Badlands Vista
Hoodoos formation and view of the valley beyond in the Badlands at Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park.
Hoodoos formation and view of the valley beyond in the Badlands at Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park.
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Dec, 2020Views
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Treasure Award
Peer Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park in the Badlands of Alberta, Canada. I had come here a year before, but a snow storm created socked-in conditions and impassable road conditions into the park. The visibility was very poor and the drive home very long and treacherous. I was determined to come back and this year, with the fall colours exploding, I got to explore the beauty of the area. The road had sections of severe washout and heaving, so I had to walk down into the park. With limited accessibility and the current health restrictions, there were very few people around and it felt like I had the place to myself.Time
Being a 2 hour drive from home, plus some detours along the way for other photo ops, I got to the Park around 11:00. This photo was taken at the end of my visit as I was hiking back up the road from the river valley, at 4:30PM.Lighting
The day started off with bright, but heavy cloud that broke up through out the day, producing blue skies and bright sun. I tried this composition earlier, but didn't like the sky and the colours seemed washed out. However, later in the afternoon, clouds again moved in, creating softness and interest in the sky, so I was happy to have had another opportunity to compose this scene with more colour and more drama in the sky.Equipment
I shot this with my Pentax K3 camera, with my 16-50mm 2.8 lens at 50mm, ISO 200, f11, 1/250 shutter speed. I did not need to use my tripod or any other equipment.Inspiration
I loved all the detail and texture of the hoodoo opposite the hillside of evergreen and deciduous trees with their fall colours. I loved how the two created a "frame" for the valley below.Editing
My raw photos always require a little work. In Lightroom, I decreased the highlights and luminance to bring out the detail in the sky. I increased the shadows to bring out the detail and textures in the hoodoo and trees on the adjacent hill. I increased the whites to make the photo brighter and increased the clarity.In my camera bag
As well as my camera, I always have my 15-60mm 2.8 wide angle lens. I love this lens for landscape and it is my go-to lens. I also carry a 55-300mm 4-5.8 lens, plus my 100mm 2.8 macro lens and my 10-17mm 3.5-4.5 fish-eye, just in case! If I'm hiking I take along my carbon fibre Manfrotto tripod, but if I'm driving around, I have my aluminum Manfrotto tripod available in the back of my car. I also take along a variety of filters for my lenses, including neutral density and polarizing, plus my 10 stop Lee Big Stopper neutral density filters with its accessories.Feedback
Don't give up! The photos I took at this sight earlier in the day were OK, but I really wasn't happy with the light and sky. Returning later in the afternoon provided a much better light with a more interesting sky. Nature is constantly changing and will sometimes provide the unexpected and/or ideal components if we are patient and willing to revisit.
