Cold Sunrise on Hood

Gallery: LandscapePosted February 16, 20064,699 views28 comments

I spent the coldest day i've ever experienced on Mt. Hood this morning. It was a very rewarding experience even though I didn't come away with much photographically. It was about 0 degrees with the wind chill, which isn't much for some ppl, but my face kept sticking to the back of my camera, my breath created a nice ice patern on the back of my camera body, and my batteries weren't lasting very long.

This was probably the best shot I came away with. After testing the ice on this frozen creek I set up, and hudled to stay warm, if nothing else this shot reminds me of how incredibly beautiful this morning was; I love being on an untouched snowfield after a fresh snow when the light is still delicate.

5D
17-40L
1/10, f/16, ISO 100
3 stop digital grad blend in PS

Comments

28 comments

Comment posted by Marc Adamus on February 16, 2006 at 12:26 AM

I'd say you did very well to come away with this! I see you found the spot OK. Mike Dawson and I captured some reflections there last January - not to be this year! It's supposed to be -10 up there tomorrow morning! Nice lead in with the frozen waters. Next time we get a great light show after some fresh snow I'm there. Is that mist or blowing snow? It really makes this work a lot better.

Registered on September 17, 2005, 780 Posts, 8091 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on February 16, 2006 at 12:31 AM

I did find the spot ok, thanks again for the tip and the directions Marc. I love this spot and will be back quite a bit, a little sketchy to walk out on the ice but what a view.

That's mist from the still flowing creek up ahead of me, there were still some exposed flowing waters.
Just let me know and i'm there too

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by David Weber on February 16, 2006 at 12:57 AM

I like the way the stream draws me into the scene and toward the mountain. I give you high praise for braving the elements as you did and and coming away with a fantastic photo.

Stay bundled up out there!

Registered on February 7, 2005, 296 Posts, 2737 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Dawson on February 16, 2006 at 1:16 AM

Nice work, perfect composition using the ice to lead the eye to the mountain. The blowing snow adds a nice element as well

Registered on February 4, 2006, 364 Posts, 8872 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on February 16, 2006 at 1:36 AM

Zack,

I love the composition. The warm light on Mt. Hood and the trees below it really add to the overall blue tone and gives it a nice warmth to it. How did you test for stable ice anyway?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Tomas Kaspar on February 16, 2006 at 4:12 AM

Great image Zack. Love the ice and snow and then the warm trees make it for me. Well done .

Registered on December 26, 2005, 158 Posts, 736 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on February 16, 2006 at 4:28 AM

Truly awesome! Congratulations Zack, you can be really proud of this photo, well worth the efforts

Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on February 16, 2006 at 7:53 AM

Great shot Zack. The colors in the middle ground are great and really add some life, and the windblown snow contrasts nicely with the peaceful setting of the mountain peak itself, and the stream just draws my eyes into the image. Nice work!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on February 16, 2006 at 9:02 AM

Beautiful, Zack! The warm light and the mist take this from nice to spectacular. Glad you withstood the elements long enough to make this photo.

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

Comment posted by Ian Cameron on February 16, 2006 at 10:20 AM

Glorious shot Zack the light on the mountain is beautiful as are the shapes echoed by the frozen stream but it is the movement of the snow that really creates the atmosphere and adds greatly to the sense of chill.

Registered on August 6, 2004, 1125 Posts, 3318 Comments

Comment posted by Michael E. Gordon on February 16, 2006 at 11:23 AM

Nice image, Zack.

As for dealing with biting cold - if you can handle carrying any extra weight - I carry a small thermos with hot tea in it. When you need a quick warmup or while you're waiting for light, bust it out and have a sip. If you're out for many hours (or backpacking), you can use a backpacking stove to brew up on site. Many lightweight cannister stoves weigh in at just a handful of ounces (fuel weight included). Avoid caffeinated beverages (hot single malt whiskey is okay

) as caffeine constricts blood vessels and reduces circulation (which you need to keep warm). Anything spicy will help to dilate blood vessels and keep you warmer. I recommend habanero.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 90 Posts, 2482 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Wong on February 16, 2006 at 11:32 AM

Michael, I thought tea has caffeine as well.

I like how the mist is rising from the snow and how the ice leads the eye to the mountain. great job.

Registered on February 2, 2006, 79 Posts, 2629 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Hudon on February 16, 2006 at 11:38 AM

Nice one, Zack. The mountain looks great and that mist is cool. The sky does need something though, Ellen is around here somewhere....

Registered on November 1, 2003, 315 Posts, 2246 Comments

Comment posted by Michael E. Gordon on February 16, 2006 at 11:47 AM

Michael, I thought tea has caffeine as well.

Yes, the caffeinated kind does

I obviously neglected to state that it should be HERBAL. The good news is that habanero has no caffeine, and the endorphin rush provided by the capsaicin makes one forget all about the cold

Registered on November 1, 2003, 90 Posts, 2482 Comments

Comment posted by Prashant Khapane on February 16, 2006 at 12:32 PM

beautiful composition, great light.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 492 Posts, 4580 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Carroll on February 16, 2006 at 12:43 PM

Zack,
I absolutely love this one! I love it because it's beautiful, well composed , great light and above all not over the top. It totally captures the essence of alpinglow without being in your face with the colours. Subtle and very effective. The blowing snow is a fantastic element. Really nice image and living where I do I know what you went through to get it!! Just promise us you won't try to repeat the composition sometime closer to Spring when that ice thins out

Registered on August 19, 2005, 132 Posts, 983 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on February 16, 2006 at 1:28 PM

Thanks all

Youssef, i didn't use a very scientific method for testing the ice, i had hiking poles that i tested teh ice with, it was still a bit on the risky side.

I'll have a pocket full of habanero peppers next time

Mark Hudon, lol

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Laurent Baig on February 16, 2006 at 2:52 PM

Wow, yeah, I'm glad that ice held for ya. This is pretty, it looks as though snow is blowing of the fields!

Registered on January 12, 2005, 206 Posts, 6784 Comments

Comment posted by Slavomir Dzieciatk on February 16, 2006 at 6:08 PM

Fantastic shot!

Registered on November 24, 2004, 61 Posts, 708 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Nevesely on February 16, 2006 at 6:53 PM

Awesome shot! I really like the line of the creek as well as the low angle light on the mountain and the forest.

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

Comment posted by Tim Goodspeed on February 20, 2006 at 11:47 AM

Zack, congratulations on the EP selection. Well deserved. Incredible shot.

Registered on December 19, 2005, 75 Posts, 382 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Benner on February 22, 2006 at 6:07 AM

This shot makes the morning worth it. Beautiful.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on February 23, 2006 at 11:14 AM

Great shot Zack. The ice looks like someone has been ice skating on it, but that's probably my twisted Dutch perspective.

Congrats on the EP, well deserved.

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments

Comment posted by David Kjaer on February 23, 2006 at 12:02 PM

Beautiful!

David

Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments

Comment posted by Brian VanDenzen on June 23, 2006 at 2:50 PM

Great image highly worth of the EP. Fantastic!

Registered on April 17, 2005, 60 Posts, 1245 Comments

Comment posted by Colleen Townsend on June 23, 2006 at 3:07 PM

WOW! My heart just stopped! This is beautiful.. I love the way the light reflects off the tops of the trees

Registered on July 30, 2005, 39 Posts, 260 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Anderson on July 12, 2006 at 1:50 AM

Zack,

This is one of my all time favorites of all of the photos I have seen on this site. It has such a simple elegance and really captures the feel of a very cold morning in the wilderness. A true masterpiece.

Mike Anderson
www.lightscapephoto.com

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

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on December 12, 2009 at 1:04 PM

Holy smokes! I dreamt I was at mount hood shooting with a friend last night!

Mark

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