Press L!
It all started before Christmas when I saw a video of people ice skating on a frozen Tenaya Lake in Yosemite's high country. Wow, that's cool, that doesn't happen very often, I thought. Then, about halfway through the video, the filmer unwittingly showed something that had my eyes bugging out of my head: thick and crunchy pressure ridges and cracks running through the vast ice sheet covering Tenaya's surface. And that sealed the deal: since Tioga Pass is open this late into the year maybe once in a generation, I knew I needed to take advantage of this unique photographic opportunity.
The week after Christmas I set out for three days of camping, hiking, exploring, and shooting the high country near Tuolumne Meadows. My timing was just right and I had three days of incredible shooting conditions and more natural beauty than you can shake a stick at. This shot is from the sunset on the first night: a rip-roaring pink and purple glow which set the icy reflections and cracks aflame on Tenaya Lake.
If you've never been to Yosemite you should go. Even if you miss the frozen lakes on Tioga Pass, the park is still a wonder that will leave your jaw on the floor. Can't wait to lead a workshop here in Spring with Jim Patterson.
-----------------------------------
Tech notes on this photo
-----------------------------------
Nikon D7000
Tokina 12-24 f/4 at 12mm
ISO100
f/9 - Sharpest spot on my lens, still adequate for full DOF with my
crop sensor
1 sec.
Lee soft 3-stop GND filter
Cloudy White Balance
Post-Processing
----------------------
In Raw Converter (Nikon Capture NX2)
- Processed single raw file twice, once for sky and foreground, and
once for the granite domes
- Global contrast for added pop
- Local contrast in the foreground to bring out the cracks and bubbles
In Photoshop:
- Manual blend of two tiffs for master composite
- Selective sharpening of the ice cracks and bubbles in the
foreground, as well as the domes
- A "repair" layer to clone out some ice chunks people had
thrown all over the lake, as well as some tracks carved into the ice
by skaters
- Soft light burn / dodge layer, dodged through luminosity masks to
bring out the thin ice crack in the lower right
- Curves layer to add a little more contrast to foreground
- Color balance to remove a lot of excess purple cast from the
foreground caused by the increase in contrast (side note, just
realized I could've also fixed this issue by changing my above curves
layer to the "luminosity" blend mode to affect brightness
values and not color values)
- Curves layer to add a little brightness to domes
- Color balance through a luminosity mask to remove excess warm cast
from trees
All the best!
~Josh
chris lazzery, romvi, Sydney August, Silent G Photography, and 417 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 20 more comments
landESCAPEphotography | jeff lewis 16 months ago | reply
my gosh...I think I'm incapable of going a day without staring at this for at least a few minutes.
Eric Rousset 16 months ago | reply
A real cracker mate, is it on our planet ??? Really cool
Kah Kit Yoong 16 months ago | reply
Terrific foreground in particular. Also the reflected light on the ice is gorgeous.
Exhilerate 15 months ago | reply
Fantastic.
Caz 71♥ (Off) 15 months ago | reply
Hi, im an Admin for `Howards Gallery` and would be very honoured if you would consider posting your stunning photo into the Gallery.
This Gallery is so different than anything flickr has done before, as it is an easy place to belong to and participate, yet you have to have exemplary work to be invited here, and it is my opinion that this wonderful piece here belongs with us ……. I hope you will post this picture of yours with pride into the Gallery..…and we look forward to seeing more of your talent in the future......Kind regards..Caz (A)
Marco de Waal 14 months ago | reply
Nice picture! Excellent!
Marco
Howard Brodsky 13 months ago | reply
Please honour "Howard`s Gallery" by posting this magnificent picture that you have taken there.
Hello I am Howard, lead Art advisor for Howards Gallery........... and you have really caught my attention th this beautiful work.
Howards Gallery is upper echelon, and is a very dignified site of class,displaying upscale photos of "ALL TYPES" for the best to strut , and for many to aspire to, ......I hope you take me up on my offer to post here .......your work displayed here is beautiful .......I am also leaving you an "Admin. Invite".......there are NO rules for commenting unless you want to .........We now have an exceptional team of expierienced moderators and administrators who bring a wealth of talent, and knowledge. and appreciation of photography to Howards Gallery. I have just established " the platinum level ....explained here.............
www.flickr.com/groups/howard_gallery/discuss/721576298909...
so your invitation by me is a serious gauge of your work.......and as a premier site of high caliber and respect, I hope to see your picture here posted with us because "I" love IT!!!!!!!!!!!!...
Howards Gallery has become an eclectic group looking for the best of the best of what they do I hope your participate in my Gallery as it would be an honor to have your continued support…My Co Admins Caz and Angie will be thrilled to see this posted..........
...Oh don`t forget and take that bow.... You certainly earned the right to take one with this beauty..............Howard
benpearse 13 months ago | reply
Brilliant work
SSingh.in 12 months ago | reply
Thanks a ton for Post Processing details. That really helps.
ncm | photography 12 months ago | reply
Great composition
Mitch Gritts [deleted] 12 months ago | reply
It's called Global Climate Change. While it is true that some places will get warmer, other places will get colder. The Sierra Nevada is supposed to get wetter. More snow and or rain. The temperature is supposed to remain roughly the same. Sorry, but the misuse of the term global warming is a huge pet peeve of mine.
Good photo!
Photographer Jacob Cornelius 12 months ago | reply
VERY nice! One Q: Is the vignetting in the upper corner's yours, or the Tokina's? I didn't see it in your process steps. Thanks.
Jennifer Allwine 12 months ago | reply
beautiful capture. I was just here last week and this Lake is my favorite spot in yosemite.
paulbappoo 12 months ago | reply
Technically brilliant (of course) but I just like the way the crack looks light lightning :)
Amar.kumar 12 months ago | reply
amazing shot..beautiful composition n post processing!!
ssheikh(Will be back soon!) 11 months ago | reply
Lovely shot
Eloise Claire 11 months ago | reply
HOT DAMMMMMM so good!
Jeff Eickhoff 11 months ago | reply
Holy sheeyat. This one is incredible.
Le.Sanchez 10 months ago | reply
wow amazing
Julianne Bradford Photography 8 months ago | reply
Wonderful innovative work