Posted by Marc Adamus on August 9, 2008 at 2:05 PM
Captured from Tam McArthur Rim, at about 8200 feet.
We spent three days up here this week and had a couple hours when it wasn't thunderstorming. Amazing photos throughout the trip. This was just a lucky find on the hike in.
It looks like you were in the mountains with thunder and lighting too, eh? We were in a exposed-treacherous position in our tents on a high point near glacier peak. Lighting bolts were striking only a matter of feet from us after we vacated the tent.
This is an amazing capture of the atmosphere at the time. It would be nice to see this just a little lighter.
Posted by Marc Adamus on August 9, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Yep, sounds like our week as well Trevor. We could smell the sulfur from a few bolts that came dang close to us while hiking off an exposed ridge. Our camp was on a glacier surrounded by higher terrain, so we felt relatively safe there.
Gad, the stories are off-the-scale frightening to hear! Glad you are all safe.
Wow, Marc, the light in this is magnificent! The image perfectly captures the feeling I got when reading the stories. Not sure about lightening it; I think some of the threat and danger would escape...
Posted by James Walley on August 9, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Be careful, Marc! However impressive the photos you bring back, you don't want your child growing up without a father, do you?
(The above is a slightly-modified version of what I hear from my wife any time I get into a tight spot while photographing -- and, rest assured, my tight spots are a lot less hazardous than yours!)
Posted by Craig Strand on August 10, 2008 at 12:24 AM
Beautiful image Marc, another example of your mastering the capture of light and the moment.
Posted by Chip Phillips on August 10, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Very cool. Lucky that you were able to get some tonal variation and color in the sky. A lucky find it was!
Posted by Chris Hodney on August 10, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Very nice Marc,
This is beautiful processing with some of your trademark stuff....but this image stands apart for me because it captures a special moment in high elevation hiking.
The funny thing is I have the same exact bolt captured from just bellow South Sister! I fired of a few exposures and right after I captured that bolt I dove into my tent at Camp Lake as it began to hail and pour. It was a nice experience for my first solo backpacking trip!
Unfortunately I was to nervous to focus on a nice composition so my photograph is pretty basic...your capture is incredible.
May I ask what exposure was used in this photograph?
Posted by Sean Bagshaw on August 11, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Really fine! The clouds in the upper left are over the top great. I also love the lighting detail on the pine needles.
Posted by Marc Adamus on August 11, 2008 at 8:45 PM
Kristian - you sure it was the same bolt? There were dozens during this storm that we saw up there over two days. My exposure was 1 second at f/11 with the camera on burst.
Actually upon further inspection it is not the same bolt, just very similar strike location. I was on my first solo backpacking trip up there for three days which was pretty fun and actually stumbled upon a few of your recent photograph locations I love atmospheric photographs and I think this is one of my favorites of yours. Maybe one of these days ill run into out there!
I used a similar technique too..just set the camera to burst and whenever I captured a bolt, I would "protect" the image and delete all the others in order to save card space.
Posted by Adrian Klein on August 13, 2008 at 11:51 PM
What a scene Marc. Love the contrast from almost dark to bright. Those skies are just amazing when they happen and even better when you capture them like this with a thunder bolt. BTW, your new site looks great. The old one was good too but this does setp it up several levels.
Discussion
12 repliesWe spent three days up here this week and had a couple hours when it wasn't thunderstorming. Amazing photos throughout the trip. This was just a lucky find on the hike in.
This is an amazing capture of the atmosphere at the time. It would be nice to see this just a little lighter.
Wow, Marc, the light in this is magnificent! The image perfectly captures the feeling I got when reading the stories. Not sure about lightening it; I think some of the threat and danger would escape...
(The above is a slightly-modified version of what I hear from my wife any time I get into a tight spot while photographing -- and, rest assured, my tight spots are a lot less hazardous than yours!)
This is beautiful processing with some of your trademark stuff....but this image stands apart for me because it captures a special moment in high elevation hiking.
The funny thing is I have the same exact bolt captured from just bellow South Sister! I fired of a few exposures and right after I captured that bolt I dove into my tent at Camp Lake as it began to hail and pour. It was a nice experience for my first solo backpacking trip!
Unfortunately I was to nervous to focus on a nice composition so my photograph is pretty basic...your capture is incredible.
May I ask what exposure was used in this photograph?
Actually upon further inspection it is not the same bolt, just very similar strike location. I was on my first solo backpacking trip up there for three days which was pretty fun and actually stumbled upon a few of your recent photograph locations
I used a similar technique too..just set the camera to burst and whenever I captured a bolt, I would "protect" the image and delete all the others in order to save card space.