Snowy Forests
Apr, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Steamboat Springs, Colorado while riding a chairlift at the ski area.Time
This was shot at about 9:00 AM, we were riding the lift up the mountain before the first run of the day, the sun was just clearing some early morning clouds.Lighting
The light was quite oblique, coming across the mountainside, creating distinct shadow and light. When shooting snowy scenes its always best to shoot early or late to get the details that are lost when the sun is overhead.Equipment
I used my reliable Nikon D7000, with a Tokina 11-20 ultra wide lens set at ISO 100,12mm f/16, 1/400 sec. I shot handheld of course.Inspiration
I love to shoot while riding the chairlift between runs, I'm always looking for great images from the unique angle while above the slopes. I love the chance to ride above the mountain and get a relaxed view of the scenery as it goes by. The light and scenery changes constantly as you ride, often for 10-15 minutes, allowing for an amazing variety of photos. The well lit trees and corresponding shadows gave me just the kind of contrasts that make snowy scenes like this pop. The sky was excellent and back lit clouds did much to enhance the photo.Editing
In this photo I did use several techniques to enhance the detail of the scene. I used NIK Color Efex pro 4 (detail extractor) to bring out the fine details of the clouds, trees, and slopes. I also used the pro contrast plugin in the same filter. In Lightroom I used the lens correction fix and several fine tuning adjustments to finalise the piece.In my camera bag
I have a Lowepro Flipside 300, and usually pack it full. I always carry my Nikon D7000, and often carry my D300 as back-up. I've since added a Nikon D750 with a 24-120mm f/4 lens. I carry my 18-200 kit lens, my 105mm micro Nikkor, a 50mm prime,( I'd rented the Tokina 11-20mm for this trip), speedlight sb 600, 4 batteries for each camera, dozens of sd cards, and assorted other cleaning and protection pouches. Its pretty heavy but well worth the effort as I can get most shots I desire. The flipside bag is by far the best camera backpack i've owned as it allows me to use it as a waist borne desk in sandy and wet environments. While skiing I will trim down to just the D7000 and a few lenses, batteries, and spare sd cards.Feedback
Skiing with your camera gear is slightly burdensome, but I've been skiing my whole life and have confidence I won't completely wipe out and destroy my gear. If your a confident skier I highly recommend bringing your dslr on the slopes with you. I have found some amazing locations and visuals while on the slopes, I really like to shoot photos while on chairlifts, the angle of view is significantly different from being on the ground, and some of my best shots have been captured aloft. Shooting into the sun on the slopes can be rewarding too, the snow does some wild things to the quality of light, as does the elevation. The air is crisp, cold and less distorted, this shot was taken at nearly 10,000 feet and the light had a completely clear and rich quality. One thing to remember while in the cold is your batteries drain faster, I usually keep them in an inside pocket of my coat to keep them warm till I need them, once in camera they go fast. My ski mates often give me a hard time for carrying a backpack full of camera gear while on the slopes, but I rarely regret bringing my dslr out on the slopes. Point and shoot cameras rarely give the quality shots of the dslr, and forget about phones, unless you just want some nice vacation snaps. So bundle up, pack your gear and get out on the slopes, you won't regret it.
