Mountain in the clouds
I have been quite interested in Ansel Adams work these days. This is an old photograph of mine showing a mountain in the clouds. The shot was taken in Champery,...
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I have been quite interested in Ansel Adams work these days. This is an old photograph of mine showing a mountain in the clouds. The shot was taken in Champery, Switzerland.
I learnt a few things to try to obtain rich contrast images, from the zone system to the darkening of blue skies. This is nowhere near what a great black and white picture should look like but I still wanted to give it a go!
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I learnt a few things to try to obtain rich contrast images, from the zone system to the darkening of blue skies. This is nowhere near what a great black and white picture should look like but I still wanted to give it a go!
Read less
Nov, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this picture while on holiday in Switzerland. It is one of the mountains leading to Les Dents Du Midi, a fabulous succession of peaks in the Swiss alps.Time
As you can tell by the shadows from the clouds, I took this shot at midday. It is usually not the best time to shoot, but the harsh shadows and bright highlights worked in the favor of the high contrast.Lighting
The harsh, direct light, accentuates contrast over the whole mountain. Bright lit rocks stand at the opposite end of the spectrum from the dark forest. This picture was originally color, but the contrast made it a great candidate for black and white.Equipment
I used my canon 70-200 mounted on my 6D body. The good light conditions allowed for high shutter speeds, no need for a tripod.Inspiration
I have been quite inspired by Ansel Adams work, which pushed me to learn a few things to try and obtain rich and contrasty images, from the zone system to the darkening of blue skies.Editing
I always shoot RAW, so post processing is a necessity. Apart from the basic adjustments (exposure, lens correction, sharpness, black and white points), the only adjustment I made was to turn the picture into a black and white image. I did this by desaturating each color channel separately and then playing with their respective luminance, giving me great control over the contrast.In my camera bag
I have upgraded my kit since I took this picture. I usually have my canon 5DSR, with a 16-35mm f/4L and a 70-200mm f/2.8L. I also never go out without my tripod and my filters (ND, ND grads and polarizers).Feedback
I think one should keep an eye for contrast in nature. That's the first element. It is difficult to add contrast to a flat environment. Then there is the light. A harsh light can play at your advantage if you want to achieve punchy images. Last but not least, the addition of clouds make for more interest and textures. The same view without the clouds would not be as impactful.
