TG161001_0011_Chimmmey_and_Courthouse-2-copy
Nov, 2016Views
55
Likes
Awards
Member Selection Award
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 2Top 30 rank week 1
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 2
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
-
Share to Facebook
-
Share to X
-
Share to WhatsApp
-
Share via Email
-
Share to Facebook
-
Share to X
-
Share to WhatsApp
-
Share via Email
-
Share to Facebook
-
Share to X
-
Share to WhatsApp
-
Share via Email
-
Share to Facebook
-
Share to X
-
Share to WhatsApp
-
Share via Email
-
Share to Facebook
-
Share to X
-
Share to WhatsApp
-
Share via Email
-
Share to Facebook
-
Share to X
-
Share to WhatsApp
-
Share via Email
Behind The Lens
Location
This image was captured in the San Juans Mt near Ridgway, Colo. This is only part of the story. The access to the trailhead or what trail there was a long drive up Wolf Creek Pass road. We parked and started hiking up a ridge in a light rain. The real story started when I called a friend, Jerry Dodrill, who was running his photography workshop in Ouray, Colo. which I had hoped to attend but arrived too late from a photo shoot I was doing in Lone Pine, California for Summit Adventure. The drive from Lone Pine to Ridgway was filled with too many photo opportunities so I just took my time and missed the workshop. In Ridgway, I was staying with a college friend who settled there and made his living as a building contractor of hi-end homes, that is after chasing dreams elsewhere as I had done. This was a fall photo road trip I had wanted to do for a long time along with visiting my friend. I like to explore on my own so my friend directed me to various places in the county where I might be able to find some good fall color, especially aspen which Colorado is known for. After several days of shooting on my own, I met up with Jerry and his workshop crew and shot with them for a day. Then off on my own again for the rest of the week. Later in the week, I had texted Jerry to see if he wanted to go out for a sunset shoot at the end of his workshop. He was all in. We met at my friend home and drove up Wolf Creek Pass road to the trailhead.Time
We started hiking around 4:00 PM in a light rain up a ridge to where I knew not. Jerry was patient as I was much slower than he was while hiking. We finally topped out at a saddle just at sunset only to see more people than I expected. Jerry scrambled around the ridge to find a few different compositions. I settled down to one I liked and went wide and tight with one lens and I was praying all was sharp and in focus as I was so hot from the hike my viewfinder and glasses kept fogging up. That was a real frustration so I tried Live view but the glasses still did not cooperate. My final capture was around 5:30 PM on Oct 1st 2016 After the magical light was gone we all started hiking down in the dark. Of all times I left my headlamp in the car. Jerry loaned me his and he used his phone which I should have done. It was a scramble back to the car as there was no real trail. At the trailhead, we all said what a magical moment it was and headed back down the mountain. Jerry and I had dinner and a few beers in Ridgway and then headed to our respective homes. When I opened the images all fears were gone and the magical light I saw on the mountain appear sharp on my tiny laptop screen. The next morning I showed the images to my friends and they said the images were best they had ever seen and they have seen many. Since that time I have seen several and I will agree, mine is spectacular. Outdoor Photography magazine was waiting at home and what was on the cover, the same image but not as brilliant a capture as mine. To say thank you to my friends for letting me stay with them, I sent them two canvas of different captures from that night's shoot which they appreciated.Lighting
When we first arrived at the overlook or saddle for the view of the Courthouse formation the light was flat and not impressive at all. But this is typically the case the case before the light show begins around any sunset. However, this night was a bit different. All of a sudden it was as if someone has shown a brilliant light beam along the tops of the aspens as everything lite up all at once. It was like fingers of light dancing along the treetops. It was the most beautiful light I have ever seen and still is to this day. It was a scramble for me to get the camera setting that I wanted to capture the essences of the light show before my eyes. In the end, muscle memory took over and all was dialed in quickly.Equipment
The camera was a Canon 5D3. Lens: 24-105 L F4 with a polarizer. Tripod and ball head: Really Right Stuff. On the tripod, I replaced the normal rubber feet with spikes as I was on a steep hillside that I kept slipping on. The rubber feet would have been worthless as they would have of slipped and there was a lot of brush I had to negotiate to set the tripod up. Too on the hillside setting things on the ground was tough so I was thankful for the Mind Shift camera pack I was wearing. All my camera gear was accessible without full taking it off.Inspiration
What inspired me was just being there as this was not planned out in advance as my normal shoots are. The magical light and setting were awe-inspiring.Editing
The post-processing started for the RAW capture in Lightroom where I set the white balance, black and white points, and contrast. Then I move to Photoshop for the final edit using the normal tools and Tony Kuyper's luminosity masks. With this image, I also did some dodging and a little cropping to straighten it. Saved as a .TiffIn my camera bag
When using the Canon and hiking I normally carried one camera 5D 3 body and the 24-105L F4 and 16-35L F2.8 lens. Along with several SD and CFC cards, a polarizer filter. tripod, headlamp, food, water, and warm jacket. Since that time I have switched to using a Fuji XT2 due to the weight and wanting to go to the mirrorless camera system. I now regularly carry a 16-55 F2.8 and 10-15 F4. A small flash, extra batteries for the camera, several cleaning cloths, and the rest of the equipment I normally carried when using the Canon. I have a 50-150 F2.8 but do not hike very far with that lens as it is too heavy. That would defeat the purpose of going to the mirrorless system.Feedback
Scout the area beforehand so you will know what not to bring as well as just the essentials to bring. Be prepared for any type of weather conditions and never forget a headlamp, extra batteries, and a warm jacket.
