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East view from within the Aspen Grove
East view from within the Aspen Grove
hahn23


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Fill Flash II (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
Location: Hollowell Park, Rocky Mountain National Park
Date: Oct 7, 2010
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/25s
Galleries: Landscape, Nature
Date Uploaded: Oct 8, 2010

 Half way up Steep Mountain above Hollowell Park in RMNP is an aspen grove displaying the best autumn color of the season. The shot angle was at an approximate acute angle of 30 degrees to the sun. I used a fill flash to bring subtle lighting to the shade side of the aspens, ground and small pine & spruce trees, while properly exposing sky and sunlit areas. Otherwise, the dynamic range of the scene and light contrast were so high that detail would have been lost in the shadows with the sky and landscape in the sunlight.

I suspect this entry in this challenge will be panned and voted down. It is thinking "outside the box" and I expect it will be under-appreciated. It's not an image of a model in a studio, but the fill flash principles apply. It is a very legitimate use of fill flash for landscape photography. The way I will know I have done a good job is if anyone says, "There is no evidence of a fill flash." The goal, of course, was to illuminate the dark side of the foreground elements without throwing a conspicuous "flashlight"-like glaring light and distracting shadow.

Polarizing filter. Fill Flash Canon 580EXII with Fong diffuser. Lens focal length 28mm. Tripod mount. One image.

[Oct. 11th, 2010 03:34:03 AM]

The comment from Bear_Music is much appreciated and will be long remembered. Thanks, Robert!

Statistics
Place: 36 out of 64
Avg (all users): 5.6906
Avg (commenters): 8.3333
Avg (participants): 5.4242
Avg (non-participants): 5.7736
Views since voting: 1266
Views during voting: 332
Votes: 139
Comments: 5
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-5D
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Autofocus Lens
10/18/2010 10:48:31 AM
This should have been voted MUCH higher. The whole point of (effective) fill is to use i subtly. I gave it a 9. Great shot, great technique.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS
 10/14/2010 12:20:24 AM
This is extremely well done. Well enough done that I can't really tell if you DID use flash, except that my experience with similar scenes suggest you almost had to have. So, perfectly balanced :-)

Looks like a Richard Hahn (which is a compliment, if you don't happen to be him).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R6
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 10/12/2010 05:30:22 PM
Great colors in this scene, and good balance between flash and ambient light. I'm slightly torn by the perspective. On one hand, I like the in-the-forest feel, but on the other hand I wish I could see more. I definitely appreciate the photo though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 10/11/2010 02:56:46 PM
Very well done - 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D750
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 10/11/2010 12:19:18 PM
Amazing what a tiny bit of flash can do to an image. Gorgeous.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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