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Photos from my outings
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For what it's worth, I will revive this dead section of the forum.
Attachment 265920 Chilliwack Lake from Flora Lake Trail (April 21, 2019) Nikon D800, iso 100, f11, 1/125, focal length 22mm 1.2 (4 stops) ND Grad filter (soft) Raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I waited until the sun lit up part of the foreground and slope on the left since it was in dark shadow. |
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Evans Peak (left) and in the clouds, Blanchard Needle and Edge Peak from the East Canyon Trail. A 4 stop ND Grad filter wasn't enough to prevent the clouds from being blown out so I combined three shots of different exposure value (0.33, -1.67, +2.33) using Exposure Fusion in Photomatix. The image has a more natural look than using HDR. *Nikon D90, iso 200, f11, 19 mm *This Nikon camera is 11 years old & only has 12 MP but still enough detail. Attachment 266038 Blanchard Needle and Edge Peak from Evans Peak Nikon D90, iso 200, f11, 1/100s, 11 mm 1 raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro8 |
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There is technique I learned last yr called "superresolution" that increases spatial resolution capability of any camera. Besides that, it also reduces / eliminates grain, really brings out details, etc. It narrows down to taking burst of hand-held shots then averaging in post-processing. Hand-held is important because small variation of pixel displacement is necessary for technique to work and it will not be possible if camera was on tripod. Technique is not suitable for moving objects because pixel displacement is too big, but works really well for landscapes. Downside is that it takes quite a bit of time, but end results can be amazing. Here is full step-by-step primer: https://petapixel.com/2015/02/21/a-p...ith-photoshop/ |
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Western Red Cedars on the Campbell Lake Trail. Attachment 266236Nikon D800, iso 140, f16, 1/3 sec, -1 EV. Focal length 21 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I've passed by these trees many times but was never able to take a good shot until now. In the morning, the front lighting wasn't good so on my way back the sun moved west and side-lit the trees. In addition, the light was diffuse from cloud cover. Sword ferns & Red cedar in Chilliwack Valley Nikon D90, iso 200, f11, 0.625 sec, -0.33 EV, focal length 19 mm Raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I used a technique called focus stacking; I took more than 1 shot with different focus points (near and far) and merge them together in Helicon Focus. This gets the foreground of newly emerged fern shoots and background trees into focus. Attachment 266238 Abstract: water ripples on pond at Blue Heron Reserve Nikon D90, iso 400, f11, 1/160 sec, focal length 85 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Picked a windy day for ripples to form then zoomed in to photograph using burst mode. Converted photo to black & white since there was little color to the original. |
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Great shots!
Want to comment on focus stacking. This is such an invaluable technique. Recently I took this shot: Attachment 266240 All appears good when seen like this in image viewer, but individual birds were at different depths and all did not focus. I really did not have time because those toucans would not like wait for me so I just took auto-focus and hoped for the best. Camera focused on bird in lower right, and that one is sharp at 100%: Attachment 266242 But look at the one in the back; unfocused and blurry (100%): Attachment 266244 So essentially the shot is screwed, which is really the shame because you don't get such opportunity often. I think you need to develop instinct for this kind of situations and react FAST -- focus 1 <click> , focus 2 <click>, focus 3 <click>. For still landscapes it is easy because you have all the time in the world, but for living beings not so. |
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It was shot at f 5.6 at 252mm focal length, 1/125 sec exposure and ISO 400. It was reasonably dark, thus higher ISO & aperture. I don't know how much lower aperture would help, but exposure time would then screw things up likely.
Point is this is quite difficult to get right. I still think focus stacking might have worked with little luck, birds were reasonably static if I had instinct to react fast and burst couple of shots each focusing on different bird. If not, then some different photoshop techniques with layer masks (instead of aligning which focus stacking does), but this is different topic. |
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Helmcken Falls Nikon D800, iso 200, f16, 1/20 sec, focal length: 30 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8. With a lot of my raw shots, I usually don't have to add color saturation but just some contrast and bringing out the shadow detail. For this shot, I opted to take it during the evening when the falls would be front lit. The soft lighting was due to the sun being mostly behind some clouds. Some of the best viewpoints are not from the platform but on the trail to Gattling Gorge which skirts the rim of the canyon. Attachment 266324 The lonely grouse Nikon D800, iso 140, f11, 1/60 sec, focal length: 35 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8. There was some noise in the background which I cleaned up. It's not often that a wide-angle lens (18 – 35 mm) can be used for close-ups of wildlife but that was the only lens I have for the full frame camera. Also, I didn't have to chase after the grouse...it came to me. I had slept in my car at the Pyramid Campground and got up before 5 am. In the dim light, I saw this grouse at the entrance of my site so I opened the car door and it immediately started walking towards me. For a while I didn't bother to attempt taking photos since the light was too dim but instead watched it and wondered why it was so friendly. When the light improved a bit, I got within 2 and ½ feet and used the camera flash hoping it wouldn't scare the bird but it didn't even flinch. |
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The two photos are examples where I used hyperfocal distance to ensure the foreground and background remain sharp. There are charts available and complex explanation about what hyperfocal distance means. I don't bother with charts but use a simple method by estimating the distance from the camera to the closest foreground object as seen through the camera viewfinder then I double that distance from the camera and choose that point from which to focus. After I took the shot, I would use Live View and check the sharpness of the foreground and background objects.
Attachment 266420 The meeting of two streams along the Trans Canada Trail (TCT), Chilliwack Valley Nikon D90, iso 200, f11, 2 sec, Tokina 11-16 mm @ 16 mm A single raw photo post-processed with ACDSee Pro 8. Attachment 266422 Chilliwack Lake, Flora Lake Trail (third hike) Nikon D90, iso 200, f11, 1/100 sec, @ 16 mm A 4 stop ND grad filter (soft) could not retain the blown highlights (clouds) so I had to bracket 3 exposures and use Exposure Fusion in Photomatix Pro 3 (outdated & obsolete). This gave me a 70 MB tiff which I post-processed with ACDSee Pro 8. A simple composition of a fallen tree which leads the eye into the photograph. Focus stacking probably gives better results but when there is a breeze and movement in the trees and bushes a single raw shot is preferred. |
Nice photos; I could get into lot of technical comments, but this thread already goes into discussion of 2 individuals. I'll just ask about F11 which seems to be preferred aperture throughout your photos. Why F11? Much has been said about "golden F8" for sharpness and good depth of field in landscape photography. I'd happily use F8 for Flora lake above. But, for creek shot --assuming you had tripod, or something to steady camera-- I'd use lower aperture F16-F22, to get as much silkiness in that water as possible (more than 2 sec, 4-5 sec at least).
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I had read that the sharpest aperture for a particular lens lies between 2 and 3 f stops from its widest aperture which would put most of my lens between f8 to f16. The most popular f stops for landscapes lies between f8 and f11. In the film camera days, some pros would leave their lens at f8 all the time. I've always chosen f11 just for that little increase in depth of field (from f8) especially since I was quite close to the bush along the creek compared to the other shot. I didn't have my polarizing filter to get a slower shutter speed however there was a slight breeze at times so I didn't want too long of a shutter speed. I have on occasion used f16 for landscapes but I notice lens diffraction occurring and I usually have to sharpen the photo. I have also been experimenting with different shutter speeds when taking photos of waterfalls and creeks and have avoided too slow speeds as I sometimes get tired of that silky effect. If the water was very turbulent with nice rapids, I would prefer somewhere around ¼ sec or 1/8 sec to capture more water movement which is lost with longer speeds.
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Sunrise on Edge Peak, Golden Ears Park Nikon D800, iso 140, f11, 1/8 sec, @ 18 mm 4 stop ND grad filter (soft) Manual focused using live view with exposure to the right. Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I always make an effort to arrive on scene before sunrise as I can scout the area for composition. I like the soft light on the mountain and the composition that includes foreground, middle ground and background. Attachment 266748 Edge Peak & Golden Ears Nikon D800, iso 140, f11, 1/250 sec, @ 23 mm 4 stop ND grad filter (soft) Manual focused using live view with exposure to the right. Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Taken at a high point just before Panorama Ridge which is the best location to include both mountains. The low clouds adds to the photo and the foreground snow compliments the snow on the mountain. Attachment 266750 Lower Falls from West Canyon Trail Nikon D800, iso 100, f11, 1/10 sec, @ 26 mm Manual focused using live view with exposure to the right. Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I experimented with different shutter speeds and I think this photo shows enough turbulence. A slower shutter speeds makes the water look too tame while a faster shutter didn't look right. This is by far, the best location to photograph the falls compared to the East Canyon Trail which is also more difficult due to drifting spray. |
Very interesting; I like Golden Ears & Edge shot from Panorama the best.
You are old school; ND grad filters have faded away in favor of various digital post-processing techniques. Hard to say like this, but was 4 stop a bit too much? Think I can spot some shadow on peak top, thought "this is grad filter" even before reading your spec. These shots are not easy when top of frame is considerably more exposed than bottom. I do exposure bracketing, then try to work it in Photoshop, but it doesn't work always |
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Yes, exactly. Take several not just 2, then play with it. PS has great feature called 'layer masks'. You stack frames on top of each other like deck of cards, mask them, then paint with white brush for parts you want to be visible. Nice part is that this editing is non-destructible, so if you don't like it you simply remove the 'card'. My workflow is always to have separate layer for contrast, separate for color enhancement, etc. I often use color filters in PS. So you can decide to warm up the rock, cool off the water, add emerald green to the forest. etc. These are just very basic things. You can do tons of other stuff, i.e. for sky problem if it is either beyond repair, of bland -- you can replace entire sky with something you saved from before. I.e: Attachment 266886 Cathedral is St. Andrews in Vic -- vertical stitch of 3 frames because couldn't get it all in single frame -- but sky is from Thetis Lake! You can't tell even if you zoom 100%. If I see great sky I will take a shot of it & save. I have separate folder of all kind of great skies just for this purpose. May I suggest you look into getting PS? I can't post anything specific on public forum, but there are different ways of going about it. You really enjoy your photography and it would bring whole new level to it. Most important thing will always be what comes out of camera of course, but you open whole new area of possibilities. |
These are all so beautiful! Wow please keep sharing
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Macro photography is a branch of photography that I have been doing for some time and really enjoy it. I find it even more challenging than landscape since a very slight breeze, subject movement, shallow depth of field and camera shake all make it difficult to photograph.
Attachment 267156 Snail, Trans Canada Trail (TCT) Chilliwack Valley. Nikon D800, iso 800, f16, 1/6 sec, 180 mm The lens I used was a Tamron 180 mm 1:1 macro. I like the longer focal length which provides a greater working distance to the subject than a 60 mm macro would give. The drawback is that the lens weighs 2 lbs therefore has to be tripod mounted since there is no vibration reduction. Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8. Cleaned up a bit of noise and sharpened using Focus Magic. I also used a polarizing filter to reduce some glare off the shell and the small aperture required me to boost up the iso. I also use either Exposure Delay mode or Mirror Lockup to reduce lens and mirror vibration. I had previously come across a snail on a fallen tree but it was mostly retracted into its shell and motionless. Ten days later I went back to see if the snail was still around and to my surprise it was still there but had moved about 6 feet along the tree. This time it's head was visible as it moved slowly but its tentacles ( 2 upper with eyes and 2 lower) were mostly retracted since it was aware of my presence so I waited about 30 minutes when they were extended. The most important part to focus is the head rather than the shell and this applies to other subjects. Attachment 267158 Water droplets on buttercup, TCT, Chilliwack Valley Nikon D90, iso 250, f11, ½ sec, 180 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Despite the Tamron lens suited for Fx camera, it works perfectly well on Dx bodies. Here, I used exposure delay mode and manual focus which I find easier than auto. Photographing things in threes makes for better composition; the Rule of Odds makes the image more visually appealing. Attachment 267160 Mushrooms, Chilliwack Valley Nikon D90, iso 250, f25, 2.5 sec, 180 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 For this shot, I waited for the sun to filter through the trees otherwise the image would have appeared more flat. I just wish the focusing ring on the Tamron wasn't too stiff since it would be easier to focus stack without causing lens movement. At f25, lens diffraction is certainly a problem if cropped to 100% but not too noticeable otherwise. However, I sharpened the image. |
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Very nice; absolutely love the snail!
Interesting, still aperture so low even if you don't need depth of field. I happily shoot these ~f 6.3 or higher Macrophotography is not that straightforward as many think. I don't shoot many of these, but on occasion am happy when it turns right. Here is shot made today @ Sooke potholes Provincial Park: Attachment 267204 What I am happy is how sharp details turned out to be; here is 100% Attachment 267206 Check out the bugs!! I didn't even know they were there when taking a photo, so small. F 5.6, ISO 80, 1/320 sec exposure, handheld. Minor retouching only in CS6 (color, contrast, bit of extra exposure on leafs and petals only via layer masks). Camera - little Sony Rx100 which is just phenomenal, so small and practical and despite small sensor compared to full-frame SLR is capable producing quality shots. |
I believe the RX100 has macro capabilities which makes it easy to take photos. The lens I use is a specialty lens which gives a 1:1 life size shot which I have used for waterdroplets. I don't know what macro setting I used for the snail; could be 1:3. The disadvantage of the lens is the extreme shallow depth of field the closer one shoots to 1:1 thus requiring a small aperture. I took quite a few shots of the snail with different apertures (f8,11,16) and at f8 the snail shell is blurred and even at f16 the top of the shell is blurred at 100%.
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I know nuthin' about photography but I find this thread really interesting and informative. Please keep it going.
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I left my ND Grad filters at home and relied on the dynamic range of the camera instead. In this case, I used Live View and looked at the histogram and exposed to the right as far as possible without blowing out the highlights (sky and clouds). The resulting image for the raw file was quite dark but with the D800 there was a lot of detail retained after post-processing however even at iso 200 there was some noise which had to be cleaned up.
Ross Lake on the Canadian side is non-existent at the moment which makes it easier to take photographs. Only the narrow Skagit River runs through the barren landscape but the problem with this type of landscape is the difficulty of finding nice foreground composition. Therefore, I had scouted the area for any remnant pools of water to be used to reflect the mountains and clouds. For the most part, reflections give a nicely balanced photograph. Attachment 267388 Dawn at Ross Lake Nikon D800, iso 200, f11, 1/3 sec @ 35 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I liked the way this channel leads the eye into the photo. I was lucky to have some clouds in the sky over the mountains. The color didn't last too long as the sun must have faded behind the clouds to the east. Attachment 267390 Sunrise at Ross Lake Nikon D800, iso 200, f13, 1/8 sec @35 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 This shot was taken on another day at a different location when the sky was clear and the sun hit the mountain peak. The light didn't last long as clouds to the east must have obscured the sun. Such is the reason to be on location and have the camera already setup before the sun rose. Attachment 267392 Mt. Hozameen Nikon D800, iso 200, f16, 1/6 sec @35 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Manual focus with Live View & histogram exposed to the right. For this simple composition, I saw the different layers of colors starting from the foreground to background. |
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I have been hiking down into the canyon of Spahats Falls in Wells Gray Park since the mid 1980's. During late summer when the volume of water is less, I usually make my way to the plunge pool near the base of the falls and even then the spray gets me soaked.
Attachment 267634 Nikon D800, iso Lo1 (50), f16, 1 sec @ 29 mm Single raw photo processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Manually focused, Polarizing filter The sun's rays does reach down into the canyon. I have taken quite a few shots but prefer this one with some light filtering into the canyon. Since the light is not too harsh, it adds some contrast and depth to the photo. I like this perspective of Spahats Falls rather than from the viewing platform above. |
Solo you are posting some truly beautiful and remarkable pictures. I will need to assess and see what I can do more with my camera. Macro settings to get in those very close shots is something I need to figure out.
K |
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Great pro shot of Spahat Falls. I've been just to tourist overlook, didn't even know there was way down (where does it start?). I did similar shot few months ago in Costa Rica, Arenal National Park https://image.shutterstock.com/image...1337009366.jpg But yours is way better. There were too many people around, mid-day so not so good light, and I had only gorilla tripod (which doesn't even support SLR with lens). I find these kind of shots very satisfying, but it needs patience and time, something you don't have when traveling in foreign country. The only "criticism" (taken very conditionally) was that Spahat shot might need a bit more gama in post-processing. But then it also might make the frame too dark. I'd probably play with selective HDR toning via layer masks to see if I can improve something in that sense, but not sure it would work or that it's worth in the first place. |
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Ron: pls don't pay for image editing software when there are other options. You need it for personal use, not commercially. That's all I can say.
PS has great tools btw for that water smudge problem; spot remover, content aware fill and clone stamp are some of them. I am able to fix some pretty bad solar flare if patient enough. (Thx for Spahat tip, will remember next time I am in the area) |
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One advantage of visiting the same place throughout the year is to observe the change of seasons and try for better and different photographs. When I go out to places, my main objective is to try and find good compositions and to come away with at least one good photograph on my outings. After all, good photographs are something to cherish.
Attachment 267856 Nikon D90, iso 200, f16, 1/50 sec, 11 – 16 mm Tokina lens @ 11 mm. A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Manual focused. Reduced some noise and applied sharpening. Compared to my previous photo of Chilliwack Lake from the Flora Lake Trail, the wildflowers really adds a lot of depth to this photo. Most of the wildflowers grow in bunches along certain parts of the trail. Trying to find a good cluster of flowers along with a clear shot of the lake proved difficult. There was lots of areas where the flowers grew in abundance but trees partially obstructed some of the views. The other difficulty is trying to fit the flowers and background mountains in the frame. Even the super wide-angle lens couldn't quite accommodate all of the foreground flowers. I also took a vertical composition which included a lot more foreground paintbrushes but the left side of the lake almost gets cut off. I guess I could have taken a number of shots to produce a panoramic photo but there was a slight breeze at times and there would be a lot of ghosting, in the final image, when the photos are merged. What I liked about the photo is the warm tones contrasting with the blue cooler tones. What could have made the photo better? Although there are things beyond my control, it would be nice if there was more flowers in the right foreground to balance out the photo and more fluffy clouds in the sky rather than the single cloud obscuring Mt Webb. |
That's really a great photo. As you said, flowers really add to the scene and kinda lead you from foreground to background.
It is really great that you share these, specially technical details. It is also a shame that nobody comments on it because it would be fantastic to have technical discussion and learn something. CT used to have some terrific photographers at a time. Thanks for posting these; I really enjoy it for what it's worth. |
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By the way, I do appreciate your feedback at times. |
That is a stunning beauty of Chilliwack Lake and those flowers. And your macro shots are awesome and very professional looking.
I could learn a lot from you. K |
btw check some of this guys photos:
https://www.johnpricephotography.ca/ This is one advantage climbers have over us hikers; they get to photograph from "above" giving that dramatic sense of adventure and unique angles. This photo for instance: https://www.johnpricephotography.ca/...re/i-SfCp6ms/A This is Ha Ling above Canmore, very ordinary mountain with highway-like hiking trail in the back popular as Grouse Grind. One would think "What can I photograph there that is cool???". Well, there you go |
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Some people are very protective, which I could never quite understand. I.e. local hot spots to take a photo. I am always quite happy to share such knowledge, even if it ultimately might mean less income. Another local guy, which you might have heard off, is Paul Zizka. He is quite famous, he has studio in Banff, gallery & does workshops. (Have a look at his gear list, lol) |
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Pierce Lake Trail Nikon D800, iso 100, f8, 1/45 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 18 mm It appears that this Nikkor lens gives the sharpest performance of f5.6 to f8 but I still needed to add sharpening when I viewed the background at 100%. Some pros don't worry about every single part of the photo being in focus as long as the foreground and middle ground are sharp and the background is reasonably sharp. A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 It's not often that I enjoy photographing on sunny days. I think that rolling fog or clouds produce a lot of drama. By the time I reached the rockslide, the clouds had lifted but I figured that it would roll in again so this gave me time to set up the tripod and find a good composition of rocks and a rather concave shaped foreground. I took the shot when the clouds rolled in from below and lifted upwards and complimented the shape of the foreground. I find that the best time to take photographs inside forests is early morning when the wind is normally calm and on cloudy days when the light is diffuse. When it's sunny, reflected light works well as long as the sun is not shining directly into the forest to create bright spots here and there. Attachment 268154 Forest, Lindeman Lake Trail Nikon D90, iso 320, f11, 0.625 sec, 11 – 16 mm Tokina lens @ 16 mm. Polarizing filter, focused using hyperfocal distance A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Reduced noise and added some sharpening I've passed by this area many times but either during bright sun penetrating the forest or on a cloudy day with diffuse light; nothing interested me in taking a photo until this hike when I saw the reflected light on the tree trunks. The sun was still low enough not to penetrate the forest but it did light up the rockslide nearby which threw the light into the forest. Attachment 268156 Old Growth Forest, Pierce Lake Trail Nikon D800, iso 100, f11, 1.5 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 22 mm Polarizing filter; focused using Live View; used sharpening; used 2 sec timer for shutter release and 1 sec exposure delay to avoid camera shake and mirror vibration. A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 What I learnt about taking shots inside the forest is to try and avoid including parts of the sky as it shows up as bright spots in the photograph which is distracting. I usually walk around for a better vantage point such as looking down in the forest or having a steep hill in the background. I sometimes keep the angle of the camera low and use a longer focal length although this does cut off the height of the trees. According to the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), an old growth forest is not all about large trees but a forest with different diameter trees in various stages of development. Old growth forest is complex and includes fallen trees and other debris. |
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Evening light on Needle Peak Nikon D800, iso 400, f11, 1/15 sec, 18 – 35 mm @ 22 mm 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft); manual focused using Live View A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I had lots of time to find a composition before sunset. Where the creek flows out of the tarn and down the bedrock, I used the flowing water to lead the eye into the photograph. The exposed rock here and there broke up the dark areas of the foreground and middle ground. Previously, there was a nice layer of cloud over the mountain ridge but most had dissipated. I've noticed that pattern a lot where a cloud layer during the afternoon slowly disappears during the late evening and thus reduces the possibility of having a nice fiery sky. Attachment 268546 Morning light on Flatiron Nikon D800, iso 100, f11, 1/8 sec, 18 – 35 mm @ 26 mm 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft); manual focused using Live View A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I thought the morning light would hit the north end of Flatiron first so I had set up my composition with the creek flowing through a moss covered bank looking up to Flatiron. However, the light had first struck between the north and south end. The water at the north end of the tarn was more calm than elsewhere so that's where I took this shot. I'm not to keen on the foot path being in the photo. I think it's a bit visually distracting and although I had taken a couple of shots elsewhere, a slight breeze prevented a good reflection. Attachment 268548 Snow ripples Nikon D800, iso 200, f16, 1/90 sec, 18 – 35 mm @ 25 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used a bit of sharpening in the final image. A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I had climbed up the north end of Flatiron when I saw this snowbank near the edge of the drop-off. What caught my eye immediately was the nice ripple pattern. This is one of those days I didn't mind the bright sun lighting up the snow and since its angle was still low it cast some shadow to prevent the photo from looking flat. |
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When it comes to post-processing most of my raw images, I usually don't need to add color or saturation even though the raw image is dull (flat) to begin with. By brightening the image and adding some contrast, the colors usually appear saturated enough in most cases. A lot of times, it is too easy to get carried away with adding too much contrast & saturation which makes the photograph look unnatural but trying to get it right is often difficult. I often look at photographs from pro photographers and many add way too much color saturation and even contrast. Although the scene looks very vibrant and eye-catching, it doesn't look natural because I've never seen those colors that saturated in the real world.
Mt. Hozameen from Skyline II Attachment 268726 Nikon D800, iso 280, f13, 1/90 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 25 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used a bit of sharpening in the final image. A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I used a polarizing filter (PL) to reduce haze and reflection & this is especially effective when shooting 90 degrees to the sun; this helps boosts saturation but a PL filter doesn't work well for wide-angle lenses on a sunny day as it selectively darkens a portion of the blue sky. I don't find this a problem on cloudy days. The only thing I wished for was a bit of light to hit Mt. Hozameen. Castle Peak from Skyline I Attachment 268728 Nikon D800, iso 200, f11, 1/250 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 18 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used selective sharpening in the final image; 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft) A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I always liked starting my hike from Strawberry Flats as it bypasses a nice meadow although there wasn't too many wildflowers around mid-July. There is a high point which gives nice commanding views of the Cascade mountains from Castle Peak to Mt. Hozameen. Sometimes getting a clear shot of the mountains is not necessary as long as the spindly trees aren't too obstructing; I think it adds to the photo. The day started out clear but clouds moved in on my hike up which I was hoping for. I've been up there many times to know that the sun can be a problem. When taking this photo, I waited around until the sun poked through the clouds and lit up parts of the landscape. I think the light and dark shadows creates a more depth for a more defined look. I only wished the clouds lifted enough to see the peaks of Hozameen. Frosty Mountain Attachment 268730 Nikon D800, iso 280, f9.5, 1/90 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 18 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used selective sharpening in the final image; 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft) A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 Corrected some barrel distortion. I hiked up to the meadows, from Frosty camp, to photograph Mt. Frosty sunset. It didn't go exactly as I wanted because there was too much clouds in the sky and the sun doesn't set too far north-east anymore. I had to wait for this shot and was lucky to have some light for the foreground flowers and also light hitting the trees in the background at the same time. Light is everything in a photo but not too much of it. Castle Peak from Frosty Pk I Attachment 268732 Nikon D800, iso 140, f8, 1/30 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 28 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used selective sharpening in the final image; 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft) A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I started hiking by 4 am, from Frosty Camp, hoping to catch sunrise on Mt. Frosty but when I got to the meadows I saw too much clouds on the east horizon so I continued up to the summit. I didn't have to wait long before the sun starting breaking through a thin cloud layer. The light was soft enough, due to the low sun angle and thin cloud layer, that there wasn't any harsh contrast. I could have taken the shot of Castle Peak anywhere along the mountain ridge but near the top and going down about 25 feet a nice tarn comes into view. I included some foreground rocks of Frosty, the middle ground (tarn) and background to create a nice depth of field. Frosty II Attachment 268734 Nikon D800, iso 140, f8, 1/20 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 18 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used selective sharpening in the final image; 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft) A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I think this shot works well with the shadow and light areas to create a nicely defined knife-edge up to Frosty II. Flora Peak, Chilliwack Valley Attachment 268736 Nikon D800, iso 280, f11, 1/180 sec, 18 – 35 mm Nikkor lens @ 18 mm Manual focused using Live View; exposure set with histogram; used selective sharpening in the final image; 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft). A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 When the weather doesn't look good, that is the time to head out and start photographing. There was a lot of drifting low clouds and showers at times. The clouds were constantly on the move and mostly covered the entire peak. It was just a matter of waiting for some clearing. What I find invaluable on rainy days is an umbrella and a large baggy to cover the camera. Cloud reflection, Blue Heron Reserve, Chilliwack Attachment 268738 Nikon D90, iso 200, f8, 1/200 sec, 17 – 70 mm Sigma lens @ 17 mm Auto focused; 2 stop ND Grad filter (soft) A single raw shot processed with ACDSee Pro 8 I often come here throughout the year for a nice walk & to photograph. One doesn't have to travel far to enjoy nature and photograph. I actually debated about taking my camera but thought that maybe there might be some mushrooms to photograph due to the current damp weather. Instead, I sat on a bench and looked at the clouds drifting by. One advantage of using a tripod is that I can have the camera set up and just wait for the right time to photograph. In this case, I had to wait for the wind to die down for a nice reflection. I took quite a few shots at the same location with different cloud formations but I think this photo is the best as I like the pattern of these clouds. |
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That is so true (I am first who is guilty). But it also stems from personal taste -- some like rich colors even if it might look a tad unnatural, while some prefer stripped down, unpolished look. There is also sensor factor -- Canon sensors are known for vibrant colors while Nikon sensors have more 'metallic' feel. Or at least this is how it looks to me Great stuff as always. Snowbank pic on Flatiron is amazing, so much detail. It is a shame, shame, shame CT is what it is nowdays, we could all learn a lot from these examples and discussions. |
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When I go hiking/backpacking there is no one else around during the evening or early morning doing photography. Most hikers are there for the outdoor experience which is fine but the way I look at it, when I have the ability to go out into the mountains where the scenery is awesome, I want to make an effort to try and capture the beauty of the area as well as being amongst nature. Years from now, my photos would bring back good memories and I'd rather look at a nicely taken shot rather than a poor image which won't reflect the experience I had. |
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Well that's the thing. What is the priority, hiking or photographing. Then it is also not always easy to be at certain place at optimal time. I just got back from 2 nights 3 days backpack in BNP backcountry. I even tried to organize the route so that I'm in certain places when sun is (what I thought would be) in optimal position, but it doesn't always work. Then it's the question of carrying the tripod and SLR. When you cover 30km+ in a day with overnight backpack this extra gear adds quite a bit. I will post a report, but there was this one spot with peach of a waterfall cascade thumbling down the cliffs several 100s of meters to emerald lake below. Begged for 7pm and tripod; but I was there at 1pm and handheld only. Did best I could but I know it won't be as good as it could. Or one of most amazing back-country lakes I've seen that same day, but I had sun directly above; I knew I needed to be there 9 or 10am instead of 5pm. etc etc. So it is sometimes also about scouting the area and identifying these "killer" places, best time to be there and all the logistics. That is also fun, almost like engineering project. Edit: Waterfall pic; you can see the potential here. It's not bad, but... Attachment 268842 The lake. Sun is in upper right. But ~9 or 10 am it will be far left and that whole rock wall will be lit. Note the waterfall too. Very few people have been here btw Attachment 268844 |
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