Rock Creek Lake

Taken recently in the eastern Sierras in California. This place sits at almost 10,000 feet .. I could notice it while walking.

You did the best with what you had for light. The foreground on my monitor is so dark as to have no detail, and the clouds just above the peak are almost blown. You covered the full range of your sensor, but in this case it wasn't enough. This has the feeling of a nearly mid day photo. Maybe a GND filter or applying HDR technique to a single file would work here.

10,000 feet will certainly get your attention. I used to live at 4,000 feet, and routinely went skiing at 9600 feet base elevation. When I would first get to Breck, I'd often wonder what was wrong with me, as I was always short of breath from the slightest activity.

You know it is funny EOS but I think I did use a GND filter on this one. Those things help but maybe I need to get a stronger one because the one I have is not 100% effective.

An HDR is an excellent idea. I've yet to take a decent one but from what I've heard half the battle is choosing the right software, and PS CS2's apparently is not the program of choice. But I think that in the next few years that it will be built into many DSLR cameras, and all our photos will be so much better :D

Interesting tidbit: the fellow that invented the graduated neutral density filter, Galen Rowell, had his studio right done the road in Bishop. He died in a plane crash a few yrs back.

I am familiar with Galen. I lived "right down the road" in Lancaster before I was really into photography. I had no idea such beauty was right up the Owens valley.