Mid summer snow

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 24, 2011328 views14 comments

Down here, in the southern hemisphere, the festive season is in summer....this image is from a mid-summer storm on the Changthang Plateau, at around 5,000 meters (camped between two passes of 5,400 and 5,600 meters altitude).In winter, temperatures drop to -50 Celsius.
There was just a glimmer of dawn color in the diffused light from the passing stoem, that I tried to catch with the f/g pool. The ponies were a bonus, and a reminder of waking in my tent to the soft tinkling of the bells they wear.
A single RAW file processed for two exposures and hand-blended using layer masks and luminosity masks.
Nikkon D700, Nikkor 17-35mm @ 17mm
0.3s @ f/16, ISO 100,
Singh Ray warming polarizer.

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Ant on December 24, 2011 at 4:44 PM

Beautiful atmosphere; I especially like the colors and the sense of loneliness... The large version does not seem very sharp however.

Registered on April 13, 2009, 27 Posts, 474 Comments

Comment posted by Hillary Younger on December 24, 2011 at 4:54 PM

Yes, I might delete it...it's perfectly sharp 'in the flesh' but something seems to have gone awry with the large upload.....can't work out how to take it down!!!

Registered on October 2, 2011, 17 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on December 24, 2011 at 8:54 PM

I like the emotional impact here Hillary with the 2 ponies in the distance. The touch of salmon colored light in the sky and reflection is also very nice.I get the feeling of isolation but not loneliness. The ponies seem to be enjoying each others' company. Beautiful work.

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

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 25, 2011 at 12:34 AM

Neat, wicked comp and atmosphere! I kind of like it a bit soft, adds to the mood...

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

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on December 25, 2011 at 8:54 AM

I love the design of the photo.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on December 25, 2011 at 12:50 PM

The top half the the image is just beautiful. I love the color of the water, the landscape, the ponies and the sky. What I am not crazy about is the lower half. If this were my photo, I'd crop most or all if it out. I don't mean to sound too harsh, I really love that top half and I don't see what the lower half adds to it.

- Dan

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on December 25, 2011 at 1:03 PM

I love the pastel colors and the quiet solitude in this comp, Hillary. This is just a personal preference, but I am with Dan on the crop. The image seems stronger IMO as a pano. Just a suggestion of course.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 25, 2011 at 2:56 PM

Hillary,

What great mood and atmosphere here. I think the composition works very well here too. And while I agree with Dan that the top half is the main subject (and a pano crop would be a wonderful alternative,) I still think this image works quite well as captured and presented. Technically since the ponies are wearing bells, they're domesticated, but we can't tell from here and it's possible that they're wild too? ;-)

I don't believe there is a way to delete the larger version unless you send a note to Jim. But I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think the overall impact of the image can still be enjoyed.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 25, 2011 at 7:45 PM

I like the scene and the light and the fact you were able to pull this comp out. The ponies are indeed a plus.

-50 C = -58 F. How can there be any liquid water at this temp and how can horses or humans even be out in it. Is that supposed to be -5C

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

Comment posted by Michael Anderson on December 26, 2011 at 12:05 AM

Wow, this image captures the emptiness of the plateau so well! The subtle light adds to the feeling of stark emptiness in a way that dramatic sunsets often cannot. Beautiful work!

Registered on January 31, 2006, 228 Posts, 3072 Comments

Comment posted by Hillary Younger on December 26, 2011 at 12:07 AM

Tony, this image was taken in mid-summer...in winter temperatures do drop to -50 Celsius...for a few months over winter the nomads live in stone villages which are deserted the rest of the year. The animals are also in stone shelters and they have underground 'cellar-loke' rooms for the young animals.

Lon, thank you...some of the ponies were mine, and some just roaming, so semi-wild...maybe I should have posted in the other gallery...my mistake.

Registered on October 2, 2011, 17 Posts, 167 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on December 26, 2011 at 10:10 AM

Very serene. I like the subtle colors and the excellent details in the fg snow

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Navin Sarma on December 26, 2011 at 1:54 PM

awesome mood, hillary. the muted colors are fantastic. i also like the inverse shapes of the water channel and the ridge line.

Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on December 28, 2011 at 4:53 PM

I really like the soft light here Hillary. The "C" shaped foreground is very nice and welcomes the viewer into the scene.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments