Glistenin' Pines
Nov, 2013Views
8813
Likes
Awards
Chatter Award
Winner in 500+ Likes Photo Challenge
Zenith Award
People's Choice in Paradise On Earth Photo Challenge
Legendary Award
Winner in S is for SNOW Photo Challenge
Winner in Breath Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 24 Photo Contest
Featured
Staff Favorite
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Jaw Dropping
Exceptional Contrast
Genius
Love it
Virtuoso
Top Ranks
Top 30 rank
Top 30 rank week 1
Top 30 rank
Top 30 rank week 1
Top 20 rank
Categories
Platinum
Ultimate
PRO+
Platinum
Platinum
Platinum
Platinum
Platinum
p_eileenbaltz
October 05, 2016
Beautiful image! Congratulations on winning another award for this one. :)
Platinum
PRO+
Platinum
PRO+
Ultimate
charterswilliamosborne
October 28, 2021
I am not a fan of cold but this picture makes it worth enduring.
Congratulations.
Congratulations.
Ultimate
kurtsnyder
October 28, 2021
Congratulations on winning the paradise on earth challenge! Great image. Kurt
PRO+
Steve-n-Ning
December 04, 2022
Congratulations on your win in my '500+ Likes' photo Challenge. I just loved it, but maybe that's because I live in the Phoenix area and don't get to see such winter beauty.
Premium
Ultimate
PRO+
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on a Snow Wheeling Run on the Mormon Emigrant Trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The views are amazing from here. During the summer it's a regular road but during the winter it's not plowed so you go at your own risk and a 4x4 or other snow vehicle is a must. It's a lot of fun with wonderful views plus the offroading groups often end up helping other motorists who thought they could take this route and get stuck. So we not only get to have fun but we can help people out at the same time and hopefully come home with photos like this one.Time
This was taken around 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning. The day before was pretty overcast and it actually snowed on us that night while we camped out. The next morning we decided to explore a bit more before heading home as the weather was really nice.Lighting
The lighting for this is all Mother Nature. At the time all I had was the camera so I always relied on natural lighting for my photos. (still do for the majority of them.) The day before was all grey and overcast but this morning the sun was shining bright and the snow just added to the beauty and helped Mother Nature show her winter wonderland. Couldn't have asked for or created better lighting!Equipment
At the time this was taken I didn't really have any equipment other than my Canon Rebel DSLR (which I hadn't even had for a year yet) and the lens that it came with. It didn't really matter though as there wouldn't have been much room for any other equipment anyways when you're in a pickup packed for offtoading and the potential need for survival. I didn't even have a camera bad for my camera at the time. It sat in the passenger seat as I drove and was ready to capture memories quickly.Inspiration
Inspiration for this photo came from the unbelievable beauty of the Sierra Mountains and nature itself. Few people get to experience this view and considering the effort to get there during this time of year as well as never knowing what Mother Nature will do, there's no guarantee of a second chance. I love offroading because of the place I get to see and experience and one of the main things I love about photography is being able to capture those images and memories and share them with others who may never have the chance to experience it for themselves. This captured memory helps to emphasize that.Editing
This actually does have some post processing. I really wanted to bring out the absolute beauty that I saw and to enhance the magical feeling of being there. I used the HDR toning tool in Photoshop to bring out the details and contrast a bit more to really achieve that feel. I normally try to minimize post processing but some photos really benefit from it and I felt this one did. Being some of my earlier work it was also shot in JPG as I all I knew about RAW was that it took up more space on the memory card. (I've learned a lot since then!)In my camera bag
At the time of this photo I didn't even have a bag! Just the Canon Rebel and the 1 lens it came with. I had just become camera-less back in 2005 when my film cameras died and my brother got a deal on this used Rebel and gave it to me as a gift so I could still take photos. We had no idea at the time it would lead to photos like this or unleash an amazing love of photography. I learned a lot with that camera and have come a long ways. Now when I go out with the main purpose being photography I actually have a bag and it contains my beloved Canon 5D Mark II with it's 24-105L kit lens. Depending on the desired subject matter it will also contain either the Canon 180mm L macro or the Canon 70-200 f2.8 L. A speedlite is generally in the bag as well but I still tend to go with natural lighting when I can. I also have a 2nd bag for the commute or no photography days that contains a Canon Rebel t5i with it's 18-55mm STM kit lens and a Canon 70-300mm. This combo makes for a good run around bag so I always have a camera and no worries about having something bad happen to the 5DMII. It also works as a second camera on special trips when I may be wanting 2 different lenses off and on but don't want to worry about changing lenses every 1/2 hour.Feedback
For anyone looking to capture nature like this it really helps to enjoy adventure and to always have a camera with you. Don't be afraid to explore new areas and try not to go exploring without your camera! As this photo shows, it doesn't take a lot of fancy equipment or knowledge to capture a moment but it did take a desire to explore and share that memory. Shoot with your heart and passion and try to capture your visions and dreams. It's easier than trying to remember all the technicall stuff and rules of this and that. (though knowledge of that can help. ;) ) In the end you just might be pleasantly surprised with the results.
