Sheqsan
Mount Shuksan rises over Picture Lake in the Washington Cascade Mountains.
Mount Shuksan rises over Picture Lake in the Washington Cascade Mountains.
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Apr, 2015Views
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helennormandeau
August 08, 2015
hugely skillful, especially in refining the range of extremes from black to white to black. I will be looking for your images in the future.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo is taken of Mount Shuksan from Picture Lake located in Northwest Washington State. In the summer, you can drive from here up to Artis Point which lies between Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan providing 360 degree views of the North Cascade Mountains. It is truly and amazing corner of the world.Time
This was a salvage of a missed opportunity and one I almost didn't wait around for. It was a cool foggy morning in early November. My intention was to arrive before sunrise and hope for uplighting on the clouds. However, I took too long to get out of the house that morning as I was enjoying coffee by the fire. On the way to this location, I was amazed the fog gave way to the perfect clouds for the photo I was hoping for. Unfortunately, I knew I was too late and by the time I reached the lake the light was gone. I was really bummed about this knowing my laziness cost me an epic photo. The only other shot would be a sunburst over Mount Shuksan, but I wasn't sure if the clouds would cooperate or where it would occur. Fortunately, I waited around nearly an hour and a half after sunrise to capture this image.Lighting
Since it was an hour and a half after sunrise, the lighting was becoming quite harsh. However, it adds to the mood of the photo. The fresh snow on the mountain and white clouds contrast well against the dark trees and blue sky. The reflection provides balance to the photo.Equipment
I took this with my old Canon T3i, EF S15-85mm f/3.5 - 5.6 IS lens, Promaster HGX CPL Circular Polarizer on a tripod. This set up always produced nice sunbursts without too much flare for me.Inspiration
Its an iconic photo in Washington State. I knew there was a good chance fresh snow had fallen which would help the mountain stand out more from its surrounding. My hope was to capture up-lighting on the clouds prior to sunrise. However, since I was late getting to the location I missed that shot. I have made several nice photos in the past with sunbursts, so decided I would try to salvage my day hoping one could be captured here.Editing
This is an HDR image with additional dodging and burning to improve contrast.In my camera bag
When shooting landscapes, I typically bring my F-Stop Kenti pack loaded with a Canon 6d, 16-35mm f/4L IS and 70-200mm f/4L.Feedback
Be Patient. Pay attention to the weather. Download and learn to use The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) app. I had to wait over an hour for the sun to crest the peak. Although it was foggy in the valley, I knew high pressure was setting in which typically means fair weather. A storm blew through the prior day which led me to think there could be fresh snow on the mountain. Another valuable tool is TPE. It can help determine the location and angle of the sun. With all that, hope the clouds and wind cooperate!
