rickwagonheim
Follow60 second exposure of kolugljüfur wayerfalls in iceland at high noon while surrounded by a constant swarm of plague size, black flies.
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Awards
PRO Aluminum Tripod
Contest Finalist in Monochrome Waterfalls Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
All Star
Virtuoso
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Genius
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This is Kolugljüfür Canyon in Iceland.Time
Noon.Lighting
This was shot at high noon, the worst time of day to shoot any kind of landscape. The sun was directly above me, on a hazy, overcast day void of color. I couldn't shoot a beautiful color image, so I decided this would only work in black and white with the emphasis on the foreground textures. Additionally, I was challenged by swarms of giant, plague size like flies swarming around me and the lens, complicating things even further.Equipment
I shot this with a Canon 5D Mark IV with a Canon 24-70 f 2.8 lens on a tripod, using 2 filters manufactured by B&W, a 10-stop ND filter behind a B&W polarizer filter.Inspiration
you can't go to Iceland without shooting a couple different waterfalls. This is a lesser known waterfalls as most of the images are from Godafoss and Dettifoss. I was inspired by the challenge, how could i make this image mesmerizing and memorable when the light was so flat and dull? it was a bright, very hazy day at high noon. The sky was overcast and void of color or shadow. I was inspired by the challenge to make this look great. i decided to shoot mono in RAW and jpg, giving me a black and white jpg for reference and a color RAW file for processing. I shot a variety of long exposures between one and two minutes long and discovered the clouds looked best at 60 seconds. I had to find a foreground where i could emphasize the textures of the rocks.Editing
I color corrected the RAW file in Adobe Camera Raw ( ACR) and converted the color RAW file to Black and White in photoshop. I added separate curve masks for the foreground and the sky, plus a third curve mask for the foreground rocks. The final mask was a photo filter to add a hint of blue to the final touch.In my camera bag
I am A Canon Camera fan and seem to carry three lenses at all times, Canon's 16 to 35 mm, 24-70 f 2.8 mm and a telephoto 70-200 f/4 or f/2.8 depending on far i am traveling or walking. The F2.8 70-200 is to heavy to always carry so it depends on my subject that day. I always carryw 4 filters, a 3 stop, 6 stop and 10 stop ND screw in filters, a polarizer filter, several batteries, lens cloth and cleaning fluid.Feedback
Look for a good foreground element to incorporate into the shot and don't rush the process. Look around, find the angle, knock off a quick couple of shots to see if your composition is strong or compromised and above all, be patient. Sometimes the light isn't right and you have to wait. When shooting long exposures with water, the image requires clouds to increase dimensionality. You might have to wait for the clouds to roll-in, or the wind to blow in the right direction and push the clouds into frame. The most important advice I can offer is to be patient, watch and wait for the clouds to appear, or for the wind to blow the clouds into frame to create a more arresting image.