Here is something we can learn from claudeleesadik about the techniques and story behind this awarded photo. "This shot was taken in Fiji on the Taveuni island which is also known as the Garden island of Fiji. Not as well known as the "paradise" islands with the white sandy beaches but still so worth visiting! I went on a full day trek in the middle of the jungle with some friends I met the day before. I believe this was the first waterfall of the three I saw that day. I took this photo a bit before noon." - Claude
The Inspiration... The beauty of nature. I think the picture speaks for itself. I asked my friend to stand on the rock to give a sense of scale to the waterfall. I wish you could hear with this photo the sound of the water crashing down and swooshing!
The Equipment & Lighting... It was a slightly overcast but very warm day. This photo is more about the moment and the composition than the lighting. It was an overcast day and shadows where fairly soft. But there's something special about this light thought. Indeed, because of the nature of the waterfall and the dense forest surrounding it, the light came from straight above. Falling down the same way the waterfall is. It just reinforces the power and beauty of nature. As I had a long trekking day ahead of me and I didn't know how many waterfalls and rivers I'd have to cross, I chose to carry a really light camera setup. A Canon 5D Mk3 and a Canon 50 f/1.4
The Editing... In post, all I did was color grading the photo to enhance what was already there. After importing and sorting through my photos in Lightroom and sent this one to Photoshop where I played with curves adjustments and selective colors to give a slight tint to shadows and mid tones. If I remember correctly, at the very end, I used a VSCO preset on a new layer that I faded to about 20% to add a film touch to the end result.
In my camera bag... That's a tough question! Because I do travels, interior design, as well as fashion photography and do not have one specific setup but many depending on what I'm shooting. For travels, I like to work with just natural light so I won't carry much flashes with me. I may have a 5 in 1 reflector with me as an army knife but that's it. Lens wise, I usually carry a Canon 24-70 f/2.8 // Canon 16-35 f/4 // Canon 100L f/2.8 // Canon 50 f/1.4. I always have my trusty GoPro 3 Black for underwater stuff or simply to get some creative angles. Because I also use my Canon 5DMk3 to film, I always have the Rode Videomic Pro and the awesome Manfrotto 561HDV monopod with me. Oh and some filters my favorite being a variable ND filter!
The Tips... Go explore the world! I remember being in Australia and only had 10 days left before my flight home. It was pouring so hard in Cairns and the weather forecast said this would continue until the end of my journey down under. So instead of being passive I look at my options and less than 20 hours later I was sitting on a plane to Fiji! To me the best travel shots are the ones that have a story behind it. They are the ones that move me when I look at them in retrospective. Regarding nature, think of your composition: If you move close, will you get a better shot? Also because you're depend of natural lights in those conditions, I personally prefer to shoot either during sunrise or sunset. Light is generally more vibrant and is evolving (color palette) giving your more options.
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