Post by GaliWalker on Oct 1, 2017 11:25:11 GMT -8
The last day of September meant that it was time to go fall color hunting. I picked Canaan Mountain, in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. Well, surprisingly, fall had not bloomed yet, so I ended up being disappointed in that pursuit; however, I did get to experience a lovely, albeit overcast dawn and a restful hike through the woods on a beautiful fall day.
There really wasn't much to the hike - only ~1,400ft of elevation gain spread out over ~15mi - so I'll say a few words about my route first, and then say more about the thinking behind my photography choices.
The hike
2.5mi out and back on the Table Rock Overlook Trail for the sunrise; 1mi north on Canaan Loop Road, then loop around Table Rock on the 6mi Mountainside Trail to hit Canaan Loop Road again; 1.6mi east on the Canaan Loop Road; 1.8mi north on the Railroad Grade Trail; finish the loop on the Plantation Trail (2mi).
Photography notes
I had visited the Table Rock overlook before, but never for sunrise. I thought it would make for a great option, hopefully without having to deal with the crowds that mob most other vistas at this time of the year. The forecast had called for early morning clouds, so I wasn't too surprised at the overcast conditions. Sometimes, such conditions can lead to non-traditional sunrise photos, which can be just as dramatic as the best of them. At least, that was my hope.
I'd hiked to the outcrop in the dark, although soft morning light was brightening things up rapidly as I arrived. I walked around the large space picking out compositions, and where to pose for the self 'portraits'. The show got started with a hint of light below the cloud deck, to the southwest. Then nothing for a good half hour; still no sun, even though it was past sunrise by now. I was getting disappointed, when suddenly the sun managed to find weaknesses in the clouds. The next hour was spent trying to take advantage of any opportunities as they came my way. One of the most enjoyable hours, photography wise, that I've had for a while. I think I packed up twice, thinking it was over, when a new lighting condition would descend on me and I'd have to work frantically to get set up.
Waiting for sunrise
First light
Sunrise
Red line
The clouds are aglow
Dawn's caress
Playful light on the mountains
Sunlit GaliWalker
For the longest time, I've taken photos of interesting things I see on trail, but I never seem to manage to depict them as well as I want to. I knew that what I was missing was 'the human connection', but given that I hike solo, that's a bit hard to do. On this hike, I decided that I was going to remedy that by taking a whole bunch of selfies.
Swishing through the leaves
Rocks and tall trees
Rhododendron tunnel
There really wasn't much to the hike - only ~1,400ft of elevation gain spread out over ~15mi - so I'll say a few words about my route first, and then say more about the thinking behind my photography choices.
The hike
2.5mi out and back on the Table Rock Overlook Trail for the sunrise; 1mi north on Canaan Loop Road, then loop around Table Rock on the 6mi Mountainside Trail to hit Canaan Loop Road again; 1.6mi east on the Canaan Loop Road; 1.8mi north on the Railroad Grade Trail; finish the loop on the Plantation Trail (2mi).
Photography notes
I had visited the Table Rock overlook before, but never for sunrise. I thought it would make for a great option, hopefully without having to deal with the crowds that mob most other vistas at this time of the year. The forecast had called for early morning clouds, so I wasn't too surprised at the overcast conditions. Sometimes, such conditions can lead to non-traditional sunrise photos, which can be just as dramatic as the best of them. At least, that was my hope.
I'd hiked to the outcrop in the dark, although soft morning light was brightening things up rapidly as I arrived. I walked around the large space picking out compositions, and where to pose for the self 'portraits'. The show got started with a hint of light below the cloud deck, to the southwest. Then nothing for a good half hour; still no sun, even though it was past sunrise by now. I was getting disappointed, when suddenly the sun managed to find weaknesses in the clouds. The next hour was spent trying to take advantage of any opportunities as they came my way. One of the most enjoyable hours, photography wise, that I've had for a while. I think I packed up twice, thinking it was over, when a new lighting condition would descend on me and I'd have to work frantically to get set up.
Waiting for sunrise
First light
Sunrise
Red line
The clouds are aglow
Dawn's caress
Playful light on the mountains
Sunlit GaliWalker
For the longest time, I've taken photos of interesting things I see on trail, but I never seem to manage to depict them as well as I want to. I knew that what I was missing was 'the human connection', but given that I hike solo, that's a bit hard to do. On this hike, I decided that I was going to remedy that by taking a whole bunch of selfies.
Swishing through the leaves
Rocks and tall trees
Rhododendron tunnel
