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Hi All! I'm
excited to be the most recent member of the Mountain Trail
team. I’d like to introduce myself and talk with you about
how to get the most out of your photo opportunities this
winter, something which I am certainly no stranger to. I'm
a full-time landscape shooter specializing in bold,
expansive, dramatic images from remote locations across the
western end of the continent. I absolutely love shooting
high in the mountains and in winter environments. I'd like
to share some of my recent favorites taken over the past few
years in these places. I hope that in sharing the stories
behind these images I can also share some important tips for
you to use in your own winter endeavors this year, whether
it be a walk in the park or a backcountry journey.
"Cold and Alone", Jasper, Alberta
I made this photograph high in the Canadian Rockies
earlier this winter while camping solo at a remote
lake on the NW flank of Mount Fryatt, around 8000
feet in elevation. There aren't any trails going
here, but that's a good thing if you ask me.
Considering the two-day hike in, the remoteness of
the location, and the time of year, I knew I
wouldn't be seeing anyone else out here. That type
of isolation may not be for everyone, but to me, in
enhances the purity of the experience, and allows me
to further my connection with the landscape.
No
matter what type of photography you involve yourself
with, developing a good relationship with one’s
subject is important. That can be easier for me to
do in nature when I am alone for long periods at a
time and truly have a chance to take it all in
without the distractions of human presence. I was
so completely enthralled to be here, I recall
yelling out with joy upon arriving at the lakes, my
voice echoing off the towering mountain walls
surrounding me. It had been a long hike. Miles of
snow-covered talus to cross the first day followed
by slogging through dense woodlands, fording icy
streams and pushing through deep drifts of snow the
second day. I had carried snowshoes along for the
later, which proved to be of little help due to the
sporadic nature of the snow cover. When I look back
on these challenges, it seems as though they have
enhanced my experience in nature, being that I have
found a way to discover these remote places for
myself.
"Winter’s Fury", Iron Mountain, Oregon
This image was made on a climb of Oregon's Iron
Mountain in January, 07'. I fought 50mph winds,
deep, blowing snow and steep slopes to gain the
summit ridge, whereupon I photographed this basaltic
pinnacle getting blasted by spindrift.
For all the beauty I find in these places,
anticipating the challenges is very important.
Years ago, a mountain guide and good friend of mine
told me that the only difference between summer and
winter in the backcountry, is that if you make a
mistake in winter it's much more likely to kill
you. Of course, I knew what he meant, and always
pay attention to the inherent dangers of travel in
winter, especially when going it solo. The
mountains are especially difficult, because of
rapidly changing weather, high winds, and avalanche
dangers.
During my accent of Iron Mountain, I encountered all
of the above, and it was only a 6-hour trip. My
route had to be carefully chosen to avoid the
biggest avalanche threats, and for anyone who isn't
aware how to assess such dangers, courses are
offered locally in almost all major towns with
nearby mountain recreation, and many others too.
In the parking area, it had been a sunny day with a
beautiful, pristine new snowfall and temperatures in
the teens. Near the summit, however, the wind had
picked up tremendously creating blizzard conditions
at times and almost no visibility. Although it was
an mostly clear that day, I was in the midst of a
furious storm of spindrifting snow.
I
wanted to make an image that captured the immense
power of this cold mountain environment and settled
on this spot, which offered little protection from
the elements, but had interesting lines in the snow
that complimented the frozen spire. Selecting the
right shutter speed (1/250 sec.) to capture the
blowing snow, handling the camera with windproof
gloves on and clicking the shutter at exactly the
right moment were the biggest technical challenges I
faced while huddled under a huge parka I'd stashed
in my pack for just such an occasion. I ended up
working with the scene for what felt like half an
hour or more and made many dozen images.
"Crater Lake,
winter", Oregon
In January of 06’
made a snowshoe trek around the rim of Oregon’s
Crater Lake following an incredible dumping of 100+
inches of snow in the week prior. Shooting a
winter scene when the snow is still fresh and on the
trees is a hugely important element in making
successful images. New snow gives the landscape a
much more pristine look and involves less exposure
problems resulting from the relative brightness of
the snow.
I used snowshoes
to help me break trail up to and around the rim,
although in hindsight I’d have preferred skis.
Cross country touring skis are great tools for
getting around the backcountry in deep snow,
especially in the more open areas or on steep hills
that must be traversed. Snowshoes are my choice
when I have to hike into snowy terrain from below,
carrying them on my pack until I need them.
Likewise, they are useful for areas that have only
off and on snow cover. Another big advantage to the
snowshoe, is that most anyone can learn to use them
easily, while skis take a bit longer to master,
especially in steeper terrain.
My loop around
the lake was a little over 30 miles and the image
you see here was the view at sunrise taken from just
outside my second campsite using a Canon 5D. Since
it was only around 0 degrees that morning, my
batteries weren’t lasting that long. Only 20
minutes or so it seemed. I have solved this problem
by simply taking extras and cycling them through my
warm pockets and keeping a few in my sleeping bag at
night for early shooting.
I used a 2-stop
graduated ND filter to control the exposure here,
but without the snow it would have been far more
difficult. One nice thing about snow, is its
reflective qualities – the way it holds light,
decreasing the exposure differential between land
and sky. Also keep in mind, that snow has a
tendency to be underexposed in many scenes, the
fault of your camera’s meter, which exposes for a
tone of 18% grey. Snow is usually quite white, not
grey. If I want snow to appear white, you’ll need
to overexpose about 1 extra stop, particularly when
shooting nearer to the middle of the day.
Ten Tips for
Winter Shooting:
Anticipate times of clearing storm
systems and use the new snow to your advantage. New
snow is often better in the AM hours.
Dress for the occasion, and
remember that keeping your body warm will warm will
help you do more without gloves. When it’s very
cold, try heavy mittens that fit over the top of
thin gloves. The mittens can be removed without
exposing the skin so you can operate the camera.
Down is the best insulator but synthetics and wools
can handle moisture much better. Use gaiters to
keep snow out of your boots, and invest in insulated
footwear. Avoid cotton!
Remember to expose a bit brighter
than usual to keep your snow from going too dark.
If shooting digital, keep extra
batteries warm by cycling them through your pockets
or keeping them in a sleeping bag at night.
Winter means you’ll have the
backcountry almost entirely to yourself, but make
certain that you’re prepared for the challenge.
Start off slowly with short trips and not alone. If
you live in avalanche country, take an avalanche
course before venturing out.
If the snow gets deep and you’re
not familiar with skis, go out and rent a pair of
snowshoes. It’s almost as easy as walking, and
rental rates are low.
Icy streams can look very
interesting, but are tough to photograph because ice
and water hold about the same exposure and
luminosity levels, thus blend together easily. When
shooting streams, look small scale, look for
contrasts and utilize opportunities of reflected
light.
Unfrozen bodies of water, usually
rivers, can create a misty atmosphere of their own
in very cold weather due to the air and water
temperature differential. Show up early in the
morning and look for opportunities to shoot them
when it gets really cold.
Be very careful to not breath on
your lens, camera or filters when it gets really
cold, as you’ll soon make it difficult or impossible
to shoot because of the icy build-up on your gear.
If your tripod has been around wet snow or water,
make sure you don’t collapse it until it’s totally
dry, otherwise you might not be able to get it open
again in below-freezing temps. I recommend bringing
a small towel to help prevent this.
"The
Beginning", Vermillion Lakes, Alberta |
