"Lower Lake"
This is the destination of Jackson Hole Bible College's backpacking trip the other year. It was just referred to as "lower lake" since there is another lake hig...
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This is the destination of Jackson Hole Bible College's backpacking trip the other year. It was just referred to as "lower lake" since there is another lake higher up the mountain. It was a great spot to fish and enjoy, and sunset made for some great photos!
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May, 2012Views
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Editor's Choice
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
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Outstanding Creativity
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AlanJakarta
May 30, 2013
Beautiful shot with lovely colors & reflections. Congratulations on your Award.
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken on a backpack trip at Lower Granite Basin Lake in Jedediah Smith Wilderness, Wyoming. Very little-known location, and extremely beautiful! One of the best backcountry fishing lakes too. It's about a 9 mile, 3,000 feet elevation gain hike to this lake.Time
This was taken right as the sun was setting over Idaho and cast glorious alpenglow light on the cliffs across the lake. One of the most memorable sunsets I've ever experienced!Lighting
I just capture the beauty of natural lighting for my landscapes. This night was especially perfect lighting because the clouds created a moody feel, and the fiery red alpenglow from sunset throws a spark in the photo. Reflection in the lake was also perfect because of the lack of wind that evening.Equipment
Canon 20D with Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/3.5-5.6. Nothing else :)Inspiration
This was my first night at the lake after a long, heavy hike. I was not in great shape at the time, but wanted to carry my camera gear anyway because I love landscape photography. I was rewarded with an incredible sunset at a gorgeous alpine lake! I was blessed with perfect conditions and took advantage.Editing
Just the usual processing (the photo was taken in RAW). Didn't take much editing to get the result here.In my camera bag
It's always a tough decision on hiking trips! I also have a Canon G12 I sometimes go with instead of my DSLR because of how light and small it is. I'm now in pretty good hiking shape and can usually handle the extra weight just fine, so often I take my Canon 6D (have upgraded since this photo) with my 24-105L lens. I find that's a great combo for any landscape situation. Other times I've taken my G12 for trips where photography isn't as much the focus. I can still get quality shots with that little camera :)Feedback
Get out hiking and photographing as often as you can! These types of situations don't come often, so you can't expect to always hit the perfect conditions if you don't get out much. Backpacking is far more ideal than day hikes for great shots of backcountry lakes like this. Day hikes usually limit you to mid-day lighting, which isn't near as good as sunrise/sunset lighting. It's possible to hit the trail early in the dark to get to a location for sunrise, or get to a location for sunset and then hike back in the dark... but that's not nearly as practical or easy. Backpacking for two or more nights is ideal because it gives you variance with weather conditions and lighting. More time spent there = more potential for that super epic lighting. Try to take a little tripod with you, gorilla pods are a great option. This will give you stability and thus good sharpness and image quality (low ISO) for low-light situations such as sunrise or sunset. One last piece of advice: double check your settings before you shoot the scene! If you're rushing to get to a spot for that perfect sunset lighting, it's all too easy to quickly setup and forget that you still have your ISO at 3200 or your focus is set wrong or whatever it may be. It's worth getting it right the first time rather than kicking yourself later for messing up a potentially awesome photo.
