First Catch of the Day
At first light on eastern Oregon's peaceful Anthony Lake, with the mist rising off the water and the peaks lit up with sunrise glow, a lone boat awaits to head ...
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At first light on eastern Oregon's peaceful Anthony Lake, with the mist rising off the water and the peaks lit up with sunrise glow, a lone boat awaits to head out to reap the first catch of the day on the still waters.
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Aug, 2015Views
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Staff Winter Selection 2015
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
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Peer Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is Anthony Lake in eastern Oregon, not too far from the Idaho border. It's part of the Anthony Lakes Wilderness area, a pristine area of alpine lakes, granite peaks, endless forests and miles of hiking trails. It's definitely off the beaten track, but still quite accessible for those looking for a getaway filled with peace and relaxation. There's also a small ski area nearby, too, for winter recreation.Time
I took this photograph just after dawn on a freezing cold summer morning in early July. While the forecast highs for the lowlands were to be in the high 90s, the temperature was hovering around 32. I arose in the dark just as first light was breaking in the eastern sky.Lighting
While a weather front had swept through the previous afternoon with interesting clouds and a great sunset, the clouds were all gone by the morning, leaving a completely clear, cloudless sky. Nonetheless, even without the clouds I hoped for, I focused on the brilliant light of sunrise on the peaks and its effect on the mist and the lake, and the reflection.Equipment
This was shot with a Sony A77, with a Tamron 18-70 F2.8 lens and a MeFoto tripod, and I used a Sony remote controller for the shutter release.Inspiration
This lake, and the surrounding peaks, really reminded me of the Sierra Mountains of California, and is unlike most other mountainous areas of Oregon that I've been to. There were people out on the lake the previous afternoon, fishing on the lake in hand-powered craft - small rowboats and canoes. Seeing how still the water got around and after sunset, and then seeing mist forming as it got dark, I knew I just had to rise early to see if I could get a great shot that combined the first rays of sunlight hitting the peaks, the mist coming off the still water of the lake, the peaks reflecting in the water, and with luck, a well-positioned boat or canoe to use in the foreground. Sometimes it can take many attempts and trip for a scene such as I envisioned to come together, but with luck on my side, it was right there for me, waiting. Not another soul was up that early, so I had the entire lake and scene to myself, so I scoped out a few vantage points and found this one, just as I had imagined the night before.Editing
Very little actually. This file was shot in Raw and I imported it into Lightroom with some minor adjustments for saturation, shadows and highlights.In my camera bag
My trusty Sony A77, a great, sturdy, tough and weather resistant camera that has served me well for years - rugged enough to handle the extremes that the Pacific Northwest can throw at a photographer. I have a variety of lenses, from my Tamron 18-70 2.8, Sony 30mm 1.8 macro, Sony 16-105 3.5, Sigma 18-250, Sony 11-18 wide angle. I always have a Sony Remote Commander, circular polarizers and 10-stop neutral density filters, memory cards, spare battery, chamois cloths and cleaner, and - a must in the Northwest - a rain jacket for my camera!Feedback
Oregon is one of the most photographed states in the U.S. and that means original compositions and unique locations can be difficult to come by. That popularity is certainly justified but you can only see so many photos of places like Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake National Park and the Oregon Coast over and over again. Look for off-the-beaten track locations like this one. Anthony Lake is about a 6-hour drive from Portland, so not many photographers will go out there, and this area is overshadowed by the more popular Wallowa Mountains, Eagle Cap Wilderness, and Hell's Canyon to the north. But if you venture out here, you will find hundreds of miles of vast and largely deserted wilderness, prime feeding grounds for the adventurous photographer looking for unique image opportunities of places generally seldom visited.
