The Light Show

The light change at high altitude is just like its weather, in short, very dramatic.  One can observe constant shifts of light in minutes, in seconds!  And you got to love the modern digital camera – not much because its digital raw capture, its high definition, or even Photoshop, but for the fact the media it uses for storage.  No longer one is limited to 2 captures – in the case of technical camera – before one has to change its quick load sheet-film.  No longer one has to change after 4 shots – in the case of 120 film for 617, or 6 shots for 612, or 8 for 6X9, 10 shots for 6X7, 12 shots for 6X6 or 16 shots for 645 – which I use them all in the past and absolutely no desire to go back.  Even the relatively small 135mm camera, you get 36 or maximum 37/38 shots before having to change the film cartridge. * See film formats.

With digital, for example the 16G CF card on my Canon 5DII used to take this image, I can take hundreds. Not that you need to take that many to get the shot – but you are given the chance to record all the swift change of light show – particular the twilight moment.

High altitude mountain allow the light cast from the sun a lot longer and received the reflections of air much more and much longer, the density of the air, its humidity and temperature all contribute to all the subtle differences from one second to another. 

For example this image of Chenrezig Peak, shot on the exact location just minutes later than the last one posted earlier, tells one to hang on, and always a good advise for the landscape photographers – be the last one to leave.

Shot with Canon 5DII with EF 24-105/4L IS lens (setting at 70mm) stopped down to f/7.1, 1/400s.  Yading Nature Reserve.