winter's tale
The 2014 Polar Vortex on the shores of the Potomac River at Leesylvania State Park near Woodbridge, VA.
The 2014 Polar Vortex on the shores of the Potomac River at Leesylvania State Park near Woodbridge, VA.
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Jan, 2015Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Winter Moments Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Coastal Landscapes Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superior Skill
Genius
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Virtuoso
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Behind The Lens
Location
Leesylvania State Park near Potomac Mills, VATime
This photo was taken on February 2, 2014 at 7:11 am. just as the sun was making its way above the horizon. Do I need to mention that it was really cold?Lighting
A slightly better than average sunrise colors aided by the cloud cover. To tame the beast of the direct sun, a reverse grad filter was pressed into service. To add additional drama to the sky, a Lee 0.9 soft GND was also put to good use.Equipment
Canon 5DMKII with a 17-40 f/4L coupled to it. Upon the 17-40 was threaded the Lee foundation with a Lee 0.9 soft GND and a SinghRay DB 1.2 RGND. All mounted on a Manfrotto C190X. Triggerd by a Yongnou wireless remote. Settings as follows: 17mm wide, aperture f/18 @ ISO50 for 1.3 secs. Manual everything, including white balance.Inspiration
Leesylvania State Park has always been a top location for sunrises. Coupled with the Polar Vortex, this was a no brainer. I wanted to frame the fishing pier and the rise, so after canvasing the shore, I decided this to be the most advantageous. Boots on and pod in the water, I worked the framing until I got this.Editing
As a RAW shooter, I always do some post, even if it is only a minor straightening or level correction. On this shot, it was pretty much SOOC. I did play with the FG level to brighten the ice in LR5, and then increased saturation by about 10% throughout in PS5. Basic stuff. It is a single shot, not a composite, by the way.In my camera bag
Canon 5DMKII, Canon 7D and occasionally a Life Pixel modified T1i. Canon 17-40 f/4L or 24-70 f2.8L, 70-200 f/2.8L ISII, Canon 50mm f/1.4 Lee Filter system, Lee GND filters, SinghRay RGND Yongnou wireless triggers Wrigleys Cobalt gum.Feedback
Study the weather forecast. Clouds are your friend. Use high quality filters A sturdy tripod and remote triggers are a must Look for strong leading lines and/or foreground elements. Don't be afraid to get your feet wet, just make sure to wear good waterproof boots in the winter. And some warm clothing sure is nice. Don't rush to compose. Experiment. High or low, center or off center, Set your focus and base exposure without filters. F10-F18 works best. Adjust your exposure based on how many stops of filtering that you are using. Shoot away.
