Torres Del Paine National Park
Chile
Chile
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Apr, 2014Views
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
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sophiedv
November 11, 2022
WOW!
I have a similar picture with the same point of view. We stayed for a night in these small hotel on the island. Did you?
I have a similar picture with the same point of view. We stayed for a night in these small hotel on the island. Did you?
PRO
Lpepz
November 11, 2022
Thats awesome - would have loved to stay there, but didn't get the chance! An amazing country!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile at a lookout point overlooking Lake Pehoe. The Cuernos Mountains, also called "Horns of Paine", provide a dramatic backdrop to the lake where the Hosteria Pehoe hotel sits on its own small island. The Cuernos Mountains are part of the Paine Massif, these rocky gigantic masses of granite peaks with curved horn-like tips were carved by glaciers over 10 million years ago.Time
The photo was taken around 11:00am and the mood was a little drab as it wasn't the bright, beautiful, sunny day that I had hoped for. We had been dodging rain all morning with the forecasters predicting even more rain! When we first climbed to the top of the lookout point the clouds were covering the tips of the horns, then all of a sudden, magically, the clouds lifted from the peaks of the mountaintops just long enough for me to quickly frame and snap a dozen shots before the clouds came back in and hid the peaks again. It was perfect timing that these dark ominous clouds somehow moved up and revealed the tops of the mountains allowing me to take the shots.Lighting
The clouds acted as a huge filter with very little light coming through. I used my tripod to deal with this low light situation in order to use a slower shutter speed with a higher f stop for a greater depth of field. Automatic Exposure Bracketing was used to take three photos of the same shot, each at different exposures to create a high dynamic range (HDR) photo.Equipment
This was shot on a Canon 5D Mark II with a 16-35 f/2.8 lens and of course a tripod and shutter release cable.Inspiration
Torres Del Paine is a place that inspires one to shoot the astonishing beauty of these gorgeous landscapes. There are many viewing areas throughout the park, which provide a wide variety of views of this wonder of nature. I had envisioned shooting the Horns of Paine from a different location, but when I saw the little island on Lake Pehoe and the winding road around the edge of the lake with the horns in the background, I knew it was going to be an awesome shot. At this particular lookout point I had no idea of how extraordinary the scene would be until I climbed to the top of viewing area and was awestruck on how spectacular this landscape really was. The juxtaposition of the ancient mountains and the modern hotel, bridge and road made for a breath-taking composition.Editing
Photomatix was used to combine three shots of the same image at different exposures for a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image. The combined image was then tweaked in Lightroom.In my camera bag
My travel bag consists of the Canon 5D Mark II camera, 16-35 f/2.8 lens, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, 2Xs converter, Speedlight 430EX II and of course a backup camera - my good old faithful Canon 40D. I love the quality of the Canon L series lenses, the best glass out there in my opinion. I also carry the Canon G12 point and shoot camera. Comes in handy when you just want to go out for dinner without your gear, but if something comes up, you can capture a decent shot. I also travel with my carbon fiber Horusbennu tripod; polarizing filter and I don't leave home without my shutter release cord.Feedback
Know your equipment inside out and know what settings you need to achieve the picture that you envision. It's important to be able to quickly adjust the settings so you don't miss the shot. Practice, practice practice! Be prepared for what nature has to offer, as skies with dark ominous clouds always make for a nice backdrop with a dramatic effect. As a photographer, either professional or amateur, one should fulfill their dreams, travel, live and see this vast universe we call earth. Travelling the world gives you a sense of accomplishment and to be able to take great photos relives the memories of your trip. Remember the moments, journal your travel and when you get back, create a photo album that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
