DariusPeckus
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Behind The Lens
Location
Steamboat Springs, Colorado near the top of the ski area.Time
This was shot at about 11:00 AM, we'd been skiing by this spot several times that day, and at this time the sun was creating an amazing sparkle on the untracked snow at the far edge of the slopes.Lighting
The light that morning was quite strong and glaring off the snow, of course shooting directly into the sun is always tricky. I used some exposure compensation and took several shots at different settings to make sure I had something to work with in post.Equipment
I used my reliable Nikon D7000, with a Tokina 11-20 ultra wide lens set at ISO 100,12mm f/16, 800 sec. I shot handheld, as skiing with the tripod can be quite cumbersome.Inspiration
I love to shoot into the sun, I'm always looking for visuals like this as they can create some fantastic images. I love the play of light and shadow, and even like some lens flare as long as its not too distracting. The sparkle on the snow really made this shot for me, as I'd seen it as a challenge to capture the flickering brightness. The snowy trees framed the shot perfectly and gave me some great shadows to offset the glittering snow. The sky was excellent as well and the wispy clouds did much to enhance the photo.Editing
The foreground was a bit dark and the detail of the trees was slightly lost in the original capture, To bring the light back I used NIK detail extraction to eliminate some of the darkness and bring out the sharp details of the snow laden branches.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.