Day's End
Early Sunset over Mount Conness, a classic Sierra spring landscape.
Early Sunset over Mount Conness, a classic Sierra spring landscape.
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Nov, 2016Views
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Awards
2020 Choice Award
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Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Genius
Superior Skill
Superb Composition
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the backcountry adjacent to Tioga Pass, in the Eastern Sierra Nevada (CA).Time
This shot was created at sunset.Lighting
Well, there's a lot to share about an image like this, but after skiing all day with my students on this experiential adventure, setting up tents and getting food ready, I had to hit the window where a sunstar was possible from our campsite. This meant a lot of quick setup and decision making as the sun crashed into the horizon.Equipment
Nikon d800e, 18-35, Really right stuff tripod/ball head. I pretty much always use one or more lee graduated neutral density filters at sunset/rise.Inspiration
Well, at the base level, the mountain valley, the sun going down, these are the sorts of things that inspire me in the moment. But the reality is that this particular image was inspired by the experience my group and I were having. As a high school teacher, I get opportunities to take groups of students on Experiential trips. To my mind there is no greater spark for growth and development than authentic experience. And I find this terribly inspirational. I was ready to model commitment to the moment for my students. HadEditing
I have a fairly straightforward and common workflow in Lightroom for a landscape photographer. For this image I started with dust spot removal, as there was no cropping or leveling to do. I adjusted the white balance and set my black and white points, tweaking shadows and highlights. I removed chromatic aberrations, and then played with saturation, vibrance and clarity. Once satisfied I sharpen for whatever output is needed. This image has been printed several times, so I have a few different outputs.In my camera bag
For a backcountry experience like this, I carry less than I'd like, but considerably more than most backpacking or backcountry ski photographers, especially on a multi day, technical journey. I have my d800e body, 18-35, and 28-300 lenses. They aren't the primes of the primes, but they don't break my back or my bank and particularly the wide angle creates extremely high quality images. I have tried travel tripods, and I probably will again, but in order to create large prints, I need stability, so I invest in carrying my Really Right Stuff Tripod and ball head. These are light for what they offer, but still not light. My kit also always includes four Lee Graduated Neutral Density Filters, alongside a big and little stopper, and the filter holder.Feedback
Know your equipment, practice and shoot often so that you can move quickly when a moment happens. At high altitudes, on the edge of winter, light changes very quickly. Explore, off the trail, away from your car. Listen to experts in fields outside of photography. You don't need to take a picture with 700 other people at tunnel view or of the firefall in Yosemite. The locals, the adventurers, they know how to lose the crowd. If you don't lose the crowd, then you will think like them. Practice mindful photography, or the pursuit of the image can begin to feel like a burden.
