Great processing, looks like clouds over a mountain range, but not sure.

This one is certainly interesting, looks like a thermal inversion on the first cloud layer and then a normal cloud above that. It certainly adds drama, if not a little confusing, just how I like it. Great

Very cool! Looks like a tidal wave is about to crash on the village.

doesn't work for me.

wow. suits the title. I find the greenish vignetting a bit out of place though.

Wow - looks kinda apocalyptic! Do tell how.

I'm guessing it's another one of your reflection shots. I'm not sure it works but it's certainly interesting. Looks like someone dropped a mountain range on Blackpool. (I'm guessing it's Blackpool.)

brilliant. fantastic post processing - what a dramatic atmosphere.

Stunning perspective shot! Really nice work. :-)

Seems to be at least two superimposed shots .... surreal but for me it doesnt work. I'd prefer top see the bottom part in its entirity. The beech settlemnnt from a distance makes you want to walk in to it .

nogger: it's not a reflection.

Richard: it's a single shot.

Looks like it could be a new ice age moving closer. Very impressive...

Beautiful. Your skies are always wonderful.

1 word...wow! keep up the good work.

Nice shot - I recognise it as Fleetwood from the pier and the Mount but can't figure out what's in the background - it's seems totally out of scale to be the Lake District hills.

Interesting processing; looks like a composite of 2 different landscapes and 2 different "cloud-scapes."

Its one of two things:

1. Another good shot

2. A photo taken around winter time, snow has melted in some places, and not in some areas. The building is a fark, and the place behind is still covered in snow

amazing shot!

Think I've just sussed it by staring at the screen too hard - have you inversed the colours on the lower cloud layer?

I don't know what it is, but its powerful. it does remind me of a arizonian desert scene, but your title makes me think different. it looks like the layer of clouds that look like a mountain range have been inverted. just tell us?

Ok, I'll confess ;-) The original was a fairly standard scene, but in this version the entire sky was inverted, hence the rather odd and ominous appearance.

If you're interested I've posted the (not even vaguely surreal) original here:

.../archives/were_not_in_kansas.php

cool stuff... those mountain wanna-be nimbostratus really had me fooled.

You're gonna hate me....but I think the fact that you put the original up spoiled it for me. I kinda think you may have overprocessed it for me....but good work none the less.

whoa, thats a really creative image, your works amazing. i've just set up my forst photoblog. www.samdaniel.net if anyone wants to check it out!.

First thing I thought of when I saw it was The Trail of Tears painting by Robert Lindneux. That same feeling.

ghosts leaving ice-land....feels like a Myth !! Your Image is "superbe"

At first I thought that Blackpool had become a site of intense geological activity then I saw your comment and to my relief the latter is true. Once again, a picture to make you stop and stare and think!

Looks like a double-exposure.... one of a wave crashing on the beach with an artistic filter applied... and then the buildings zoomed out shot blended on top.
If not... I want to reserve the right to try a shot like that!! ;)

ahhhhhh, the trickery! i love it. thank you for the details.

I was right!! I was right!! woo!! =D I must say, I prefer the processed one.

I like it! the clouds look like a painting. I like the subdued tonality

The old inversion trick... Very nice! The standard white clouds get so old...

Nice example of creative processing making the shot. The original wouldn't have been worth posting, but this is very eye-catching.

perfectly surreal!

fascinating!

Love the processing David and like some of the others thought Blackpool must have suffered a shift in the Atlantic floor and now has a mountain range!! Nice one......

really great djn. i love the effect of the clouds.

fabulous photo - it really draws you in.

it isnt blackpool, it's fleetwood beach.

Wow - the clouds do look like a mountain range. Awesome.

I think it's too much photoshop work. Makes it look unreal. Plus the houses are too small.

Excellent shot Dave,
This cloud colour is more what I'd expect to see in a shot taken at Fleetwood, none of those fluffy white things you see in other countries!!
Have you been to Kansas?

Beautiful!!
Lovely cloud formations, almost looks like mountains in the background.
Great post processsing to.(as usual)

WOW this is excellent well done brillant processing as usual

Looks like a tsunami

This is so amazing. Simply brilliant

Nice photoshop vision.

Interresting. JM commented almost my exact same thoughts.. Kinda mythical and icy. Nice effect.

This shot has a very mystical feel - I love it!

That's amazing how beautifull it is, really great job...

Wow David, that is an amazing shot!

Wow, thats somthing very special, its beautifull, a shout that grabs your attantion.

I agree with Tom it grabs your atention so much and yet no idea if it is snow. fog or just some clouds. Great job.

nice job. you do lot of fun and creative stuff with pictures !!

Hoooooookay. Interesting, though bit of a shame you told us how! But since you have........I always have trouble separating background from foreground - what's your technique? Background eraser, extract, the pen tool? Spill the beans as I ALWAYS end up with the pen tool and feel sure there's a better way of doing it.....

You always bring a fresh perspective to your work--whether it's the camera angle, DOF, post-processing, cropping, or orientation. This is a perfect example, where only the most creative would ever think to experiment in this way.

I often question your decision to show your "original" images. You know the old cliche that says it's not a good idea to see how sausage is made? But I suppose that In the case of a photoblog--where much of the exchange is informative and instructional--I see your rationale. But I have noticed that whenever you do show original shots there seems to be (not surprisingly) a bit of a letdown in the ensuing comments. Perhaps that fearlessness and vulnerability is another of the fresh perspectives your work embodies.

As a finished work, this "version" of the image is really wonderful!

Thanks everyone :-)

Bob: I often wonder about posting the originals too because, as you note, it inevitably leads to a letdown for some people. However, for me, photography is about the end result, not the steps in between. Sure, it's great when you have a wonderful shot straight out of the camera, but that mostly doesn't happen, and each shot requires more or less work to turn it into something worth viewing. This one, in my opinion, required that extra step of inverting the sky to transform it into an interesting and worthwhile shot.

Bit late with my comments on this one and most of it has already been said. But I just have to say congratulations on you creativity. Full marks to Pete for working it out, I was half way there. The inversion is a masterstroke, surreal!

The processing on this is beyond me, I really like it though. Very cimea-esque. Massive landscape and great impact, especially the colours.

A gazillion times better than the original. :-)

haha, it reminds me of one of mine, from last month:
http://dg.stuffo.info/index.php?showimage=144

exelent, it's very nice with soft colors...

take care...

s h a h i n from iran ...

cool. It loosk a little bit like painted. There is no day after tomorrow ;-)
Very great - good job

breathtakingly beautiful !!

Awesome.

Absolutely fascinating photo! I like it....

is this one a montage? love it! beautifilly cross processed colours and just an amazing 'seaside' shot!!!

Really cool cloudscape.

I never thought it was mountains for some reason, perhaps I caught the hills to the lefts position with it all.

And I like the ominousness of it as well.

Great shot and very creative post processing.
Interesting technique to inverse to lower cloud layer. It makes it almost impossible to figure out what the hell is going on just above the horizon.

Good picture. Thank you.