Ousel Falls
After hiking nearly a mile into the mountains on icy trails, I was rewarded with a beautiful waterfall that crashes into a narrow canyon. ...
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After hiking nearly a mile into the mountains on icy trails, I was rewarded with a beautiful waterfall that crashes into a narrow canyon.
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Mar, 2017Views
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Awards
Winner in Winter in Black & White Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Big Sky, Montana at Ouzel FallsTime
We set off from the car with camera, backpack and tripod in tow and after slipping and sliding my way up and down a trail through the mountains we arrived at the most beautiful waterfall. It was a magical hike where we passed frozen water curtains, crossed a creek and saw the occasional small group of people with the same destination in mind. Sometime after 1pm we slid down our final drop and had our breath taken away. This hike was suggested by my photography buddy and was a side trip while returning home from Yellowstone National Park. What a delight and I will make this trip again.Lighting
There was some beautiful side lighting that was a bit filtered from the very thin, light haze in the sky. Because of winter and being deep in a ravine, the sun sets quite early at this time of year and the light was spectacular!Equipment
I used a Nikon D7100 along with a Nikon 24-120 f/4 lens. The tripod that I lugged for a mile on icy trails was put to good use on this slow speed photo. Oh, and I truly wished I would have had trail spikes for my boots!Inspiration
There was a particular part of the falls where the water turned and fell down some lovely rocks in a light curtain. The icicles were sparkling and framed the satiny water on its trail down the rocks. I just had to capture this moment.Editing
Yes, I used a light hand while processing and brought down the highlights and raised the shadows a slight amount. This showed the texture in the snow pillows. Then I raised the clarity slightly.In my camera bag
Because I usually carry my equipment with me, I like to have a range of lenses on hand. I can shoot from 11mm-500mm at the drop of a hat and am getting a bit faster at lens changes! Often I do not pull out my tripod but throw my beanbag up on an open window when the opportunity arises. Plus after that slippery hike I always keep boot spikes in my car for that spur of the moment opportunity!Feedback
Bright white on dark or dark on bright white can be a huge challenge for the best of us. If you are not shooting in manual, always lock your exposure on a neutral tone...such as dry grasses or a blue sky. If shooting manual, still set your exposure on a neutral tone or expose off the bright spot and then add 2/3-1 stop for the bright light.
