I like the lower part of this shot, but I think the sky looks a bit HDRish with the really dark patchy areas. Maybe too much clarity was used to try and make them look sharper? I’m not sure.
Gary Clennan wrote:
What a nice shot Artur - well done! Not sure if I like the crack leading exactly into the corner of the frame or if it could look better slightly to the right? Could also be my untrained eye! I will have to make the drive up there in a month or so. Do you know the best time to visit? Not sure if there is a lot of clear ice there thoughout the winter or if you need to time it right...
Gary, I was at Abraham 2 weekends ago and it was pretty awful compared to last year. It has been so hot this past while, that 90% of the ice is inaccessible because the shoreline has completely melted away. Only the very far south portion of the lake can be walked on safely, since the water level has dropped enough and the ice now sits on the ground. There was water bubbling up everywhere during my visit, and I left a day early from frustration.
It may get cold and the shoreline could freeze again, but once there are a few hot days the surface of the ice gets very cloudy, and completely covers the bubbles and interesting ice fissures. I had a hard time making any of my shots work, and needed to focus more on extremely large cracks for my compositions, rather then the bubbles. Plus there is only 1 mountain worth shooting at the south area of the lake, which further limits photo possibilities. Next year I’m going mid December just to be sure.
Thank you all.
Justin, thanks for your feedback about sky. I wasn't 100% sure about dark areas of the sky. I will try to work on that.
Gary, I would definitely consider visit Abraham Lake. There is not really bad time to go there. It is the same as with all landscape photography, it all depends on weather and what you are after. This shot was taken in the middle of the lake few hundreds meters of the shore. Bubbles are usually found along the shore. To be able to safely hike across the lake, you would have to wait for few days of solid cold of -10C or less. But there is a lot of ice on the shore with some amazing formations.
I would be interesting to see how is the lake going to look like after freezing, melting, cracking, freezing again. This might produce some amazing formations.
I will have to make the drive up there in a month or so. Do you know the best time to visit? Not sure if there is a lot of clear ice there thoughout the winter or if you need to time it right...
Id say around 4 hours if the roads are ok and you dont stop.