mjames12

Photo

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

settings

Aperture f/2.8 ISO 400 Shutter 1/640 Focal Length 70/1

upload_date

Nov, 2015

Views

2555

Likes

+375

Awards

Editor's Choice

Featured

Contest Finalist in The Four Seasons Photo Contest

Peer Award

+123

Superb Composition

+37

Top Choice

+26

Absolute Masterpiece

+24

Outstanding Creativity

+11

All Star

Superior Skill

Magnificent Capture

Genius

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Awesome

Love this

Nice capture.

PRO

Love the red

Fantastic photo! Keep up the good work! :)

Great shot! I love the Grand Haven lghthouse.

See all

Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

I went to the coast to get some pictures of the Lighthouse with ice on it and arrived as a storm was about to hit. I ended up getting some nice shots

Photographing Niagara Falls and night when a storm blew in, so I got a bonus light show in the sky.

Driving down a road in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the middle of winter I came across an ice cave formed along side the road. The sun was hitti

Toward the end of family pictures the kiddo was getting fussy and she ripped the rose off her skirt and placed it against her head for a perfect pose

American Falls on a gorgeous day with light cloud cover

view of the American and Horseshoe falls

view of the falls from behind the falls tour

Point Betsie Lighthouse along scenic M-22 in Benzie County, Michigan

Lighthouse in Point Iroquois, Michigan just before a storm

A rainbow in front of the American Falls

Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken on a cold January day at the Grand Haven Pier. In Grand Haven, Michigan.

Time

A friend and fellow photographer and I had been watching the weather so we knew there were high wind warnings on the shores of Lake Michigan. We made the drive over to the coast and made it there by mid-day. We donned our heavy winter clothing, and put spikes on our boots to aid in our safety while hiking out on the icy pier. Then we waited for the heavy waves to crash against the lighthouse.

Lighting

The heavy cloud cover adds to the dramatic scene for this shot.

Equipment

This shot was taken with a Canon 5D, mark III camera with a 55-200 mm, f/2.8 lens. Due to the conditions of hiking out on an icy pier, I took the least amount of gear out with me, so I was handholding my camera for the shot.

Inspiration

I have always been fascinated by the lighthouses we have in Michigan and by the forces of nature. When you combine the two, it makes for great photos. I makes sure I track the weather on the coast of the Great Lakes for great photograph opportunities.

Editing

I didn't have to do much post processing to this photograph at all. I put two masks on it, one for the sky, and one for the ice. I color balanced the sky so the clouds matched the ominous grey I saw in the sky that day. Then I put a mask on the ice to whiten it some. The ice originally had a dirty tint to it from the water splashing the pier.

In my camera bag

I normally have my camera body, Canon 5D, mark III in my bag. Then I have my 50mm prime lens, my 24-150mm, f/4 lens and my 55-200mm f/2.8 lens along with filters and batteries.

Feedback

The weather changes often on the Great Lakes, so make sure you track the weather. If you want to get shots of the ice build-up, you need to make sure you take safety precautions because the piers are very narrow and very slippery in the winter. Make sure you dress for the weather because you have to be patient and wait for the right time for your shot. You can watch for the right sunrise, or sunset, or catch it just before a storm to get ominous clouds looming in your shot. Use patience and plan ahead.

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mjames12

mjames12

Photo

Behind The Lens

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