I recently spent 5 days with my wife and son at Buck Pond campground in the Adirondacks, 12 miles north of Lake Saranac. It is a pristine location with a remote feeling of wilderness and great views of surrounding mountains and forests. Sunrises were fantastic every morning with lots of ethereal fog and warm light, a combination I find challenging to photograph, but so expressive when I can capture it just right.
Morning Light, Buck Pond
My first instinct with “Morning Light” was to get as close to the water as possible, but I found the foreground lacking in interest, and decided to look for something else that would lead the viewer into the image. Stepping back and lower, I noticed all of the wonderful detail on the tall grass lining the lake, and the rest was just a matter of finding the right balance between the two.
Wind Blown Tree, Lake Kushaqua
“Wind Blown Tree” was made from my canoe as I waited for the light to break through a heavy cloud cover. I’ve practiced working from my canoe and kayak quite a bit, and I’ve developed some techniques to keep the camera as steady as possible. Even so, I usually will switch to ISO 200 for that extra stop of exposure, and use some noise reduction in post-processing. Again, it’s the unique perspective and opportunity I’m after, and I have no problem adding some noise if a sharp image depends on it. I found the tree fascinating, and used it to frame the entire image.
Twilight, Buck Pond
On land this time working with a tripod, “Twilight” is the kind of image that seems easy to photograph, yet I struggled with balance and symmetry…more water, or more land, do I split the image in half or look for a way to use the rule of thirds…in the end I put the camera down, took a deep breath, and enjoyed a calming moment with a lake all to myself.
As always, your feedback is valued and appreciated…
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