jamesrushforth
FollowTaken in Serrai di Sottoguda in the Italian Dolomites.
Taken in Serrai di Sottoguda in the Italian Dolomites.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Serrai di Sottoguda (Sottoguda Gorge) in the Italian Dolomites, near Malga Ciapela. The climber is ascending the first pitch of ‘La Spada nella Rocia’ (The Sword in the Stone).Time
The gorge receives little to no sun so the light is much the same all the time. In this instance the shot was taken at 4pm on a cold and overcast day.Lighting
The overcast nature of this particular day, coupled with the lack of light in the gorge actually worked to my advantage as it reduced the harsh contrasts creating a more balanced composition.Equipment
Handheld with the Nikon D810 and 80-400, no other equipment was required.Inspiration
As soon as I first saw the slender profile of the La Spada nella Rocia icefall I knew I wanted to climb and photograph it. The elegant shape and simple background devoid of distractions makes the fall contrast beautifully with the surrounding dark rock. It was then just a case of finding a suitable jacket and willing climbing partner…Editing
Some post processing was necessary to remove the small amount of noise created by the high ISO required to shoot in such gloomy conditions. After that some small adjustments to the contrast were made to help the climber and icefall stand out from the surrounding bedrock.In my camera bag
I normally carry the holy trinity (14-24, 24-70 and 70-200) complete with tripod and a full range of Breakthrough Photography filters. However in this case I opted for the Nikon 80-400 as it provides a superb focal range for capturing climbers, allowing you to frame the whole fall or crop closely on the action as desired. Whilst this lens is a bit slower it’s nothing the D810 can’t handle by boosting the ISO, with the added advantage of keeping more of the background in focus.Feedback
Serrai di Sottoguda is superb location that is highly recommended during the early winter months if you’re in the region. Whilst the gorge has easy access don’t underestimate just how slippy the path can be, particularly if there hasn’t been much snowfall. It’s especially important to not linger under anyone climbing the routes as occasionally large pieces of ice get dislodged.