Crater Lake Colorado
This lake is a little past the popular Maroon Bells picture.
This lake is a little past the popular Maroon Bells picture.
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Dec, 2015Views
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lindalucas_6386
May 16, 2018
So nice to see this again! I used to live in Boulder, haven't been back to this spot in years. Thank you for such a magnificent reminder!
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Crater Lake, it's located northeast of the Maroon Bells peaks. This shot was taken an hours hike from Maroon Lake (where the easily recognizable Maroon Bells picture is normally taken).Time
This is the first small break in the 12 mile hike from Aspen to Crested Butte. I took this shot at 8-8:30 in the morning when it the lake was calm and quiet giving the water a reflective quality. The area around this lake is a major backpacking camp site so there can be a decent amount of commotion later in the day.Lighting
It was still early enough in the day that the sun was lower in the sky behind me to the left giving a few shadows on the mountains but evenly exposing everything else in the frame.Equipment
This was shot with a NIKON D600 and a 50.0 mm f/1.8 prime lens at ƒ/6.3, a shutter speed of 1/500s, and ISO 100.Inspiration
I started off the day at Maroon Lake and wanted to get the iconic Maroon Bells picture with the lake in the foreground and the peaks in the background. Aside from this area being shot over the years thousands of times there were hundreds of people around the lake and the water was not as still as I would like for the mirror effect. I really wanted to get a picture of a lake with the mirror-like effect so I was disappointed, but I knew I had an amazing hike ahead of me. I was expecting the same large number of people and choppy water at Crater Lake. I was pleasantly surprised by how calm Crater Lake was when I arrived. The farther out environment gave that beautiful reflective effect.Editing
This picture was stitched together from 3 to 4 pictures because I used a 50mm prime lens. You do not get a lot of wide angle with 50mm and this makes it a little difficult to get the full landscape. After I stitched the pictures together I did some mild adjustments of contrast, highlights, shadows, and some added saturation and vibrance to bring out the color of the shot.In my camera bag
On a long hike, I typically have one or two lenses to go along with my D600. I like smaller lenses (like a 50mm prime) because I carry the camera in my hand. I wrap the neck strap around my hand just in case I slip while scrambling up steep incline. I also have a ti-pod in my backpack to shoot star trails later in the night.Feedback
Always having a camera in your hand helps with never missing a good shot, and I've found the stitching together 4 or 5 pictures together can make up for a wide angle lens that you left behind. If you are looking for water that is still and reflective you can't beat early in the morning when the air is calm and weather hasn't started to move in.
