Beaver Pond Color Blast
Sep, 2014Views
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Contest Finalist in Celebrating Nature Day Photo Contest 2015
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Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 9 Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is a small lake outside Marble, Colorado, near Crested Butte.Time
We were headed back toward McClure Pass to get there before sunset, so this was late afternoon. The clouds were mostly fairly light.Lighting
There was just enough fluffiness in the sky to provide occasional less bright areas: not really cloud shade, but not quite bright as sunlit, either. There was fluff shade on the flowers and to the right, so I used an external flash on the flowers to pop the white a little.Equipment
I used a tripod, polarizing filter, external flash, and held a pink filter up to the lens to color the clouds. That day I used my Canon 60D and Sigma 10-20mm lens.Inspiration
I was on a private photography workshop and neither one of us could pass this up, she for the reflection, me for my newly-learned use of the external flash in the middle of the day. (Who knew?!)Editing
I made two virtual copies, one up 2 and one down 2 EV, then blended them in Photomatix, then, because the pink filter was REALLY pink, I desaturated the magenta color a little.In my camera bag
I usually have polarizers attached to my lens, unless it's low light, when I switch that out for a UV filter to protect the lens. I also have colored filters, an external flash, a remote shutter, and lens hoods. Lenses range from my Sigma 10-20mm for landscapes, a Canon 17-85mm kit lens (meh-), and a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (my favorite). I also have a Sigma 150-500, which I would have used on that beaver lodge if I'd had it then. I also have a Manfrotto tripod with a leveling base and gimbal head for my long lens, and a Reged CF tripod with a ball head that I use quite often. The 60D I took this shot with is now my backup body; I prefer using my 70D for its improved live view and touch screen.Feedback
Use a tripod and flash the shady parts (just a little or it looks staged). I don't use a bracketed approach unless there is absolutely no chance of motion in the shot. Landscapes usually involve foliage motion, so I stick with virtual copies when I want to use HDR software, as in this shot. If you don't have a pink filter, you can apply a pinkish gradient in post to achieve this look. Just do that AFTER the HDR magic, or it looks fake.
