Click on the Mammoth Peak Reflection image to enlarge

Mammoth Peak Reflection

Reflection of a mountain in water like Mammoth Peak Reflection makes for inspirational photography.

It is challenging as a photographer to work with what looks like a simple photograph. In fact there are many technical details that must be worked with in taking a picture of a reflection in water like Mammoth Peak Reflection.

First you must realize that the exposure of the main subject you are taking a picture of and the exposure of that subject’s reflection in the water will be different. You can expect that there will be approximately one f-stop difference in exposure. That means to even things out you will have to compensate approximately one full f-stop in exposure for the reflection in the water.

For me working with a situation like this you must go back to “old school” photography. For me the best and still the only way to adjust for a situation like this are with split neutral density filters.

With a split neutral density filter half of the filter is of neutral density which transitions, either abruptly or gradually, into the other half which is clear. It is used to bring an overly-bright part of a scene into the dynamic range of film or sensor.

Split neutral density filters were used extensively by Galen Rowell, and from studying Galen’s writing and photography on the subject I myself learned how to use such a filter.

Now with the digital darkroom you can work with software to attempt to make the exposure adjustments in your post-processing of the image. But something that is important to remember in any type of photography is to make your original image the best you can make it. That means applying the technology you have at your disposal at the time of you actually take the picture. Using split neutral density filters with a reflection in water provides you with the optimal image at the time of capturing the image. Then as you work in your digital darkroom in post-processing you have the best image at your disposal to continue your creative process with.

Reflection in water. It might mean going back to old school photography to fully capture the scene of a Mammoth Peak Reflection.