Sometimes you have to plan ahead to get the photo you want. I envisioned a photo of the Swampy Lakes Shelter at dusk with some pink sky behind it.
Before heading out at around 2:00 p.m., I packed two Nikon SB800 Speedlights, each outfitted with a yellow gel. It is much easier to do this in the warmth of your home. I brought my trusted Nikon D800 with a 24-70 zoom lens and a carbon fiber tripod.
After skiing up through the forest, I placed the two Flash units in the hut and used Pocket Wizard wireless transmitters to trigger them remotely from my camera. My wife was sitting in the shelter keeping an eye on the flash and shifting them into perfect location. The shoot took less than 10 minutes before we could ski back to the car park. Needless to say, the run trough the forest at dusk was pure beauty.
I further enhanced the image in Photoshop so the yellow light in the shelter would contrast nicely with the blue tones of the snow.
Winter in Central Oregon is a magical time. There are endless possibilities for fun in the snow, from downhill skiing at Mt. Bachelor to snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the seemingly endless forests of the Cascade Mountains.
Editor’s note: “Capturing Oregon” brings you the stories of Oregon photographers as they traverse the state to capture its beauty. To see more of Christian’s photography, visit www.ccophoto.com.
