Lone skier, Rondane

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted March 4, 2011499 views25 comments

This is one of my favourite photos - nearly 2 years ago now when we did a week cross country skiing at Easter in Norway. Really tough going with late season snow - mixture of slush and ice at times and two relatively inexperienced cross country skiers trying to work out which waxes to put on their hired skis... Got covered in wax and even more covered in bruises but had some lovely moody weather. This was one of those days when it would have been easy to leave all the gear at the hotel - but we had some great breaks in the cloud, particularly towards the end of the day as was the case here.
Please view LARGE as it doesn't really work so well small.

Canon 1DSiii, 24-70 @ 67mm, ISO 100, 1/200 @ f11, handheld

Comments

25 comments

Comment posted by Walt Sterneman on March 4, 2011 at 1:38 PM

That sure looks cold! I like this Lizzie; the way it looks like the cloud is blowing off the hill over the skier's head.

Registered on March 24, 2010, 73 Posts, 1268 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Stough on March 4, 2011 at 1:50 PM

I can see why this would be one of anyone's favorites Lizzie. A sublime composition that really evokes a sense of the vastness of this winter landscape. Beautiful work.

Registered on November 20, 2010, 26 Posts, 273 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on March 4, 2011 at 2:45 PM

Cracking shot Lizzie, love the sense of space. I really like the simplicity of this.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Margo Pinkerton on March 4, 2011 at 3:34 PM

Lizzie, this is a classic case of less is more. Elegantly simple and really gives a sense of scale. Beautifully composed.

Registered on October 18, 2007, 39 Posts, 214 Comments

Comment posted by Cristina Strudthof on March 4, 2011 at 3:45 PM

Very nice. Though you get a sense of vastness, I also get a feeling of "I wouldn't want to be him". It really puts man's place in nature in perspective, that we truly are small in a vast world. As was said earlier, the simplicity of the landscape really makes it stand out.

Registered on January 14, 2011, 53 Posts, 363 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on March 4, 2011 at 5:35 PM

Fantastic! This has a wonderful sense of isolation to it. The figure is just big enough (thanks to the pose) that you can tell what it is. Gorgeous work!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 4, 2011 at 6:33 PM

I love the simplicity and sense of scale your image potrays Lizzie. What really stikes me though is the light along with the subtle lines on the snow and transition to sky. Beautiful work! BTW - I saw this on your website..... a body of gorgeous work.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Jeremy Kessler on March 4, 2011 at 7:46 PM

Beautiful! Images like these are among my favorites.

Registered on September 13, 2007, 36 Posts, 1283 Comments

Comment posted by Balan Vinod on March 5, 2011 at 1:31 AM

Beautiful image Lizzie .....love the scale of things here ..beautiful composition well done ..

Balan Vinod

Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments

Comment posted by Beatriz Boucinhas on March 5, 2011 at 2:40 AM

Like it a lot! Great sense of space!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 56 Posts, 265 Comments

Comment posted by Lizzie Shepherd on March 5, 2011 at 6:24 AM

Gosh - thank you all so much for the kind words - very much appreciated and always nice when one of our own favourites is also well received by fellow photographers.
I was selling a large print of this at an exhibition a while back and more than one person (not photographers) asked me if I had put the little skier in there myself! Unfortunately I think questions/assumptions like that go with the territory these days.

Registered on March 2, 2011, 18 Posts, 120 Comments

Comment posted by Abdullaziz Bin Ali on March 5, 2011 at 12:20 PM

interesting
wonderful

Registered on May 31, 2009, 112 Posts, 1590 Comments

Comment posted by Silvia Richter on March 6, 2011 at 1:46 PM

The experience of endlessness is overwhelming. Congratulations, Lizzie!

Silvia

Registered on February 27, 2011, 18 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by INGOMA on March 6, 2011 at 8:26 PM

Spectacular! You really nailed this one. What an awesome outdoor sports image!

Registered on July 2, 2004, 231 Posts, 3110 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on March 6, 2011 at 8:43 PM

Amazing how the simplicity of this subject gives such a monumental impact. Sure does put us humans in our place, doesn't it? Congratulations on a great image!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on March 9, 2011 at 5:25 PM

Awesome shot and a well-deserved EP. Congrats!

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 9, 2011 at 5:41 PM

congrats on your first EP!
I have a feeling there will be lots more, judging by this exceptional image.
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Haskell on March 9, 2011 at 6:45 PM

Hi Lizzie - I had missed this one! Congrat on the EP - wonderful shot.

Ian

Registered on October 30, 2008, 24 Posts, 673 Comments

Comment posted by Lizzie Shepherd on March 10, 2011 at 2:32 PM

Thanks very much all - very flattered!

Registered on March 2, 2011, 18 Posts, 120 Comments

Comment posted by Giuseppe Guadagno on March 10, 2011 at 2:50 PM

What a beauty Lizzie. I see for the first time a beautiful photo made by a tiny dark spot lost in the white! I feel a sense of infinite and the mistery of a man going on towards nowhere. The light shades of the soft clouds create a splendid atmosphere. I love this image, Lizzie.
Take care.

Registered on February 3, 2007, 827 Posts, 5052 Comments

Comment posted by Andrius Pašukonis on March 10, 2011 at 10:16 PM

Absolutely gorgeous! Congrats on the EP

Registered on July 23, 2005, 111 Posts, 408 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on March 11, 2011 at 10:09 PM

Hi Lizzie

Congrats on winniing the EP!!!!! really well deserved

Albert Darmo. Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 12, 2011 at 6:27 PM

Wow! This is beautiful Lizzie. What a wonderful moment you captured. Large view is very impressive. Congrats!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on March 13, 2011 at 9:30 AM

This is lovely, Lizzie, and certainly worthy of the "man and nature" pick of
the week.

Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on March 13, 2011 at 3:43 PM

Lizzie: GREAT sense of scale and a compelling comp. Congrats on the WP! >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments