jpele
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
On my holidays, I absolutely love to go hiking with my canine companion in the Rocky Mountains in beautiful British Columbia. On this particular day, we were following a path and came to, what only can be described as, some of the hidden beauty that only Mother Nature can create through her frigid winter palette and tapestry of colors.Time
It was on January 2nd at 12:30 in the afternoon, on one cold winter day, when the temperature and wind chill was a bone chilling -30 degrees Celsius. I was outside all bundled in my parka in pursuit of the ultimate photograph where only true outdoor enthusiasts or those with a sense of adventure would consider venturing on such a cold winter day.Lighting
During the winter months, sunlight is at a premium as it is low in the sky and will often settle behind the Rocky Mountains early in the afternoon. The frozen creek in the photograph was in the forest and near the base of mountain so the sunlight was already beginning to disappear, but luckily, provided a brilliant backlit mosaic for a wonderful landscape photo opportunity.Equipment
I used a Canon 70D DSLR, an EF 24-70 mm f/4 L IS USM lens, and a polarizing filter. The photograph was taken handheld at 1/40 f/4 and ISO 100. I had been carrying the camera around in my backpack so I was wondering if the cold weather would play havoc on the electronic circuitry.Inspiration
Winter offers amazing opportunities for photography with the ice, snow, reflections, and incomparable imagery that only Mother Nature can provide. This particular photograph provided a great subject, beautiful lighting and offered great composition along with a full dynamic range that often accompany memorable landscape photographs. Winter imagery is probably my most cherished memory over the years of being outdoors.Editing
The photograph was shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom. The image was overexposed a full stop to accommodate for the snow and the RAW image temperature was warmed up to help bring more life into the photograph. The contrast and clarity were reduced and the vibrance was slightly increased to help create more of a surreal and oil painting like quality to the overall image. There was also some subtle split-toning and post crop vignetting done to add to the RAW image processing.In my camera bag
When I’m hiking, I like to be prepared and travel light. I usually have a high-tech primaloft liner, a technically windproof/waterproof shell, a Leatherman multi-tool, compass and GPS, zippo lighter, small first aid kit, snacks, water, and bear spray. I pack everything in my Lowepro photo sport BP 300 AW II backpack. For photography gear, I include: my Canon 70D DSLR, an EF 24-70 mm f/4 IS USM lens, an EF 70-300 mm f/4.5.6 L IS USM lens, a Manfrotto BeFree aluminum tripod, polarizing filters, lens cleaner, microfiber cloth, and sometimes an extra battery.Feedback
If you’re going to venture out in the bitter cold during the winter months for that ultimate photograph, be prepared for anything! Particularly remember that if you’re cold, you’re not having fun so remember to dress properly in layers and have good warm boots. Ensure that your camera battery is kept warm and to store your microfiber cloth in a zip-lock bag to keep it completely dry. Hand warmers are useful to help keep your fingers warm as you’ll be taking your mitts off quite frequently. Finally, always let someone know where you’re going and/or hike with a friend or canine companion. But most importantly, have fun!