Watch my latest video
youtu.be/xfy47SrWnN4
I got a lot of questions asking me why I decided to change the aspect ratio of the Fuji GFX100s into this super pano 65:24 mode.
The answer is, it looks bloody awesome!
When composing panos like this, I want to see exactly what I'm going to end up with rather than shooting a 4x3 and then cropping it later.
There's something more...stimulating about limiting the aspect ratio in-camera.
The good news for those who worry about over-committing the comp is that the 65:24 aspect ratio isn't baked into the RAW file. It can be expanded later to the full 4x3 to give you some wiggle.
Luckily, this frame required no cropping and barely any editing.
All I did was clone out one annoying tree stump on the edge of the frame and then added some contrast and a slightly cooler white balance.
I have a video coming in a few weeks that documents the creation of this image.
One of the things I mention is the emotional connection that you can't help making with your beloved camera.
When the tools you use help you to create images like this, it's impossible to not form a bond with the gear.
Sadly, the bond was broken when I had to send the camera back to Fuji :(
Stay tuned for when this episode goes live. Until then, please enjoy this moment in time.
Thanks for reading
Gavin
Tags: abraham lake long exposure autumn fall flood forest aspens poplars colors color tranquility peaceful fototripper
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I thought this would be a great place to pitch tent and make camp.
All day I was feeling pretty smug about the idyllic location so I got comfy and sprawled out all of my gear to bed down for the night.
As soon as I got snug in my sleeping bag, exhausted from a long day of climbing and shooting with multiple muscle cramps, I realized my error.
We picked this spot not just because of the spectacular view but also because it was right next to a snow melt pond that we could use for drinking water.
The frogs also used it as a nightclub.
It starts with one ''croak'' just as I began falling asleep.
He continued several more times and seemed to give up.
I then began to fall asleep until he started again.
This eventually gets answered by a female not too far away which triggers multiple responses from other males.
And so, the alpine nightclub begins.
I got 13 minutes of sleep and I did have a face like a burst appendix during the morning sunrise shoot - but that's another story...
Thanks for reading.
Gavin
Tags: wildflowers heather vancouver island summer sunset mist clouds frogs
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I defy you to drive by without stopping.
When something is so 'overshot' that you almost don't want to look by can't help yourself.
Last week we headed out to this very famous sapling during a calm evening and simply had to stop and take the irresistible cliché.
It's that time of year where I can once again start whinging about mosquitos. And I will.
At the time, I didn't feel that our vampiric invaders were that bad. It wasn't until I woke up the next morning with hands and feet that resembled a plate of buckshot bratwurst that I realized I must have been overly focused on capturing this shot.
What I should have been doing is napalming the air with permethrin so that those despicable shytehawks perished mid-air to fall dead at my feet.
Needless to say, I have now ordered my Thermacell and will be reporting soon on it's effectiveness.
Thanks for looking
Gavin
Tags: Vancouver Island fairy tree lake port renfrew summer green calm tranquil soothing peaceful spring
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Layer upon layer for as far the eye can see.
Telephoto photography has opened up so many compositional opportunities that I can't believe I went without it for so many years.
I may not often reap the rewards of lugging about that dead weight, but on those odd occasions when the big guns are required.
If you'd like to see more of my work, please take a look at my book www.fototripper.com/chasing-awe-landscape-photography-boo...
Thanks for looking
Gavin
Tags: telephoto sunrise mist layers misty trees morning spring
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As the wildfire smoke slowly crept into the valley at Moraine Lake a couple of weeks into the summer of Armageddon, it diffused the light from the setting sun, creating very soft, atmospheric light.
This spot on the lake is about the only quiet place you'll find.
The rock pile is now the arena for wedding photographers and ‘Rinsedagrammers’ all jostling for position.
The one benefit of such busy crowds is the perfectly placed canoe that you can see paddling off into the reflection.
As always, I had to exposure bracket in order to capture all of the highlights and shadow detail in this high contrast scene.
I also had to focus stack the rock in the foreground as I was so close to the lens that it began to blur.
As I was making this image, I noticed one very brave paddle boarder out on the lake that day. While invitingly beautiful, I wouldn't want to fall in to that ice cold water.
Thanks for reading
Gavin
Tags: moraine lake banff national park sunset smoke reflection canoe canada canadian rockies summer
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