Drachensee
Drachensee in the Ehrwald region of Tirol, Austria
Drachensee in the Ehrwald region of Tirol, Austria
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Aug, 2018Views
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Awards
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 21
Legendary Award
Community Choice Award
Contest Finalist in Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 36
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
All Star
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken at Drachensee in the early afternoon soon after arriving at the location which is in the Ehrwald region of Tirol in Austria. It takes some time to hike to this area and I was already losing some sunlight due to incoming clouds.Time
Around noon, as having the sun as high as possible above me is beneficial for over-under photography.Lighting
This image was about capturing everything possible and accentuating the porthole-like affect.....the mountain scene, the overnight cabin, the beautiful clarity of the water, and the reflection. Ideally, I want the sun up high and behind me to light the underwater scene as much as possible.Equipment
This was shot on a Canon 5D mk iii with a 15mm fisheye lens in an Aquatech housing in natural light. I was attempting to submerge the camera in the water just right so as to capture the scene. Most of the time I am actually in the water and in a full drysuit due to the cold water temperatures I am usually working in.Inspiration
I have been specializing in over-under photography for a few years now. I grew up in California and Hawaii and initially the underwater photography involved sea life creatures...including sharks in Tahiti. Several years ago I had the idea of exploring high altitude glacier lakes with mountain scenes in the background and capturing the underwater as well as the above water scene. A world that most people never get to see. The same with this particular shot...I tried to capture the beauty of the underwater scene as well as above.Editing
I work with the raw image in Capture One Pro to even out exposure, saturation, lightness, brightness, shadows etc...The underwater portion needs to be treated separately from the above water portion. Then into Affinity for any healing. Then I go back to Capture One Pro for some final color grading before outputting the image.In my camera bag
Before I head out on these mini-expeditions I have an extensive check list which I go through the night before. This because the underwater housing has a number of parts and steps involved to guarantee a smooth shoot day. I almost always shoot with the 15mm fisheye lens underwater. The Aquatech underwater housing utilizes a 6" dome port. I pretty much have the entire kit put together the night before without actually sealing it. I always bring spare batteries and memory cards. I also make sure I have plenty of water and food with me for the day. Usually some of the locations require substantial hiking to reach. The Bare drysuit is als an integral part of my shoot...allowing me to be in frigid waters for 4-5 hrs at a time with plenty of insulation wear underneath. I also wear cold water gloves and booties and special fins for movement in the water.Feedback
Patient, patience, patience......and luck with the conditions. I use apps such as 'photographers ephemeris' and weather apps to plan ahead. I prefer no wind if possible so as to get that beautiful reflection on the surface of the water. But sometimes at high altitudes this is dynamic and I have to go with the flow. Also, I rely on direct sunlight for the underwater scene therefore I prefer to have the sun behind me and much as possible. This is not always possible depending on the location but I do the best I can with the help of the apps and planning the day accordingly....off of the suns position.
