Picture Lake and ShuksanIMG_2661
Mt. Shuksan reflected on Picture Lake. This is one of the most popular photos to shoot in the North Cascades Wilderness
Mt. Shuksan reflected on Picture Lake. This is one of the most popular photos to shoot in the North Cascades Wilderness
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Mar, 2015Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
Mt. Shuksan is near the end of the Mt. Baker Highway and close to the Mt. Baker Ski Area, about 50 miles east of Bellingham Washington. This photo was taken from a viewing platform on Picture Lake. I had to wait in line to get a spot to shoot a few photos. Mt. Shuksan is visible from the ski trails at Mt. Baker Ski Area. Come ski for a day and bring a camera along.Time
After a day of excellent hiking, we stopped at the lake to take a few photos. It must have been around 5 or 6 in the evening.Lighting
This is a regular daytime photo with favorable sunlight. Come back in the fall or winter for some interesting colors. I have taken photos of Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker with many shades of alpenglow, sunset light, sunlight and stormy weather. My favorite is under a full moon in February. The colors appear much like they do here, with snow on the lake and stars in the sky behind the mountain. My advice is to come again.Equipment
This was taken with a Canon T3, a kit lens and a polarizing filter. This is a hand held shot. I needed to straighten out the horizon and crop a bit off the edges. The color and exposure here are straight out of the camera.Inspiration
This is my trophy shot of Mt. Shuksan. It is in local calendars, on postcards and it is hanging up all over town. I have collected photos of Mt. Shuksan from all seasons, lighting and weather.Editing
I leveled up the horizon and trimmed a few centimeters off the edges. The rest is what I captured in the camera.In my camera bag
I have a two lenses and some filters. I use a polarizer for photos in the sun where water or light will cause a bright spot on the photo. I also have Neutral Density filters. One is an ND8. The other is a Variable ND. I like shooting water and other long exposure photos. The variable filter has been fun for experimenting. For this photo, I directed the polarizer toward the sun, since the water was in shade. A good tripod and a cable release are essential for me. My list of future purchases would include a better telephoto and a portrait lens.Feedback
Use a tripod and level your camera. There are plants in the water. Take time to frame your shot so the plants do not ruin your reflection. (But stay on the path). Mt. Shuksan is said to be the most photographed mountain in this region. Finding a different spot to stand would make for more interesting photos. Take a hike on the Lake Ann Trail and get close up views of Curtis Glacier. Try Ptarmigan Trail for some distance shots at a different angle. Table Mountain is a short by challenging scramble that reveals another point of view.
