Soft Waters in Patagonia

Gallery: LandscapePosted February 11, 2010286 views3 comments

This is Conguillio Lake, part of a National Park with the same name in Southern Chile. It's not that far south from Santiago, only some 500 miles (750 kms). This was a pleasant summer day, with a cloudless sky, that proposed some challenges for a late afternoon shot.

Originally I was hoping to combine a nice alpenglow reflection of the nearby mountains of Sierra Nevada, also within the park, with the lake and a possible expressive cloud formation in the sky. But a constant breeze made the reflection almost impossible, and also, only a few timid clouds appeared over the mountain peaks. So I changed the approach ...

I stacked a Grad ND 3x filter with a ND 4x filter, set the camera to ISO 100 @ F20 and used a 1,3second exposure that softened the water surface almost to a smooth blanket. With this in mind I recomposed to include some volcanic rocks in the foreground and left the sky to a small area of the frame.

I think this idea turned out well, but I'm always eager for the comment of the community. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Comments

3 comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on February 11, 2010 at 6:22 PM

I like the movement captured in the water and the light is outstanding on those peaks. Composition is pretty nice too, although the bare corner in the LRH side is a bit distracting. Mostly, the mid-ground blacks are just a little too big and featureless for my tastes. I'm not on my calibrated monitor so take that comment w/ a grain of salt. Overall, looks like a lovely afternoon to be out exploring!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 711 Posts, 6363 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on February 11, 2010 at 8:54 PM

I like the comp, Rodrigo. The rocks are like stepping stones into the scene. Contrast seems a bit high. I could see the water with more color and the distant mountains with more texture.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Nevesely on February 12, 2010 at 10:02 AM

Hi Rodrigo, I really like the beautiful warm light and your composition. The shadows, especially on the lower part of the mountains are a little too dark for me though.

Registered on June 14, 2005, 147 Posts, 1550 Comments