Engulfed
A lone bird braves the incredible power of Niagara Falls and illuminates its sheer scale as winter refuses to loosen its grip
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A lone bird braves the incredible power of Niagara Falls and illuminates its sheer scale as winter refuses to loosen its grip
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Jul, 2015Views
7640
Likes
Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Contest Finalist in Winter Moments Photo Contest
Legendary Award
Winner in Missing Winter Photo Challenge
Featured
Runner Up in Image of the Year Photo Contest by Snapfish
Contest Finalist in Image of the Year Photo Contest by Snapfish
Polaroid Cube
Contest Finalist in One Is Enough Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 15 Photo Contest
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Emotions
Impressed
Relaxed
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1
Categories
shutterbug12
September 14, 2015
Wow does not seem adequate to describe this photo, it is beautiful. I can only imagine how you must have felt photographing it to actually see the blue color. Love the bird. Never knew Niagara Falls was this beautiful.
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clifffawcett
December 29, 2015
Thanks for all the congratulations! Blown away to have won the competition against so many great photos. So pleased to hear you all like the image!
pedronunoferreira
January 06, 2016
wow ... the bird detail gives the true dimension of the place. Awesome. Excellent photograph and congratulations on winning runner up in Image of the year photo contest by snapfish
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nandicmb
January 08, 2016
Congratulations on your Runner Up win in Image of the Year Photo Contest by Snapfish!
maureenshay
March 03, 2016
I am always surprised and amazed that a somewhat unremarkable addition ( the bird) can manage to triple the 'WOW' factor of a composition, then add the perfect timing to capture it!!
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clifffawcett
December 08, 2021
Thanks. Glad the otherworldlyness of the moment comes across in the photo :)
Jacob_Wainstein
July 19, 2022
Was almost sure it's the Niagara falls. Then had to check the description. Well done!
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls in March 2015 - it had been an incredibly cold winter and the snow and ice was still encasing everything that wasn't movingTime
This is my favourite shot from the time I spent at Niagara Falls - I only had a little time there so had to feel really attuned to what was happening to get the most out of the shoot. This image was shot just before 3pm on the 13th March 2015 - typically you hear this is not a great time for photographs because of the light, but if you have a vision in mind you can capture some incredible things! Have some ideas in mind but always work with whats in front of your lens - you'll create some great shots!Lighting
The light was coming and going as clouds streamed across the sky - it had a lovely way of dappling the snow in beautiful golden light. The availability of light also meant that I knew I would have great detail throughout the image - from the highlights to the shadows - which was important to me as I knew I wanted to capture every detail from the misty water to the icicles clinging to the rocksEquipment
This was shot on a Nikon D7100 (f10, 1/1600 sec @ 200mm). The ISO was set at 400 so I could ensure a fast shutter speed and high enough aperture to capture detail throughout the photo (i.e. the bird, rocks, water)Inspiration
When I heard that the Falls were so covered in ice and snow I knew I had to get there to see them. It was breathtaking. The Falls were magically encased in ice so I knew I wanted to capture not only the immensity of the scale but also the grandeur of the scene. As I worked the scene this huge ice covered pinnacle, with icicles all down its flank was mesmerising as the light moved across it and birds circled it. I had to capture this. Then it was just waiting for the right moment - a lone bird soaring in front of this incredible backdrop.Editing
As with most landscape photographs a little work was required to make the most of the light. Following some basic adjustments in Lightroom (exposure, whites, darks) I moved the image into Photoshop where I proceeded to increase the contrast a little (curves adjustment) and then focused on bringing out the colour in the highlights (using luminosity masks) on specific colour balance and photo filter adjustments. Doing this brought out greater colour contrast between the cold shadows and the warm highlights. The photo was finished with some localised clarity adjustments and vignettingIn my camera bag
My kit has to be with me wherever I go so it has to fit in one bag. I use a Manfrotto advanced travel backpack (which contains a travel tripod), a Nikon D7100 and 3 lenses which cover me for most eventualities (11-16mm, 2.8; 24-70mm, 2.8; 70-200mm, 2.8). I then carry a number of ND filters (as I love taking long exposure images), a remote, spare batteries and a small reflector. I can carry this kit with me for days, no matter where I go.Feedback
I knew I was going to be at Niagara Falls in the middle of the day - due to my travel plans, this couldn't be helped. So I knew I was going to have to work hard to make the most of the light at that part of the day. I went with some ideas (e.g. Showing the immensity of the falls) and having already looked at images and maps knew where some good spots would be. After that it was about working with the light, the conditions on the day and evolving my ingoing vision. Have a plan but always be willing to adapt. In fact, always want to adapt. Experiment and have fun!
