Finding Eden
It was an early fall morning at a favorite spot of mine. The weather was foggy, too foggy to shoot a water scene, so I decided to leave the camera and lo...
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It was an early fall morning at a favorite spot of mine. The weather was foggy, too foggy to shoot a water scene, so I decided to leave the camera and look around for other potential locations. I followed the footpath that surrounds the lake and within a few steps, found this beautiful spot. With the fog lingering in the still, morning air, I retrieved the camera and took a series of shots. In the final image the fog softened the background, creating an almost magical feeling that encourages the eye deeper into the scene.
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Nov, 2018Views
1578
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Tall Trees Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Photo Contest Vol 47
Top Shot Award
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
Superior Skill
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
Beaver Dam State Park in west central Illinois. The park is about 10 miles from home and one of my favorite places to photograph.Time
It was early morning, sometime after sunrise.Lighting
It was foggy that morning, so the light was diffuse, creating a magical woodland composition.Equipment
Nikon D800E with a 20mm wide angle lens set at f11. I attached the camera to my tripod using a Really Right Stuff ballhead and used a cable release to trip the shutter.Inspiration
I was set up to shoot the other side of the lake, waiting for the fog to lift. While waiting, I decided to look around for another composition till the conditions improved. Stepping back onto the path that circles the lake, I stumbled onto this scene just a few steps away. I retrieved my camera and quickly set up on the path which seemed to fade into the foggy woodland. The ethereal feel makes you feel like you're wandering into another world.Editing
I shoot in RAW format, so all my photos receive some sort of post processing. I took several shots at different focal lengths, so I could focus stack them for front to back sharpness. Afterwards, I made color & brightness changes to the greens in the foliage and color adjustments that help drawn the eye further into the scene.In my camera bag
Right now, I only carry a Nikon D800E. I have a D700 but use it as backup. I have a number zoom and prime lens: 70-200mm, 85mm prime, 50mm prime, 28mm prime, 20mm prime and a 17-35mm zoom. Until recently, I used the 17-35mm for 90 percent of my work, but now use the 20mm a greater percentage of the time. This year, I plan to use my longer focal length lens to a greater degree, adding variety to my work. I also carry a shutter release and graduated ND filters. That's most of the gear I keep with me other than lens cloth, mini flashlight and that kind of stuff. I also use a free depth-of-field calculator app from time-to-time.Feedback
Watch the weather and arrive early. I'm always looking for fog for those early morning shots because of the mood and depth it brings to a scene. Arriving early is always a plus because it gives you time to get set. In this case I set up for a different shot but the fog needed to lift a little. Waiting for that to happen, I decided to look around for another composition to shoot and then return to my original spot. Even though I am very familiar with this area, the conditions provided something unique, so don't be afraid to look around if you're forced to wait for the weather to improve. If I had just stood by my camera and waited for the fog to lift, I never would have found this shot, just a few steps away.
