Contemplating my vast insignificance
After a long day, sitting on my favorite spot over my favorite view
After a long day, sitting on my favorite spot over my favorite view
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May, 2018Views
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benchmarkvillamor
May 09, 2018
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Behind The Lens
Location
After a four-hour round-trip hike up to Vernal Falls, Yosemite, I wanted to complete my day at sunset at Glacier Point. To say I was exhausted wouldn't describe it. This is my favorite spot in the world, with my favorite view.Time
At about 5:30 pm I started making my rounds all over Glacier Point. I shoot the postcards with everyone else but then I go places where no one else is. So where most people may shoot three or four shots, I make thirty or forty or more. I shoot from everywhere I've been and I look for vantage points I've missed. Anything for a different point of view.Lighting
Light is everything, and sometimes it works and sometimes not so much. This was an overcast day. Good for portraits not so much landscapes. But don't ever let that stop you! One of my mentors scolded me for leaving a location without shooting because it didn't look like I wanted/needed it to. If you're there shoot!!! Often you'll be surprised by what the camera saw.Equipment
A Sony A7r with the 24-240mm 3.5-5.6. on a tripod. I also used an app on my iPhone for the remote shutter.Inspiration
Back in the day, one of my first photography heroes was a guy named Galen Rowell. He was one of the first photographer/mountain climbers to get really amazing photos using a Nikon manual film camera! Do yourself a favor and find his book "Mountain Light" or any of his others. His mountaineering photography was an early influence and when I saw this rock I just knew I had to take a photo of it. Sometimes an epic view needs a smaller, human element to make it even more epic, and not having a model I set up my camera to fire the shutter from my iPhone and climbed up and shot the photo.Editing
I processed this entirely in Lightroom. I reduced the highlights, brought up the shadows, added a touch of clarity and tweaked the vibrance.In my camera bag
My go-to's are a Sony A7r with either the 16-35mm 4.0 or the 24-240mm 3.5-5.6. I'm using a carbon fiber tripod that is so inexpensive that I don't even know the name of it. It works and that's really all I care about. I also carry a 50mm 1.8 for street photography and a Rokinon 14mm 2.8 for Astro-photography. I use a carbon-fiber tripod that is so inexpensive that I don't even know the name of it. It works and that's really all I care about. I only shoot natural light and occasionally I use a 10ND filter for waterfalls. My last birthday I splurged and bought a Peak Design backpack and I have to say it's the best bag I've ever owned. Sometimes you really get what you pay for. I try not to let money, or my lack of it get in my way.Feedback
First and foremost, be safe!! I have a fear of heights, you'll notice I could've gotten a lot closer to the edge and DIDN'T. While I believe in asking forgiveness before permission, I use JUDGEMENT. There isn't any picture worth your health and well being. Having said that, if you rock climb, take a small camera with you. Shoot your friends or have them shoot you. Practice!!!
