Sorceress

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 30, 2012620 views13 comments

Wind spiraled around this cirque while the lake froze, trapping waves at their crest.

The ice was only about 2 inches thick, but my friend assured me that it was enough to hold us. I wasn't so sure though when pings and other noises like sonar started echoing under us. Then my friend slipped and cracked the ice and his head. Luckily, the ice didn't give!

This is a composite of 7 f 2.8 exposures. Like my previous aurora image, this is one exposure for the aurora and mountains and 6 at different focal points for the foreground blended in post.

This is a late post to this forum. I actually took this last year on a trip with James Fougere and Marc Adamus on a trip in the far North. Ridiculously good trip.

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Mark Hespenheide on November 30, 2012 at 5:38 PM

Nicely done. There's a good balance of foreground interest, dramatic peaks in the middle, and a great sky. Exposures and focus are blended with no obvious "seams", and that's the way you want it. I particularly like the hints of the night sky peeking through the aurora; it's a nice touch.

Registered on August 14, 2010, 3 Posts, 61 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 30, 2012 at 7:34 PM

The shots you and the others got from this trip are so awesome--they really make me want to head up north, in fact maybe ill leave tomorrow...

I think id crop a bit off the bottom here so the sky is equal to the ice in area. All of these shots have a bit of a 'composite look' to them and it's slightly bothersome, but i'm not sure how to solve the problem especially if it's just one exposure for the sky and mountain. I'd be curious to see if the one exposure unprocessed has the same look--if it does than maybe it's just a compression issue.
Anyhow, minor nits--this is totally sick.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on November 30, 2012 at 7:52 PM

Wild looking scene and very cool. I have never seen the aurora in person, but this sure makes me want to.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Alister Benn on November 30, 2012 at 8:08 PM

A lot of technique here, and I don't get the feeling of composite. The focus-stacking is super and the overall tonal consistency seems natural (as natural as any night image can!)

I too feel the horizon line is a little centered, but I'd take more off the top and leave the bottom as it is. Neat work.

Registered on June 9, 2011, 23 Posts, 258 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on November 30, 2012 at 11:24 PM

Excellent Colin! I agree with Stan about most of these images looking like composites, but this one looks pretty natural to my eye. Killer image!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Natalie Mikaels on December 1, 2012 at 11:44 AM

This image is awesome! You are so lucky to have seen, and photographed, such a rare atmospheric phenomenon like the northern lights. It's on my bucket list...anyways, great job processing. This is a "show stopper" photograph.

Registered on November 3, 2011, 45 Posts, 181 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on December 1, 2012 at 1:36 PM

Wonderful image Colin, it nice to have an aurora image with a really nicely composed foreground, the wind-formed patterns on the ice add to the story of the location.

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 1, 2012 at 2:26 PM

Colin,

Like Harley and I'm sure many others, I've never witnessed these in person. I just find them amazing, fascinating and beautiful. This is an excellent capture and you did well to incorporate the repeating patterns in the ice. Sure sounds a bit dangerous being on that thin ice!

I don't mind the centered composition, but it did make me look and I believe this might have a slight ccw rotation.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on December 1, 2012 at 4:58 PM

Lookin great.

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 1, 2012 at 7:38 PM

Sweet. Some very special light for sure and the snow shapes on the foreground create a lot of interest here as well.

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

Comment posted by Mark Hespenheide on December 2, 2012 at 3:35 AM

Lon,

It might not be rotated. The horizon line of the mountains is too jagged to tell, and we don't know if the lake shoreline is even. Visually, though, that shoreline might give an impression of rotation...

Registered on August 14, 2010, 3 Posts, 61 Comments

Comment posted by James Fougère on December 3, 2012 at 12:32 AM

It is hard to believe it has been just over a year since our epic journey to the subarctic

Nice capture, and I am glad that your friend was not injured when he slipped at this location

Nice capture

Registered on October 25, 2010, 41 Posts, 831 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on December 3, 2012 at 11:58 AM

Very well done.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments