This is a rare view of Lago di Fusine Superiore flooded to twice its normal size due to snowmelt from an exceptionally long, snowy winter. It was quite surprising to find the lake so engorged when I emerged at the edge of the woods after hiking by headlamp to get there before sunrise. I nearly walked right into the water, not expecting the shoreline to be so far displaced from its normal position.
While the title might be a slight exaggeration (the flooding does happen every year, though not necessarily to this extent), the combination of extensive flooding plus rare sunrise color--the first I've ever seen here--makes it a 100-year event in my book.
Tech notes: two-axis stitch of four horizontals, each one a blend of 2-3 exposures. Main exposures: 17mm, f/16, 4s, ISO 100.
Very nice image! It is rather busy but holds together well. The colors, warm and cold, work very well together. It feels well-balanced, the peaks in alpenglow don't steal the show. Lots of nice detail to enjoy. Thanks.
That is some nice light on the distant peaks. I like your composition, but I wonder if that foreground element is maybe a bit too much? Maybe a pano crop just above it as an alternate?
It's a good thing you didn't walk right into the water, I could imagine that happening very easily in the dark. Now... where is this?
Thanks for the comments, everyone. Really, I appreciate them very much.
Sneakyracer wrote:
Stunning location and image. Looks like you handled a very tough light situation well. It looks quite natural which is nice, instead of too HDRish.
Yeah, always a processing challenge, and certainly a threshold that is different for each viewer. Glad to hear you think I toed the line well enough.
S Barth wrote:
Very nice image! It is rather busy but holds together well. The colors, warm and cold, work very well together. It feels well-balanced, the peaks in alpenglow don't steal the show. Lots of nice detail to enjoy. Thanks.
-Steve
Thanks, Steve. Yeah, I knew at the outset that this wasn't going to be one for the lovers of minimalism. Ordinarily I *am* one of those lovers myself, but the many pieces were fitting together so nicely here that I decided it could work.
That is some nice light on the distant peaks. I like your composition, but I wonder if that foreground element is maybe a bit too much? Maybe a pano crop just above it as an alternate?
It's a good thing you didn't walk right into the water, I could imagine that happening very easily in the dark. Now... where is this?
Jim
I fretted over that question myself, both while shooting and processing, and ultimately felt that the shadows of the trees on the water really knit together the background with the foreground elements, which I think help to convey the sense of flooding and what it is you're seeing under the water. But this is exactly the sort of thing I would like to get feedback on, so I welcome any and all opinions on this point.
To answer your question about the location: right on the border between Italy and Slovenia. Specifically in the Fruili-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, but with the Julian Alps of Slovenia catching that sweet light in the background. The snow-dusted peak is Slovenia's Mount Mangart (8,789 ft.). (But I see Dustin beat me to it... )
By the way, is there any way to multi-quote when writing replies on this forum?
Very nice, Phrasikleia. Excellent processing. I feel I'm standing right on the edge.
I also was fooling around with a crop idea. It would put the waterline in the middle but that wouldn't make a difference because your nice light and glow on the peaks carry this beautiful scene no matter what. Crop or no crop, , this is a great shot.
I like the image very much - the colors, reflections, transparent water on fg - I think everything works really well, and reflections hold it together and add dimension. Looking at it on a tablet, as I am on travel; can only imagine how handsome it is on a full screen.
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