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Follow the light
3rd PlaceFollow the light
Silent-Shooter


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2014-08 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM
Location: Mnweni, Drakensberg, South Africa
Date: Aug 10, 2014
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/50s
Galleries: Landscape, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Aug 31, 2014

 Taken on the 2nd day of a training hike in the Drakensberg mountains standing at the head of the Mnweni pass looking down the valley. Rian Botes and I were training for a long hike known as the Drakensberg Grand Traverse which is approx 210km covered mostly at an average altitude of 3000m above sea level. Most folks take 10-12 days to do the GT but we are training and planning on doing it in a little over 5 days which is pretty fast even though the record was set earlier this year by Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel who did it in a fraction over 40hrs!!
Our plan is to go light and fast and that means leaving behind heavy things like tripods and big DSLR cameras... which we brought on this trip and hardly used due to the snowy weather we had for most of the trip.


Anyway our training hike went well despite the unexpected snow on the first day which also made for a late and slow start on the 2nd day. We covered about 65km in the 2 days with over 2,000m of vertical ascent.
This photo was taken at "lunch" on day 2 as we were about to descend the Mnweni pass which was our route out of the mountains. About 1 hour later, Rian took his shot of me standing on the pinnacle.
6 hours after lunch and we were back at the car, tired and ready for home.

Seems carrying the extra weight paid off nicely as we got some great images despite the weather not playing along most if the time.

Post challenge end:
Thanks to everyone for the great comments and wonderful scores. I love Ansel too and to be compared to him is a great feeling!

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 177
Avg (all users): 7.0696
Avg (commenters): 8.9091
Avg (participants): 6.9438
Avg (non-participants): 7.5000
Views since voting: 2018
Views during voting: 235
Votes: 115
Comments: 34
Favorites: 9 (view)

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AuthorThread
 09/10/2014 01:43:58 PM
*Greetings from the Critique Club*

Congratulations on the ribbon. Beautiful shot. Third place in a free study, amazing light, sharpness, and tones... Nothing to critique here. Well done.

Julee
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2014 01:42:55 PM
*duplicate*

Message edited by author 2014-09-10 13:43:53.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2014 03:55:19 AM
Congrats on the ribbon. Fabulous photo. What a fantastic place! Enjoy your big trek - I hope you at least take a camera of some sort with you (and let Rian do, too.)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 05:57:18 PM
Congrats!!!
My favorite of this challenge!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 02:25:01 PM
Crazy tonal range, even crazier mountain range and downright insane climbers to attempt! Seems only fitting that you and Rian both ribboned in this challenge. Have fun and be careful - and oh yes, congrats on the yellow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 12:55:40 PM
Love the detail and tonal range. Excellent image. Congrats on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 11:24:40 AM
Lovely nuff said! Congrats and enjoy GT
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 10:04:32 AM
Beautiful! Congrats on your Yellow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 10:04:10 AM
Congrats Steve! My fav for this month. Pretty darn cool to see you and Rian in 2nd and 3rd slots. Look forward to hearing how your upcoming challenge went.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 07:13:48 AM
Go South Africa, excellent shot!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 04:18:08 AM
WD on your result and super image Stephen!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2014 12:06:53 AM
All I can say is I told you so... Lol. Well done Steve. Im very happy for you. A very special gift to remember the trip by. Congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/07/2014 09:19:34 PM
The light, detail and tonal range are exceptional.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 09:05:16 PM
Fabulous scene and great range of tones. I love the detail and the light rays. 9. One of my top 5.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 08:36:20 PM
Nice tones.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 04:40:51 PM
Fantastic light, creating all different shades of grey, but still good details in the darker parts of the image. Beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 02:44:26 PM
A big fav for me!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 02:00:21 PM
Wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 01:42:04 PM
Voted previously: Fabulous B/W image, wonderful tones and depth, 10 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 12:46:30 PM
stunning light and dark
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 11:48:11 AM
This is so Ansel Adams. Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/07/2014 05:49:30 AM
Ja nee. You've done it again :) I'm impressed by the B&W conversion which is very well handled btw. Top 10 and a good chance of Top 3. Perhaps the lack of a raised arm hiker might hurt the score a bit here (DPC) or rather had you included a hiker it may have gotten a few more higher scores. Personally I prefer it pristine and without anything human.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/06/2014 11:17:50 PM
Wow! Gorgeous light and tonal range. Outstanding - Back to comment and bump.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/06/2014 11:36:46 AM
faboulous b&w love how the light fall of right to left with just a touch of forground interest to make it work....8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/05/2014 06:34:19 PM
Spectacular!!!..wonderful image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/05/2014 04:10:34 PM
sweet. one of my favs
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/05/2014 09:55:45 AM
Oh my! I have no words! 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2014 04:26:57 AM
nice dramatic shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2014 06:57:14 PM
Ansel Adam-ish... and I love him! Great piece.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2014 04:47:45 PM
I love this B&W! Seems to have the full scale of shades. I was at first thinking it's a little dark around the edges but it seems like that's mostly due to your vignette. Very well done! 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2014 10:50:58 AM
Front page stuff
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/02/2014 09:16:01 PM
Wow, this is amazing, very Ansel. Perfect shot in every way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/01/2014 09:34:59 PM
fantastic layering
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/01/2014 09:54:49 AM
OMG

wow

wish I had it printed large
10
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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