West Lake at Hangzhou
Apr, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in at West Lake in Hangzhou, China. I had the opportunity to travel throughout China while I was living there a few years ago.Time
As the sun set behind the mountains, it caused the sky to glow a fiery orange and allowed for calm lake water to reflect it perfectly. 7:06pm March 23 2008.Lighting
The sky only glowed like this for a short period before dimming out. There was only moments available to capture this light.Equipment
At the time I was shooting with a Canon 20D with a Sigma 18mm-200mm Lens on a tripodInspiration
China is a country with so many people that it can be overwhelming at times, and more often than not, it makes for difficult photography. This scene was so calming, that it made all the bustle of the people and the city fade away, even if it was just for a fleeting minute. As the silhouettes of the people in the pagoda rippled and danced across the water, I knew i had to capture the moment.Editing
I did some basic post-processing for colors, levels, and contrast. There wasn't much that needed to be done to the photos.In my camera bag
Im shooting now on a Canon 5D Mark III. Depending on what i'm shooting I'll take any of the following on my shoots: 16-35mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, 24-104mm f/4.0, 15mm f/2.8 fisheye, 50mm f/1.8, 85mm f/1.2. Of course always carry extra batteries, chargers, memory cards. I love manfrotto, benro, and gitzo for camera support.Feedback
In photography, lighting is everything, especially when shooting landscapes. If you can be patient at a location, wait for the light to be just right for what you want to capture - try not to settle and be patient. It's also important to 'notice what you see' - try to see beyond what you are merely observing and find the beauty and creativity that is possible through the lens of a camera. I love the quote from Ken Rockwell - "Photography is the power of observation, not the application of technology"
