Showmanship
May, 2019Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken from Vermillion Lakes, located just outside of Banff, Alberta. The iconic Mount Rundle towers in the distance.Time
This photo was taken in the dying hours of Sunday, June 24th, 2018.Lighting
Whenever possible, I let the sun do its job, without interference. That is the case for this photo.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D810 and a Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8. I also used a 6-stop ND filter from Breakthrough Photography as well as a Manfrotto tripod.Inspiration
I feel the stunning beauty of the Rocky Mountains is inspiration enough for anyone. For this specific photo, I had been wanting to get a good shot of Mt. Rundle at sunset for some time. I had originally set up in a completely different location, on a hill overlooking Banff. While I did get some decent pictures, they weren't "the shot". As I was packing my things up to drive home, I noticed that, although it had been windy earlier, that wind had ceased. At that moment, I realized Vermillion Lakes would be the perfect place to get a reflection on the still water. The weather here can change in the blink of an eye, so I had no idea how long the wind would hold off for. I hurried down the the lakes as the sun dipped ever lower towards the horizon. Once I got there, I dashed out of my car, frantically set everything up, and took this photo. I stood motionless the entire time, holding my breath, praying the wind wouldn't start back up. Then I heard the click of the shutter closing and, not 10 seconds later, a massive gust of wind blew through the valley, completely destroying the perfect reflection in the water.Editing
I use Lightroom for the vast majority of my editing, since I have yet to figure out Photoshop. My go-to philosophy for post-processing is I want the image to look as I remember seeing it. That can mean a lot of editing or the bare minimum, depending on the image. In this case, I ended up doing what I'd call an "average" amount. I was very careful to get the colours and brightness just as they were in real life. By editing my photos with the goal of "reality" over "prettiness", I think it really helps put the viewer in my shoes.In my camera bag
The usual suspects are my Nikon D810, 70-200mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, 60mm f/2.8 and Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8. Living in the Rocky Mountains has taught me the importance of always being prepared, so I usually just carry my f/2.8 zooms as they provide the best balance of flexibility vs performance. That being said, I will still occasionally swap a zoom or two for some primes instead, to lighten my load and challenge myself creatively. My current favourite prime is Nikon's legendary 180mm f/2.8, which has absolutely blown me away with its performance.Feedback
As many have said before, landscape photography takes patience and persistence. Wait for the weather to cooperate, and don't be discouraged if you return home empty-handed more than once. Mountains are really great for this since they tend to hang around in the same spot for a few million years at a time, so there's no harm in coming back another day! I also believe that self-improvement is very important. I frequently look back at my old photos and try to figure out what I could do differently to yield a better (or at the very least, different) result. It could be anything from going at a different time of day, going when you're in a different mood, using a different lens, bringing some friends along to provide new ideas, or anything else that you think would be beneficial.
