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FollowA group of climbers returns from Vallee Blanche, Mont Blanc
A group of climbers returns from Vallee Blanche, Mont Blanc
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is the Aiguille du Midi, a mountain in the Mont Blanc, French Alps. It is ironic, but one of my best photos from this mountain hiking trip to Mont Blanc was taken from the observation deck of the Aiguille du Midi cable car, and not from the mountains.Time
The picture was taken at about 3 in the afternoon. Just 20 minutes before I took this picture, I was climbing the mountain, following the same route as the guys you see in the photo. I was walking up with a heavy backpack, breathing heavily, and trying not to look down too often. And I didn’t expect that I would still take photos on this trip.Lighting
It is the lighting that makes this photo interesting. Taking pictures of snow-capped mountains is almost impossible in the wrong lighting conditions. When I saw that the sun was falling on the snow at a favorable angle, casting long shadows and highlighting the texture of the snowy slopes, I rushed to get my camera ready. The day was mostly sunny, but in the mountains, the weather is changing rapidly. I was lucky to have both the sun and beautiful alpine clouds at the same time.Equipment
Equipment used to take the picture was basic -- Sony A7 camera, with Vario-Tessar FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS lens, and circular polarizing filter. No tripod was used.Inspiration
The view of climbers going up above the clouds against such an incredible background was breathtaking. In an instant, I knew that I needed to take a photo to share this view.Editing
For this shot, a lot of processing was not needed. It looked better in black and white, and all I had to do was to fine-tune the brightness and contrast.In my camera bag
Hiking with camera gear is a challenge, as you need to carry a backpack with all the other stuff for the hike. I try to minimize weight: Sony A7, with 16-35 and 24-70 lenses, a few gradient filters, and a tripod.Feedback
It isn't easy to get to the mountains, but that offers excellent opportunities for photographers. Weather conditions, lighting, and landscape change many times in a single day.