Picture Perfect

Tully Rohrer

December 7^th, 2007

Katie and I took a trip out to Moab on Tuesday and Wednesday and were treated to what certainly amounts to the best consecutive sunset and sunrise I’ve ever seen. We spent Tuesday’s sunset at the Delicate Arch, pictured here, and it was the definition of “picture perfect”. The clouds were amazing, there was almost no one there, and the light was perfect. I post-processed this image with a curves adjustment and an unsharp mask, and that is it. Otherwise, this image is all mother nature. Unbelievable. I did not even add a vignette because it was just too perfect out of the camera. In case you want to see it with a vignette, check it out here. For the record, I know this is an overdone shot, but I took a lot more creative images there that I’ll post in the days ahead.

Continuing my segment on the best music of the year:

Top Songs of the Year

20. Handsome Furs - Sing! Captain
19. Beirut - Elephant Gun
18. Spoon - Don’t Make Me a Target
17. Kevin Drew - Lucky Ones

16. Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan
I suppose it’s a good thing that this song is now being used in a “Zune” commercial. Rogue Wave deserves the credit, as this song is a stunner. Pounding drums is the introductory auspice, and it just gets better from there. Rogue Wave has always been melody first, and this song will have you humming along the whole way through.

Decide for yourself: Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan (From the Asleep at Heaven’s Gate LP)

15. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
I’m not a huge country fan, but any band that can take some of the aspects of country music and turn it into something this awesome deserves praise. This is one of the most unexpected surprises of the year for me, as I definitely did not expect a country-tinged rock song to be one of my favorites of the year.

Decide for yourself: Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation (From the Wild Mountain Nation LP)

Top Albums of the Year

20. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder
19. Elliott Smith - New Moon
18. Blonde Redhead - 23
17. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation

16. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
The Shins had nearly impossible expectations to live up to after the Chutes Too Narrow LP. No, Wincing the Night Away is not anywhere near as good as Chutes Too Narrow, and that is disappointing, but this album has a lot of songs better than most other bands can put together. Opening track “Sleeping Lessons” is one of the best songs of the year, “Australia” is as good as anything from Chutes Too Narrow, and songs like “Split Needles” are perfectly enjoyable. When it comes down to it, while Wincing the Night Away is definitely a step down from Chutes, it is a perfectly worthy follow-up.

Decide for yourself: The Shins - Australia

15. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
They really just don’t write bad songs. Spoon never blows me away, but their music is always well-crafted, original, and utterly enjoyable. Unlike many bands these days, Spoon’s albums are high quality all the way through. Plus, this album has “Don’t Make Me a Target”.