bminor
FollowThe sun was trying to peek through the heavy clouds at the cottage, one morning, and I loved the feel in the air. I knew the conditions were right for a photo b...
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The sun was trying to peek through the heavy clouds at the cottage, one morning, and I loved the feel in the air. I knew the conditions were right for a photo but I needed something for foreground interest so I tied a tow rope to a canoe and pushed it out as far as I could out onto the lake. It made for a great foreground. The mist and somber mood of the scene gave the photo a sense of mystery--and the abandoned canoe a feeling of isolation.
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Curator's Selection
Legendary Award
2020 Choice Award
Top Shot Award
Contest Finalist in Ships And Boats Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Dusk Or Dawn Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Simple And Beautiful Moments Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Social Exposure Photo Contest Vol 6
Contest Finalist in Boats And Ships Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in Clean & Simple Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Freshmen 2015 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Get Out Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 22
Runner Up in Enchanting Waterscapes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Enchanting Waterscapes Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
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Top Ranks
kathyk_abq
August 18, 2015
a beautiful shot that perfectly captures the serenity and beginning of a new day. I love it6!
slyfox1964
September 12, 2015
Love this photo. Scrolling through numerous photos and this one stood out for me. Well done.
nandicmb
September 13, 2015
Congratulations on your Contest Finalist win in Freshmen 2015 Photo Contest!
ziggyzoo52
February 18, 2017
Wow absolutely awesome shot. Voted for it in celebrating nature. Good luck
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at one of my favourite spots to visit--my brother's cottage up in Northern Ontario. Aside from the fact that my brother has all the toys to make cottage life exciting--fishing boat, houseboat, jet ski and all terrain vehicles--the location and view at the cottage is simply breathtaking! Some of my most successful sunrise shots were taken at that location.Time
I'm an early riser, which is a blessing if you're into landscape photography. Getting up pre-dawn is a regular thing for me so when I get up in the morning one of the first things I do is look out the window. I do this at the cottage, at home and almost anywhere I stay. I guess I do that to see what my day is going to be like, but also to see if the skies are right for photo opportunities.Lighting
When I wake up at the cottage and the conditions look like they might be right for a great sunrise shot I often will skip morning coffee, grab my camera and tripod, slip on my shoes and my hat and walk to the lake shore. I have a few spots that I know I like to set up. This particular morning the mood was somber. I liked it.Equipment
For this shot I used my Canon 6D with my go-to Canon 16-35 f4 wide angle lens. I also used my small but portable fotopro c5I tripod. I like this tripod because it's light weight and I can position my camera in almost any way I'd like. I can even arrange this tripod to have my camera just above the water. The legs can adjust in so many different ways and so can the head. Most people would mention a favourite camera or a favourite lens, but for me this tripod has helped me in so many situations--I just love it.Inspiration
The lighting this particular morning was quite somber, but the mist really is what drew me. I came out to the lake shore and looked out and wondered what I could do for foreground interest. Something was missing in the scene. When I saw the canoe I knew exactly what I had to do. I tied the canoe to a water ski tow rope and pushed it out as far as I could. There was a bit of wind so often the canoe would wander and I had to reel it in and reposition it. I took several shots that morning but this turned out to be my composition of choice. It just seemed to work.Editing
I have to admit that I'm a bit lazy when it comes to post--processing. I prefer to do as little as possible. If I can get away without leaving Lightroom and going into Photoshop then that's always a bonus for me. In this particular case I think I just did a bit of cropping, I turned up the clarity on the foreground and brought out the golden glow in the background with a bit of saturation and cleaned out a few lens spots on the photo. I really didn't want to over-think this shot. When I do that sometimes I end up ruining the mood of a photo more than helping. This was a situation where very simple editing was enough for me.In my camera bag
I mentioned my favourite tripod already, but for landscapes I'd say my Canon 16-35 f4 L series lens is my go to lens. I sometimes go out with my Canon 24-70 f4 for a bit extra reach, and sometimes even the Canon 70-200 f4 comes in handy when the scene I want is further out. That and my Canon 6D, a few extra batteries and sd cards, a small cleaning kit and bug spray and I'm good to go. It's a different story for wildlife shots, but for landscapes this works great for me.Feedback
I think the best advice I can give for this kind of shot is really simple. When you find a spot that you know has so much potential you really have to make sure you're there as often as you can. I've taken photographs at this site several times. What's static is the scene. What makes a huge difference from shot to shot is the weather. This scene, like any water scene, can go from calm and mysterious to light and lively to dark and moody and to serene. If you have a great scene all you need are the conditions to change and you have a whole new photograph.