paulcarew

In search of the lost Aspens

Hike the Lost Aspen trail deep into the Three Sisters Wilderness for a cold and mystical sunrise.

Hike the Lost Aspen trail deep into the Three Sisters Wilderness for a cold and mystical sunrise.
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NIKON D700

settings

Aperture f/8.0 ISO 640 Shutter 1/200 Focal Length 170/10

upload_date

Mar, 2015

Views

1500

Likes

+215

Awards

Featured

Contest Finalist in Meadows Photo Contest

Peer Award

+54

Superb Composition

+34

Top Choice

+15

Absolute Masterpiece

+11

Magnificent Capture

Outstanding Creativity

All Star

Superior Skill

Emotions

Impressed

Sad

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

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Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 3

Behind The Lens

Location

Deschutes National Forest, Sisters Wilderness, the Lost Aspen trailhead.

Time

Before sunrise, on a very chilly late September morning.

Lighting

Always as natural as possible in my book … A typical problem with natural lighting in the field is timing, to catch this scene before the sun crests the treetops, in this case I was facing east.

Equipment

Just out of habit, I carry Nikon equipment, landscapes are my thing, so a D700 full frame, with a 17-35mm f/2.8 works for the most part. A tripod is a must for early low light situations such as this one, as heavy and awkward as a tripod can be on long hikes into the backcountry, rule of thumb, better to have it and not need, then to need and not have.

Inspiration

There is a bit of a story behind this image... I was off to find the lost Aspens on the Lost Aspen Trail of course, Fall and all, I could just see the colors. After searching for hours, I came across a small stand of Aspen trees on the far side of a bog/meadow. I slowly worked my way across the wet, spongy marsh and found myself in front of a so, so scene of trees and nothing worthy of wet boots. I decided to fold up my setup and head back to the trail, as I turned around to retrace my steps out of the marsh, I realized the scene, was unfolding behind me all along, only seconds after taking the shot, the sun was in my eyes and it was gone.

Editing

I typically shoot RAW files, with a small JPG for later color and contrast reference. So, yes on the post processing.

In my camera bag

A good variety of Neutral density filters are typically in my bag, motion blur on clouds, or moving water can add a lot to a scene. A ND .9, 1.8 and a 3 can cover anywhere from 30 seconds out to 6 or 8 minutes exposures. Lots of extra batteries!!!, lens cleaning supplies and oh yah, a backup camera. I've recently started carrying a Sony Cybershot RX1, compact, lightweight, full frame camera, with all the bells a whistles, perfect for landscapes. Feel free to email me about my choice of backup cameras @ pecarew@gmail.com… love to help if I can :)

Feedback

Always expect the unexpected!

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paulcarew

paulcarew

In search of the lost Aspens

Hike the Lost Aspen trail deep into the Three Sisters Wilderness for a cold and mystical sunrise.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow paulcarew

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