Johnston Canyon
Dec, 2013Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta, CanadaTime
11amLighting
There were many viewpoints in the canyon that just didn't seem to work. Most shots would have resulted in a photo with part shade and part harsh light. I found that by leaning over the railings at this location, I could get the foreground and background nicely lit with just the middle portion being slightly in shadow. I didn't realise at the time of shooting, but I think the slightly shadier middle portion of the photo encourages your eye to follow the walkway and check out the background.Equipment
I used a Nikon D5000 with standard 18-55mm kit lens. HandheldInspiration
This was one of the few occasions where the walkway was people-free with nothing to distract your eye as it leads along the walkway and river. I liked how I could get an uninterrupted shot of the walkway clinging to the canyon face as it followed the line of the water. The walkway seems to zigzag more the further away it gets and there's no sense of there being an end to it!Editing
I adjusted levels in Lightroom 4In my camera bag
What I own I carry! I have four lenses (Sigma 10-20mm, Nikon 18-55mm, Nikon 70-300mm, Nikor 35mm; I carry a polarising filter for each lens and a ND filter for the kit lens. The monopod and tripod come with me if I'm feeling keen and fit!Feedback
My advice would be to get in place earlier than I did especially if you're looking for a people-free shot. You'll have so much more time to select your shot and more time to compose and adjust camera settings etc. I felt pretty rushed! If you're like me and don't have a top end camera, make sure it's a bright day though because the canyon walls can block out a lot of light. Even at 11am I had to open the shutter to f5.6 in order to retain a 1/60s handheld shot. This was a wider aperture than I would have liked.
