Quake Lake

Skeleton trees in Quake Lake, near West Yellowstone
D2x + 16-85mm, my standard toning using SilverEfex

The long evening shadows caught my eye on a recent road trip ...

Neat lines, Jesse. Are you still using the 14-24, or did you opt for this lens as a replacement?

The 14-24mm was overkill on my D2x. I'm using a Tokina 11-16, along with this lens.

Beautiful Image Jesse, your sooooo good at these types of shots.

Excellent use of light and shadow as well as line! Your signature pp also takes this to another level.

That's what captures me Jesse is the shadows. You must have had some strong sidelight. Quake Lake is a very intriguing and mysterious place, but I've found it hard to photograph. I think its best for B&W like you have here. I found a nice gnarly tree along the shoreline that I converted to B&W that I'll have to show you sometime. You like the Nik software vs Photoshops B&W?

Thanks for commenting fellas.

It was some great side-lighting and shadows, Dean. I hadn't shot there when it was still iced over. I want to go back soon - as it starts melting off.

SilverEfex makes digital b/w FUN. A lot of fun. I'll have to show it to you sometime soon. It's powerful.

Feel free to post your gnarly tree.

In color ...

Or toned ...

I guess there is some nice color in that lake when frozen. I shot here one year close to nightfall and almost stepped on a fawn hiding in the grass. Eyes wide open and as still as a rock. Amazing. I like the setting of the trees a little better in this one and the nice line of the shore. I'll go see if I can find that tree.

Here it is. Hope you don't mind me hijacking your post Jesse. I don't know if this is something or not. I just like the quality of light and I'm not that great with B&W.

I like that quite a bit actually. Soft light, great tones. Fisheye? I love the "void" in the middle too.

Knaw, just the 17-40mm. Great looking trees down there along the shoreline. I took this in the fall when the shoreline was more exposed and I could get to it. Couldn't work tonight. Sitting at home resting the back. I think the lower corners should probably be cloned out. A work in progress.

Cool shot, Jesse, great lines as TC mentioned. I like the second shot much better in color.

Jess, absolutely love the lase b&w. Havent been to this lake in over 20 years. You have done it real justice...J.

Great images. Really like the simplicity. I actually like the colored version better. I like the blue/greens in the ice.

I really like the lines and tones in this. I just started using the NIK sw. Do you mind sharing which tone effect you use in the SilverEfex?

Hmmm... I think I see this software in my near future! Nice work as always Jesse!

Jesse, I've come back to this post a number of times to see if I'd change my mind and I haven't, so here goes - I like all these images, but I LOVE the top of #2 (color). It's personal taste, but I find the bottom just a bit too busy mainly because of the 2nd tree from the right. That grouping of branches coming out of the ice just draws my gaze and I can't get past it. Once I scroll up above that, the whole image just jumps out and smacks me in head. The line of the shore, the colors of the ice, and the color contrasts with the trees just totally works for me.

I appreciate the comments!

Kurt, my toning is custom, and always varies a bit depending on the tonal range of the original. Their presets are good starting points.