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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the steps of the more famous castle Neuschwanstein in Germany, near the Austrian border.Time
About midday.Lighting
In this case, lighting was challenging for several reasons: being in the mountains in the winter cut down on the amount of sunlight that could illuminate the whole valley, the haze that is partially seen in the right of the photo was also moving across the lake and the snow affected the exposure.Equipment
Nikon D7100 with a Nikon f35.-5.6 18-140mm lens.Inspiration
We traveled to Europe in the winter time with the hope of experiencing life in a Thomas Kinkade painting. I had fully expected to spend a great deal of time photographing Neuschwanstein but due to the weather, the bridge was closed which cut off access to the prime photo area. But looking into the valley, the sister castle Hohenschwangau sat in a picturesque pocket in the mountains next to Lake Alpsee and saw a perfectly composed postcard photo!Editing
Yes. The snow made the photo flat when I first loaded it. Punched up the saturation in Lightroom and added clarity in the foliage.In my camera bag
Depends on the trip. For this trip, I carried only the 18-140 f3.5-5.6 lens. Very versatile and lightweight. The camera does an outstanding job at slower shutter speeds and I expected to shoot landscapes primarily. Aircraft and sports require the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 which is fast but heavy. Usually carry a Ranger tripod, flash and various remotes, batteries and cables.Feedback
The talent is largely in the composition so widen the shot and crop to your liking after the fact. Use a tripod and shoot RAW with a large depth of field. I intentionally over saturated the image to get a "painted" look which looks great when blown up! This is my style and would encourage you to experiment and find the ones that please you the most.