' feet is inadvertently graced by spilled paint, fallen debris, expanding cracks, chemical stains, and other delightful visual elements. An avid runner, Piech has spent over three years traversing every single Manhattan street in search of these overlooked "artworks" that have become part of the fabric of the city.
As the founder of the VAST artist collective, Piech uses advanced imaging techniques and equipment to create unprecedented gigapixel-quality photographs that capture every intricate detail of these ephemeral designs. The exceptionally high resolution photographs are then printed in large formats, resulting in impeccably precise physical replicas of the walkways.
Each Concrete Canvas piece embodies the unique soul of New York and challenges us to find beauty in the overlooked, the accidental, the minuscule, and the transient.
604 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Montgomery Woods State Reserve, California
The Montgomery Redwood Grove is one of only a handful of old-growth redwood groves that were protected from the heavy logging that took place in Northern California in the early 20th century. After the 1906 earthquake, the fires that consumed all of San Francisco meant that the city had to be rebuilt, and that meant lumber. Where there used to be endless groves of gigantic coastal redwoods throughout the Pacific Northwest, now there are only a handful left, preserved by forward-thinking land owners.
In this vertical VAST photo, it was my goal to convey how tall these magnificent trees are. When displayed as a VAST Print on a wall, the viewer can feel like they are there, standing among the giant redwoods.
I can’t believe how great the conditions were for this shoot. As a photographer, you can do everything right, but if the weather doesn’t agree with you it becomes an entirely different picture. Once the sun dipped below the tree line, the light became warmer in tone, and since I was the only one here, the only noise was the creek slowly making it’s way through the valley floor. I was completely alone, and it was a magically peaceful moment that I was able to capture in this unique VAST photo.
The Montgomery Redwood Grove is one of only a handful of old-growth redwood groves that were protected from the heavy logging that took place in Northern California in the early 20th century. After the 1906 earthquake, the fires that consumed all of San Francisco meant that the city had to be rebuilt, and that meant lumber. Where there used to be endless groves of gigantic coastal redwoods throughout the Pacific Northwest, now there are only a handful left, preserved by forward-thinking land owners.
In this vertical VAST photo, it was my goal to convey how tall these magnificent trees are. When displayed as a VAST Print on a wall, the viewer can feel like they are there, standing among the giant redwoods.
I can’t believe how great the conditions were for this shoot. As a photographer, you can do everything right, but if the weather doesn’t agree with you it becomes an entirely different picture. Once the sun dipped below the tree line, the light became warmer in tone, and since I was the only one here, the only noise was the creek slowly making it’s way through the valley floor. I was completely alone, and it was a magically peaceful moment that I was able to capture in this unique VAST photo.
90 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Canada
2,002 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Manhattan, New York City
321 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina, Patagonia
Althought the light and the point of view are quite common, I like the sense of scale here . The mightiness of the mountains , of rock and ice.
We can see some people on the moraine ( bottom right ) to imagine the scale. They are hiking to "Laguna de los tres".
This is Poincenot and Fitz Roy Mountain.
Althought the light and the point of view are quite common, I like the sense of scale here . The mightiness of the mountains , of rock and ice.
We can see some people on the moraine ( bottom right ) to imagine the scale. They are hiking to "Laguna de los tres".
This is Poincenot and Fitz Roy Mountain.
5,449 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
New York City
536 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Montgomery Woods State Reserve, California
The Montgomery Redwood Grove is one of only a handful of remaining old-growth redwood groves in this area of Northern California, due to heavy logging that took place in the early 20th century. After the 1906 earthquake, the fires that consumed all of San Francisco meant that the city had to be rebuilt, and that meant lumber. Where there used to be endless groves of gigantic coastal redwoods throughout the Pacific Northwest, now there are only a handful left, preserved by forward-thinking land owners.
The moment I came across this location, I knew that it deserved to become a VAST photo. Up against the creek in a clearing of the redwoods, there was a bed of ferns and a fallen tree. A small footbridge led the path throughout the ferns and across the stream. I knew that I wanted to incorporate all of these elements into the final photo.
One of my favorite things about being a photographer is that you start paying attention to light in a whole different way. Light isn’t just about exposure. Light is also about tone. Tone is how a photo makes you feel, and it has to do with the color temperature of the light source. Choosing your light source, direction, and and time of day are some of the ways that photographers can control the tone in an image.
To capture this photo the way I had envisioned, I waited for two hours before pressing the shutter, because I wanted the light to be perfect. I knew that once the sun was low enough below the tree line, the light would take on a softer, more golden quality. I also knew that I could position my camera to have the sun be on the edge of a tree, producing the distinct sunstar in the right side of the frame.
This place is nothing short of magical, and it was my goal to capture as much of that astounding natural beauty as possible, in a way that only a VAST photo can. With the path and the small footbridge, the viewer is able to get a sense of scale, and can imagine themselves being in this wonderful location.
The Montgomery Redwood Grove is one of only a handful of remaining old-growth redwood groves in this area of Northern California, due to heavy logging that took place in the early 20th century. After the 1906 earthquake, the fires that consumed all of San Francisco meant that the city had to be rebuilt, and that meant lumber. Where there used to be endless groves of gigantic coastal redwoods throughout the Pacific Northwest, now there are only a handful left, preserved by forward-thinking land owners.
The moment I came across this location, I knew that it deserved to become a VAST photo. Up against the creek in a clearing of the redwoods, there was a bed of ferns and a fallen tree. A small footbridge led the path throughout the ferns and across the stream. I knew that I wanted to incorporate all of these elements into the final photo.
One of my favorite things about being a photographer is that you start paying attention to light in a whole different way. Light isn’t just about exposure. Light is also about tone. Tone is how a photo makes you feel, and it has to do with the color temperature of the light source. Choosing your light source, direction, and and time of day are some of the ways that photographers can control the tone in an image.
To capture this photo the way I had envisioned, I waited for two hours before pressing the shutter, because I wanted the light to be perfect. I knew that once the sun was low enough below the tree line, the light would take on a softer, more golden quality. I also knew that I could position my camera to have the sun be on the edge of a tree, producing the distinct sunstar in the right side of the frame.
This place is nothing short of magical, and it was my goal to capture as much of that astounding natural beauty as possible, in a way that only a VAST photo can. With the path and the small footbridge, the viewer is able to get a sense of scale, and can imagine themselves being in this wonderful location.
302 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Zion National Park, Utah
The Watchman in Zion National Park is one of the areas most iconic and recognized feature. It sits prominently above the Southern entrance to the park and is part of a jagged ridge-line near The Watchman Campground. The bright colors of the rock that makeup this peak and the surrounding area are part of what makes this such a spectacular sight to behold.
To capture this VAST photo of The Watchman required that I stay camp in the park for a while. It was a priority for me that the leaves be changing color in the fall and have just the right level of yellow to add that extra bit of color to the final image. I was very lucky that the sunset proved to be as magical as it did, adding texture and color to the sky.
Those who visit Zion National Park are so enthralled by its physical beauty, that they often start planning their return visit before the first is even over. I am thrilled that I was able to capture even a sliver of its natural beauty and vibrancy in this VAST photo of The Watchman of Zion.
The Watchman in Zion National Park is one of the areas most iconic and recognized feature. It sits prominently above the Southern entrance to the park and is part of a jagged ridge-line near The Watchman Campground. The bright colors of the rock that makeup this peak and the surrounding area are part of what makes this such a spectacular sight to behold.
To capture this VAST photo of The Watchman required that I stay camp in the park for a while. It was a priority for me that the leaves be changing color in the fall and have just the right level of yellow to add that extra bit of color to the final image. I was very lucky that the sunset proved to be as magical as it did, adding texture and color to the sky.
Those who visit Zion National Park are so enthralled by its physical beauty, that they often start planning their return visit before the first is even over. I am thrilled that I was able to capture even a sliver of its natural beauty and vibrancy in this VAST photo of The Watchman of Zion.
452 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
New York City
Dan Piech's "Aloft" series captures the breathtaking grandeur of the skies that so many of us take for granted as we soar through the air.
From his Manhattan home in Tribeca, Dan has an unobstructed view of one of the most trafficked airspaces on the planet. With sight-lines to numerous air routes, he has studied the New York sky and the planes that fill it for years. His series focuses on the best moments when sky and plane speak to one another.
As part of the VAST artist collective, Dan uses advanced imaging techniques and equipment to create the photos for his Aloft series at incredibly high resolutions, often dozens of times higher resolution than ordinary photos. This enables the prints from the photos to be perfectly sharp even at very large sizes.
Backdropped by the heavens, the tiny planes in Aloft humble us and remind us of our place on this beautiful planet.
Dan Piech's "Aloft" series captures the breathtaking grandeur of the skies that so many of us take for granted as we soar through the air.
From his Manhattan home in Tribeca, Dan has an unobstructed view of one of the most trafficked airspaces on the planet. With sight-lines to numerous air routes, he has studied the New York sky and the planes that fill it for years. His series focuses on the best moments when sky and plane speak to one another.
As part of the VAST artist collective, Dan uses advanced imaging techniques and equipment to create the photos for his Aloft series at incredibly high resolutions, often dozens of times higher resolution than ordinary photos. This enables the prints from the photos to be perfectly sharp even at very large sizes.
Backdropped by the heavens, the tiny planes in Aloft humble us and remind us of our place on this beautiful planet.
1,754 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Central Park, New York City
301 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Lake Roundabout, New Zealand
Grand Prize Winner: Harry Williams Astrophotography Competition
Artistic Prize Winner: Harry Williams Astrophotography Competition
Comments from the judging body:
Grand Prize Winner: Harry Williams Astrophotography Competition
Artistic Prize Winner: Harry Williams Astrophotography Competition
Comments from the judging body:
508 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Visiting the Grand Canyon is always a highlight of any photo trip I take. Unfortunately, quite often, it's really hazy or there is just a plain "blue bird" sky. This visit was neither of those scenarios.
It was still midday when I arrived at the North Rim Visitor Center and went to capture Bright Angel Point. The wind was strong enough to easily blow my baseball cap away and I knew that would make it difficult to capture longer exposures due to wind shaking the camera.
By the time I made it to Cape Royal, a few clouds lingered and the wind had mercifully died down. Then, out of pure luck, the sunset at the perfect spot in the valley, lighting up the streaking clouds above and making for the best VAST photo from that entire trip.
Sometimes, just sometimes, it all works out.
Visiting the Grand Canyon is always a highlight of any photo trip I take. Unfortunately, quite often, it's really hazy or there is just a plain "blue bird" sky. This visit was neither of those scenarios.
It was still midday when I arrived at the North Rim Visitor Center and went to capture Bright Angel Point. The wind was strong enough to easily blow my baseball cap away and I knew that would make it difficult to capture longer exposures due to wind shaking the camera.
By the time I made it to Cape Royal, a few clouds lingered and the wind had mercifully died down. Then, out of pure luck, the sunset at the perfect spot in the valley, lighting up the streaking clouds above and making for the best VAST photo from that entire trip.
Sometimes, just sometimes, it all works out.
376 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Seceda, Santa Cristina Valgardena, Italy
When I first saw a picture of this mountain I knew I had to visit it with my camera. What jumped out at me was the green grass growing right up to the edge of the mountain. I had never before seen such a unique and special place.
I arranged a trip to this mountain in the Italian Dolomites specifically to get this photo. I took a gondola up the mountain and then hiked for two hours to reach this spot.
I waited for the sun to reach the horizon and the light turned warm and golden. The air was crisp and there was no sound as the sun created long shadows on the earth.
The moment was pure magic. The finished image speaks of serenity, warm light, and alpine beauty. It looks incredible in print and it would make a beautiful centerpiece in any room of your home.
When I first saw a picture of this mountain I knew I had to visit it with my camera. What jumped out at me was the green grass growing right up to the edge of the mountain. I had never before seen such a unique and special place.
I arranged a trip to this mountain in the Italian Dolomites specifically to get this photo. I took a gondola up the mountain and then hiked for two hours to reach this spot.
I waited for the sun to reach the horizon and the light turned warm and golden. The air was crisp and there was no sound as the sun created long shadows on the earth.
The moment was pure magic. The finished image speaks of serenity, warm light, and alpine beauty. It looks incredible in print and it would make a beautiful centerpiece in any room of your home.