snow bench
Three identical benches after a snowstorm in Washington,DC. The snow on the middle bench has been flattened. Did someone brush it off to take a seat?...
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Three identical benches after a snowstorm in Washington,DC. The snow on the middle bench has been flattened. Did someone brush it off to take a seat?
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Sep, 2016Views
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Awards
Winner in Powder! Snow and lots of it! Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photograph in Washington, D.C., after a snowstorm shut down the city. This image was taken in a park behind the White House, which was several blocks from the hotel in which I was staying. Some soft sunlight was beginning to show through the storm clouds, and the fresh powder snow was enchanting and beautiful.Time
I shot this image in the early morning, about 40 minutes after a mostly overcast sunrise. I was attracted to the fresh powder on the benches--it was as if the benches had been placed there just for the snow. I was also attracted to the soft early morning light that was beginning to peak through clouds onto the landscape below.Lighting
This park had many benches, but I was attracted to the lighting on these benches in particular. It was soft and subtle and led into a dark abyss. For me, it helped to create the mood of the storm--now still after several days of violent weather, as if resting from the turbulence before the melting would begin.Equipment
Nikon d750, with my travel tripod, which is the Gitzo Traveler 2. I used my Nikon 105mm lens, which is a macro lens but also great for landscapes. I didn't need any filters to get the image I wanted, but I did need to carefully expose for the snow, I decided that I would let the background go mostly black and blurred to help focus the eye on the benches.Inspiration
This was a crippling snowstorm that shut down a major city for several days. But after a storm has passed, there is often a stillness and calm that can be quite compelling and beautiful. I was looking for this when I saw these little benches. They were made for humans to rest and relax, but instead held snow, And they held the snow gently, and the snow seemed to be relaxed, peaceful in the embrace. The light was soft and beautiful. What photographer could resist? I tried to capture the mood of the moment--stillness, calm, beauty after the storm.Editing
I shoot in camera raw, and so all my images need some post-processing. Mostly this image was fine out of camera expect for the fact that behind the fencing on the right there were some canons in a historical display that I did not want in the image. Cloning them out was tedious. After that was completed, I applied a blur to the fence line--I wanted it to be there but also to disappear as a major focus of the image and to blend with the burred background. My final post-processing step was the convert the image to black & white.In my camera bag
My bag usually contains either a Nikon d750 or d810 and several lenses, depending on what I think I am going to photograph. The day I shot this image I carried the Nikon 24-70 f 2/8 and the Nikon 105 f 2/8. I always carry some ND filters and also polarizing filters, lens cloths, extra memory cards, batteries, and a remote shutter release. My bag also holds my cell phone and some snacks--usually nuts and chocolate.Feedback
Look for beautiful light and "feel" the landscape. Take some time to walk around and find what inspires and moves you. The park where I took this photo had quite a few benches covered with snow, and I walked around each of them looking for the right light and composition. It is important to think carefully about the composition you want even before mounting your camera on a tripod. In snow, you may need to "fool" the camera's exposure, if your shoot in aperture priority, with exposure compensation. But the most important thing is to discover what inspires and moves you in the landscape, and to work for a composition that will capture that emotion.
