Ice field Southern Patagonia
Apr, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo has been taken during a trekking in the national park of Torres del Paine, south of Chile. After a few days of trekking on the longest path of the park (the O circuit), we finally reached the higher point of the trekking, the John Gardner Pass, located at 1200 meters. Reaching the pass is rewarded by this magnificent view of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field (part of it, to be more accurate). None of this can be seen during the climbing, so it is quite a surprise to suddenly have such a clear view of the ice field and the snowy mountains!Time
The weather at the pass is highly monitored by the people who are in charge of the park, and they have the authority to send you back if the weather is not good and safe conditions for the trekking cannot be ensured. They also recommend to be at the top before 12 PM, because the weather is generally worse in the afternoon. Therefore, people generally begin this section of the trekking pretty early, to be sure to reach the summit before 12. We were walking very slow this day, so we arrived at the top around 11:00 AM. There was already a lot of wind, and it was pretty cold, even if it was still summer at that time.Lighting
The sky was completely grey during the first part of the day, but on the other side of the pass, the sun was beautifully illuminating part of the scene and giving it its magical touch.Equipment
This was shot with a Fujifilm X100S, handheld.Inspiration
Well, first of all, reaching the John Gardner Pass is a major milestone of the trekking, so being there after several weeks of planning and several days of hiking was for me and my girlfriend a great joy, and a very emotional moment. The magnificent view of the ice field and the mountains and the lighting of the scene simply added a lot of magic to this moment. This is the kind of photo I like to take: photos with a positive message, showing the beauty of nature and/or of everyday life.Editing
There was a lot of contrast between the areas in the shadows and the sunny ones, so I took three photos with an exposure bracketing of +/- 1 EV, and then merged them in Lightroom using the HDR option. After that, I only made a few minor basic adjustments.In my camera bag
This trip was a first for me (in terms of trekking, camping, etc.), so I only brought the X100S and a small tripod. This little camera is always with me, and I still have a lot to discover about it! I also have a DSLR kit, composed of a Canon 6D and three lenses: 17-40mm f4, 70-200mm f4 - my favorite lens!, and a 85mm 1.8. A tripod, one flash (with remote controls) and extension tubes complete my kit.Feedback
I still have a lot to learn, so I am a bit ashamed to give advice to others. I only can explain what I have discovered so far - or better said what have worked for me so far. The key there has been to use exposure bracketing, which is what I do when there is a high contrast between the different areas of the photo (shadow, light). I also used the rule of thirds, trying to show both the ice field and the spectacular sky (I love skies!). My final advice is also a reminder for myself: practice, practice, practice. Remember: "Your first 10000 photos are your worst" Henri Cartier Bresson.
