"La Gusela" - Passo Giau
This is a beautiful location within the Dolomites Natural Park. The mountain peak in the background is the iconic "La Gusela"....
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This is a beautiful location within the Dolomites Natural Park. The mountain peak in the background is the iconic "La Gusela".
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Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken at Passo Giau, a stunning place within the Dolomites National Park (Italy). The iconic mountain peak is called “La Gusella” (2,595m).Time
I arrived at Passo Giau about two hours before the sunset to find some good spots with an interesting foreground to draw the attention to the mountain peak. In the summer, above 2,000m, different species were growing rhododendron with crazy colors, and they would play in my favor for the final composition.Lighting
During the summer, the weather in the Dolomites is quite unpredictable, and when you're planning a shot in this area it's always a good idea to keep in mind that the weather can change dramatically very quickly. For this specific shot I was very lucky, as the colors of the sunset were among the most beautiful I've ever seen. 99% of the times I choose the shot where the sun is below the horizon, I love the light when it’s softer and more diffused.Equipment
In the last 2 years I use a Canon 6D with two of my favorite lens ever, the Canon 16-35mm f/4 L IS and the Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS. Both lenses are very light, a crucial feature for my hiking. Another lens that I absolutely love, is the Sigma 35mm f/1.4, quite heavy but the image quality is outstanding. A sturdy tripod, Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod with a Manfrotto MH057M0-Q6 tripod head.Inspiration
For this type of shot, I proceed in a very meticulous and organic way. I do not think only about the light, but I try every time to find and arrange interesting shapes. The collection of pink rhododendrons in the foreground works as an echo shape of the peak in the background, and this correspondence between these two elements makes the composition much stronger.Editing
Usually landscape photography requires a lot of post-processing; sometimes slight tweaks, sometimes more stronger adjustments. For this tipe of shot I use five different exposures (-2 1/3, -1 1/3, 0, +1 1/3, +2 1/3) and merge them together with Lightroom CC. After that, I proceeded within Photoshop CC for cleaning some spots, adjusting the contrast (Color Efex Pro 4), color correction and sharpening.In my camera bag
I put in my bag many things. The first thing is my camera Canon 6D and two lenses (16-35mm and 70-200mm). Then I love to take some pictures with my Fujifilm X100S, it has an incredible lans and the dynamic range is amazing. An important tool to evaluate the images in the field is my Hoodman Loupe, a gorgeous magnifier that allows me to check the sharpness of the image from corner to corner. Of course a pouches with all the filters (polarizer and ND filters). Oh, my sturdy Manfrotto tripod!Feedback
For this type of shot you need to be prepared. The light is always evolving and the right moment can last from fifteen to twenty minutes during the sunset. Is so important to find the exact time where the right amount of light keep in balance the sky and the foreground. Same thing for the pinky/purple colors that I love so much. The last fundamental thing, shapes!
