Winter Morning on Mount Tom

Posted by Don Smith (California, United States) on 2 February 2009 in Landscape & Rural.

A blustery winter morning unveils the 13,652 foot eastern Sierra peak of Mount Tom which is located northwest of Bishop, California. I was driving south on Highway 395 and had just crested Sherwin Grade when I spotted the potential for this image. Finally, I found a safe place to pull off the highway and used a 70-200mm with a 2x converter to isolate on the top portion of Mount Tom. High winds and a clearing storm provided the drama. To see more of mountain imagery, learn about upcoming workshops, and to learn about my upcoming eBook: The Photographer's Guide to the Big Sur Coast, please visit my website at http://www.donsmithphotography.com.

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Comments (9)

Marie LC from Voiron, France

Love composition. It's impressing and misty

2 Feb 2009 6:50am

@Marie LC: Hi Marie, the eastern Sierra range is so dramatic and awe-inspiring, that I never tire of shooting it or the surrounding valleys. Thanks you for your nice words.

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

You have captured the Ice King's work, very well I might add. A beautiful observation of nature.

2 Feb 2009 9:49am

@Ana Lúcia: When one is able to place themselves in the middle of beauty, the camera just becomes a conduit to the soul. Thank you for wrinting in.

Evi from Athens, Greece

Exquisite!

2 Feb 2009 12:08pm

@Evi: Thanks Evi! We have had a somewhat of a dry winter here in California - lots of blue skies and unseasonably warm days - it was nice to see winter's return.

SPunkt from Stuttgart, Germany

Wow. :-O

2 Feb 2009 1:54pm

@SPunkt: Enough said - thank you!

Don Smith from California, United States

For those of you who have never visited the eastern Sierra, unlike its western neighbor whose slope is somewhat diagonal, the eastern Sierra is akin to walking off the edge of a cliff (think sheer cliffs - not gentle slopes).

2 Feb 2009 2:35pm

Markela from Athens, Greece

Nicely taken, Don! I can see how steep those mountains really are. I went on a one-day photo trip myself last weekend and I took some photos similar to the one above. I will be posting it in a few days. I would like if you visit to see it. I need some constructive criticism from you. Thanks!

2 Feb 2009 5:16pm

@Markela: Thank you Markela - please let me know when your photos have posted - I'll be better able to take a peek near the end of the week.

Scott Schilling from San Martin, United States

Don, a wonderful composition - I like the lower right hand corner which helps to ground me and give me some perspective - the play of light, white, and black is great and the winding ridge line drags my eyes all the way through! beautiful. I am glad you made it back safely - some weather maybe at the end of the week - hopefully.

2 Feb 2009 8:11pm

@Scott Schilling: I've always loved photographing this mountain - it ususally serves as a background element in many of my images, but this time it was the main subject. Hope all is well!

Yonatan from Bronx, United States

I really like the way my eyes climb from the bottom of this capture to partially concealed top. There is something about this capture that I can't quite put my finger on, but it has a quality that seems to blur the line between photograph and canvas painting.

2 Feb 2009 9:52pm

@Yonatan: I'm glad you commented about the line in this image as I was very careful as to its placement. It really looks monotoned, perhaps lending to the painterly look, but it is a color image - no manipulation was done on my end.

Helma from Tehran, Iran

Really Wonderful shot !

3 Feb 2009 7:25pm

@Helma: Thank you Helma.

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Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
1/60 second
F/16.0
ISO 200
400 mm