Whitewater Rafting Photo Tips from the Pros, Part II

March 17, 2009.

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O.A.R.S. – The scale of this Grand Canyon photo is so vast that the dories seem completely dwarfed by the canyon walls. And the light seems to glow and emanate from within the picture. How do you do that?

JOHN BLAUSTEIN: People often think that the best way to capture the scale of the river at the bottom of the canyon is to use a wide angle lens that “sees” from one side of the river to the other, and from just in front of ones feet all the way to the sky. In fact, if you crop the sky out of the photo completely, the viewer gets the impression that the canyon walls go up forever. I wouldn’t call it an optical illusion, but the mind’s eye interprets the scale as going forever. Having several boats in the photo, at different distances from the camera, also contributes to the sense of space and scale. Shooting in late afternoon light, with the sun behind the subject, contributes to the “glow” you refer to. With film, this would have been a very high-contrast scene to capture, but the new digital technology makes this kind of high-key lighting very easy to capture.

If you’d like to learn more or improve your photography skills, O.A.R.S. is offering 4 Outdoor Photography Workshops in 2009 with some of our favorite outdoor photographers. For details, visit our website at http://www.oars.com/photography

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