Dall sheep rams, Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park
Dall sheep rams on a mountain ridge in Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park, Alaska. Canon 1Ds Mark III, 100-400mm f/5.6L, 1/80 sec @ f/9, ISO 200
Having just returned from a few days in Denali Park, it is clear that autumn is in full swing in the high country, and the vibrant colors have scattered the hills with richness. In the latter part of the afternoon while passing through Polychrome Pass, these dall sheep rams were resting on a mountain outcrop. White subjects on a sunny day can present an exposure challenge, however in this particular scene, some vital elements of a photo fell into place. In particular, I try to find a strong degree of perpendicular lighting if possible. This introduces many layers and brightness/darkness edges that make the composition interesting. Additionally, I looked critically at the background for linear dimension and angles, both for context and for visual interest. The low lying clouds just over the mountains create a strong mood for the mountain scene, and although there was blue sky above that, I preferred the tonal range of the grays. The initial RAW capture had a tiny bit of blown out highlights and blocked up shadows, but they were recoverable with basic adjustments, rendering a pleasing tonality with plenty of contrast. Eventually, the sheep stood up and walked from the ridge and began feeding in the willow bushes. The trip in general was filled with lots of sunshine, and at times too few clouds, but overall, very productive. It’s always a delight to be in Denali park during the autumn colors.
That is absolutely stunning, Patrick! Love the rich colors and Polychrome is my favorite part of the park. Denali Park is spectacular in fall, and I hope there are still some colors hanging on for Road Lottery weekend. (I scored a pass for Monday) Looks like we’re going to be well past peak by then, looking at these vibrant colors.
Susan,
The colors do seem to be a bit early this year, but no doubt, there will be a few patches left. Enjoy the road.
Looks like you’ve captured yet another cover shot. Great image! Just FYI, I bought a new filter b-4 I went to McNeil that you might find very useful in you’re beautiful part of the world for the fall color time. It’s a Singh-Ray, Vari-N-Trio. 4-8 stop ND, Polarizer & Color Intensifier all in 1. I just need pratice to make it a bit easier to use. Maybe if I got stranded in Alaska for a year…
Bruce,
I can see a use for that filter for specific water/reflection/ND needs. And yes, get stranded in Alaska and you will have plenty of time to experiment with it.
Patrick–I only comment now when one of your always great photos seems greater than great. This is one of those occasions. Wow…Pat
Pat, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Another world class photo, Patrick. The mix of colors among the rocks, the foliage and mountain are simply breathtaking.
A question, if that’s ok…my shots here in Oregon of faroff mountains are almost always “hazy”. It happens with all my lenses, with or without a filter. I’ve been told that it’s caused by humidity. Any suggestions as to what I can do to “cut though” this haze, either in camera settings, or in post production.
thanks very much.
Thanks Patrick, that is a tough situation to deal with. Besides moving to a place with clear skies and mountains… I would recommend at least a few things in post production, i.e., Lightroom. Try adding a local brush adjustment for more contrast, clarity, decrease of brightness and possibly a little saturation. Haze tends to mute color as well. Good luck on that, it is a difficult one to remedy completely.
I did send you an email, but is there a way to purchase the digital of this for personal use? I would like to paint it.