Shadows and Light on the Andes
Shot this propped on my backpack with my crop body and a kit lens stopped down. I waited for the perfect moment when the light came through the clouds and used...
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Shot this propped on my backpack with my crop body and a kit lens stopped down. I waited for the perfect moment when the light came through the clouds and used the rocks in front of me to disguise the people just over the rim.
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May, 2015Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Landscapes In Black And White Photo Contest
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Contest Finalist in High Contrast In Black and White Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this from a segment of the Inca Trail that crosses the rim of a canyon across from the Machu Picchu ruins in central Peru. This was our last stop on a trip that had taken us to the Peru/Bolivia border on Lake Titicaca to the south, through the desert and up the Andes to Cusco and Aguas Calientes.Time
This was first thing in the morning. We left to start our way up the mountain before dawn and got to the top just past sunrise. The sun may have been up for an hour or two by the time I took the shot.Lighting
The lighting was great and primarily what makes the shot for me. It was early in the morning and the sun just started peeking over the top of the Andes Mountains. The wind was howling and the clouds were racing past, which was filtering the sunlight and really showing off the sun streaks and beams, which were reflecting off of the mountains and the ruins below.Equipment
Because of the altitude I was at and the long hike and climb to get to this location, I traveled light with only a small camera bag and water. I used a Canon 60D/T3i and an 18-55 which is usually my backup rig. I used my pack and sweatshirt as a makeshift "tripod" in order to steady the shot and used a timer on the shutter and mirror lockup.Inspiration
There was no specific inspiration apart from the fact that sometimes I see the world from a certain perspective and sometimes see something amazing. With the behavior of light and wind and other forces nature, the moment is most often fleeting. At times I choose to capture that moment and share it with others. This was one of those times.Editing
For this shot, I first converted it to monochrome by reducing saturation to 0, applied a ND grad effect to darken the sky a bit and finally dropped some of the highlights and adjusted the blacks and whites a little bit to increase contrast and bring out the light streaks. I try to mimic what can be achieved with darkroom dodge/burn and other film developing techniques.In my camera bag
Normally when I travel, I will pack fairly light and work with what I can carry comfortably all day. For this shot, I mentioned that I was carrying a 60D/T3i and just the small 18-55 kit lens. That is usually my backup camera, but because of the amount of hiking and traveling we were doing, I only traveled with this smaller camera. I normally shoot with a Canon 6D and carry a 24-70 f4 IS as my all around zoom, a 100 mm f2 prime, a 40 mm pancake lens and a 200 mm 2.8 prime lens. I will often rent a 16-35 f4 IS and borrow a 70-200 f4L non-IS from a friend when I can afford to carry more gear. I find myself often shooting longer lenses for landscape work, but sometimes need a wider field of view for tight spaces or for night photography or urban shots.Feedback
Be patient and wait for the right moment to take the photo. Enjoy the scene, take in the experience and wait for your shot. I see too many people walk up to something amazing and great, fire off 30 shots with a camera and walk away.
