Sunset on Everest
Sun sets on Mount Everest (left) and Nuptse (right)
Sun sets on Mount Everest (left) and Nuptse (right)
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Feb, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was shot from the top of Kala Patthar, meaning 'Black Rock' in Nepali. It sits at 5500m, right across the Khumbu Icefield from Mount Everest in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal.Time
This image was taken as the sun was setting behind me in the evening. Sitting on top of a cold rocky peak with no shelter, I had already been sitting in the shade of the massive mountains around me for 2h before I finally got the light I wanted. Mount Everest (left, 8848m) and Nuptse (right, 7681m) were the last mountains to have the beautiful golden light shining on them.Lighting
My biggest concerns were that the exposure on the lit up mountains was perfect, while trying to maintain as much detail in the shadows as possible. The "golden hour" is the best time to achieve this as the contrast between light and shadow is not nearly as high as earlier in the day.Equipment
I used a Canon 7D and a Canon 24-105mm F4 lens @28mm. A tripod would have been beneficial, but hiking at 5500m above sea level is hard enough so I had to leave the extra weight behind.Inspiration
Mt. Everest has always been a dream destination of mine since reading Reinhold Messners account of his climb without supplementary oxygen as a kid. Being on location was one of the most surreal experiences I have had. Sitting on top of this mountain for over 3 hours, with three 8000+m peaks around me, waiting for the sun to set was breathtaking.Editing
The only post-processing done was slight color saturation and contrast adjustments. I wanted the image to replicate as closely as possible the scene I saw.In my camera bag
My go-to landscape setup at the moment is a Canon 24-105mm F4 on a Canon 6D, great for panoramas. When 24mm isn't quite wide enough, I shoot with a Tamron 16-28mm F2.8 which is also my astrophotography lens of choice. I also generally carry a Canon 70-200mm F4 IS and a Canon 100mm F2.8 macro lens for portraits and wildlife. The 70-200 is almost always attached to my backup camera, a Canon 7D, which gives me that extra reach with the crop sensor when needed.Feedback
Shoot in Manual. 90% of my shots are in aperture or shutter priority, however when you have a situation like this where the lighting is so different across the picture, shooting in manual will give you the most freedom to capture it exactly how you want to. Also if possible use a tripod and a remote shutter release for the best quality, unfortunately in this situation it was too much extra gear to carry for a 22-day trek.
