Glacier NP Sunrise

Last fall I was lucky enough to be able to get one night in Glacier NP and was there the last night the St. Mary Lodge was open. Caught a good sunset on Logan Pass and then went up to Many Glacier and shot this sunrise at Swiftcurrent Lake.

More on my blog:

http://wildernessphotographer.blogspot.com/2013/01/swiftcurrent-lake-sunrise.html

I really like this photo. So many interesting subjects but none of them overpower the composition. Even the peak on the left has a muted light to soften its presence while the brighter light on the far peak is not so pronounced due to the this receding element.

Very nice indeed. A beautiful location that I've yet to visit. Now where's that bucket ...

Wayne, put that on that bucket when you find it. This was taken 25 feet from the lodge. This is the view the lodge has. On my blog post I have one where you see the lodge by night.

Really an impressive shot Darren. I would be interested in your settings if you don't mind.

There is a lot to look at here. The pattern in the clouds and definitely the early morning light on the mountain sides. Really nice especially when it was a 25 foot walk to set up for a shot like this.

Ken, I was using my basic settings of Aperture Priority and f/11 at ISO 100. I keep that as my standard and let the meter do the rest. That was giving me exposures of around 1/2 second here. The issue was that the wind that was giving the clouds some nice motion had also put a ripple on the water. So to better pick up the motion in the clouds and smooth out the water I put on my 6 stop solid ND filter which pushed the exposure out to 25 seconds. That gave both the motion I wanted and the smoothed out water. It was far better with the filter than without.

David, yes the Many Glacier lodge is that close behind me. I would have actually stayed there but Many Glacier closes like a week after Labor Day. Actually the entire east side of the park is shut down and empty by October 1st. Shame as the colors are really great then.

Here is a shot showing the lodge by night so you can see what I am talking about with it so close to the water.

Impressive shot, Darren. I have been to Glacier only once but need to go back! I like the use of ND filter to add motion to the first shot. The second shot is also very nice but it looks like it has a slight tilt to the right. Easy fix.

Both are magnificent shots, Darren, though the light in the first one is absolutely beautiful. Glacier's on my list too, along with the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Denali. Shots like this make me want to retire and head north.

Darren..love your work but these really stand out. Perhaps it is my "GOTTA GET TO GLACIER" mantra that I mumble over and over. Really nice work. Both worthy of large wall-hangers!

Very nice Darren. I have looked at both several times. Both are true works of beauty. To me, this is when the photographer is an artist.